Mitch Davis, CIO of Bowdoin College, knew that he would have a problem selling the college community on security improvements, simply because most organizations and people resist change. So before proposing a massive security infrastructure revamp that would ultimately include tighter identity- and access-management controls, he worked with two faculty members to create a course titled “Senior Seminar in Network Security.” The eight students in the class researched existing security practices and used this information to help write a new set of security policies for Bowdoin. The result: These students and faculty became a team of advocates for campuswide security improvements. Davis, who also works outside of academia, believes this technique can succeed in a corporate setting, too. He advises CIOs to assemble a cross-functional team to review corporate security policies against industry best practices and to call in consultants, if needed, to point out security holes and potential exposures. “The goal is…to build a security advocates team that works throughout the organization to support existing practices, develop new solutions and provide feedback to IT,” Davis says. “The best security solutions are those that protect the business and its assets while at the same time empowering the company and the staff. Having people from all departments involved in the decision process helps build security solutions that are supported rather than circumvented by departments and staff.” Related content brandpost ChatGPT and Your Organisation: How to Monitor Usage and Be More Aware of Security Risks By Hayley Salyer Jun 05, 2023 7 mins Chatbots Artificial Intelligence brandpost Who’s paying your data integration tax? Reducing your data integration tax will get you one step closer to value—let’s start today. By Sandrine Ghosh Jun 05, 2023 4 mins Data Management feature 13 essential skills for accelerating digital transformation IT leaders too often find themselves behind on business-critical transformation efforts due to gaps in the technical, leadership, and business skills necessary to execute and drive change. By Stephanie Overby Jun 05, 2023 12 mins Digital Transformation IT Skills tip 3 things CIOs must do now to accurately hit net-zero targets More than a third of the world’s largest companies are making their net-zero targets public, yet nearly all will fail to hit them if they don’t double the pace of emissions reduction by 2030. This puts leading executives, CIOs in particul By Diana Bersohn and Mauricio Bermudez-Neubauer Jun 05, 2023 5 mins CIO Accenture Emerging Technology Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe