Tightening budgets and reduced staffing affect all aspects of a college or university. It may pose an especially significant risk to your college’s cybersecurity and the privacy of sensitive data, suggests a new survey from EDUCAUSE.
The higher education technology advocacy nonprofit collected nearly 150 responses from staff members working in cybersecurity and privacy. It highlighted the increasing workload brought on by insufficient staffing and the need for professional development in artificial intelligence.
Insecure staff pipeline
While more than two-thirds of respondents reported excessive workloads, 30% stated that no actions have been taken to address the issue. Furthermore, only 21% said their unit was currently equipped with enough staff to meet its goals. Positions surrounding privacy were particularly understaffed, according to the report.
Institutions seemed to lack a cohesive plan for when staff members leave their positions. Over half of the respondents stated there was currently no comprehensive transition strategy or succession plan.
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While two-thirds of respondents reported little to no turnover in their department over the past year, 36% said insufficient compensation and benefits were the top reason they would consider leaving their current role.
Why cybersecurity, privacy staff show resilience
A quarter of cybersecurity and privacy staff are likely to apply for another job outside their current institution in the next year, a marked improvement over the 56% who stated they were likely to look elsewhere in 2023.
Flexible work schedules and new technology applications have cut the number of staff considering leaving their current position. About three-quarters of respondents reported having access to a hybrid or remote work arrangement. This led to improvements in their work-life balance, job satisfaction and productivity.
Technological innovation led to more than 60% of respondents saying they’ve experienced positive effects on job performance, deriving from better communication, flexibility and cross-campus collaboration. However, they also gave rise to new challenges surrounding security.
Data security and privacy regulations topped respondents’ main priorities for professional development. Policy and compliance surrounding AI were especially important, driving their desire for clearer frameworks, ongoing training and stronger institutional support.
