ITS Policy and Standards
Responsible Use of University Computers and Information Systems
In today’s dynamic cybersecurity landscape, a wide range of organizations—including universities, financial institutions, social media platforms, and other online services—are adopting strategic measures to reduce risk and safeguard user data.
These measures are typically formalized through comprehensive policies that govern the organization’s information systems, data management, and operational processes. At the University, the implementation of such policies strengthens and sustains our cybersecurity posture by addressing the following key areas:
Personal and Academic Data Protection
Students, faculty, staff, and institutional partners rely on the University to maintain a strong cybersecurity program that effectively safeguards personal and academic information. To remain eligible for federal funding—including financial aid programs—the University must demonstrate adherence to NIST cybersecurity frameworks, which includes maintaining a comprehensive library of cybersecurity policies.
ITS Policy Refresh (IT Policy and Standards)
The Policy for Responsible Use of University Computers and Information Systems, went into effect in July 2025.
This represents a vision for the University's future cybersecurity posture. At present, not all the necessary organizational and technical systems are in place to fully meet the requirements outlined in the new or updated policies. Information Technology Services (ITS) has identified the need for a strategic plan and implementation timeline to establish these systems, ensuring that all areas of ¶¶ÒõÊÓƵ can achieve compliance with the new standards.
Milestones
- July 1st, 2025 - Responsible Use of University Computers and Information Systems goes into effect
- August 1st, 2025 - ITS-17: Digital Course Retention Standard goes into effect
- October 1st, 2025 - MFA Deployed for all faculty, staff, and students
- October 27th, 2025 - Operating System Patching for Windows and Mac Devices
- January 1st, 2026 - Automatic Email Forwarding Disabled
Key Stakeholders
These policies and standards applies to all ¶¶ÒõÊÓƵ technology assets. All users (employees, contractors, vendors, or others) of information systems are responsible for adhering to these policies and standards.
ITS Policy:
Responsible Use of University Computers and Information Systems
ITS Standards:
ITS-15: System Maintenance Standard (In Progress)
ITS-16: Digital Signage Standard (In Progress)