Data security in higher education: protecting confidential financial aid data

Abstract

This dissertation is aimed at assisting higher education leaders, IT professionals, and administrators in understanding data security risks that institutions face and how employee understanding and behavior can increase or reduce data security risk. The study aims to measure the relationship between financial aid administrator data security behavior, awareness of data security, and the risk of student data loss or breach.The problem that the proposed study seeks to address is the inadequate or deficient data security risk measures, training, behavior, policy, and commitment of higher education institution financial aid operations and the impact it has on student and parent personal and financial data reported to higher education institutions. This research study answered the primary research question, "Do institutional commitment, data security policies and procedures, and data security training impact data security awareness and behavior of higher education financial aid professionals?" The results revealed a statistically significant relationship between two independent variables (institutional commitment and policies and procedures) and data security behavior. It also revealed a statistically significant relationship between training and awareness. The results informed us that there is no statistically significant relationship between awareness and behavior. It also revealed that there is no statistically significant relationship between two independent variables (institutional commitment and policies and procedures) and awareness, and no significant relationship between training and behavior. This research identified institutional commitment, training, and policies and procedures as predicting 35% of data security behavior. Further research should be conducted to identify other factors that affect the other 65% of data security behavior. Further research into data security in higher education is needed to help identify all factors that affect behavior and awareness, which in turn can assist institutions with developing stronger data security plans and evaluate current plans for weaknesses that put student data at risk. The results of this survey provide institutions and professional aid administrators with various factors that have an impact on the behavior of employees that can either protect student data or put it at risk. Knowing the types of activities, processes, and policies that can be used to protect confidential student data can assist higher education leaders with developing effective policies and procedures specifically designed to protect student data. --Author's abstract