The Evolving Landscape of Data Privacy in Higher Education

Published:: Thursday, November 19, 2020
: Briefs, Case Studies, Papers, Reports

Author(s) and Contributors:: Author(s): Sean Burns

Source(s) and Collection(s):: Sources(s): EDUCAUSE Research Collection(s): Research Hub Research Report Research Interactive Graphics and Infographics Survey Instruments

ParentTopics:: Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Compliance Contact Tracing COVID-19 Data Governance Data Privacy Digital Transformation (Dx) EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Federal Privacy Law Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Privacy Policies Risk Management

This joint research conducted by EDUCAUSE in partnership with Huron, explores the various ways data privacy is managed; examines recent privacy legislation and privacy issues that have arisen during the COVID-19 pandemic; and seeks to uncover some of the biggest challenges and most promising paths forward for data privacy in higher education.

Through a survey of privacy professionals and in-depth interviews with more than twenty privacy leaders from a variety of higher education institutions—including research institutions, smaller colleges, and community colleges—the research summarized in this report provides a comprehensive and in-depth view across the current landscape of data privacy and highlights opportunities for improved practices and policies that may be available to higher education, technology, and privacy leaders.

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Privacy Management

Although many institutions have created privacy offices or privacy officer positions, multiple positions and people on campus still help manage privacy

Privacy During the Pandemic

As institutions have moved to more remote learning and remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, privacy professionals have reported a slew of new privacy concerns while working to increase the visibility of privacy and adapt processes and policies to address recent concerns.

Legislation and Ethics

Respondents to our survey of privacy professionals reported a number of key working touchpoints with legal offices at their institutions.

Common Challenges

Students are not well informed about how institutions use their data.

Promising Practices

When trying to reach students, faculty, and staff across a decentralized or siloed institution, finding ways to educate and raise awareness of privacy across the community is essential.