Advancing IT Risk Management for 2026 and Beyond
Learn how DSA IT’s evolving risk assessment program is strengthening security, compliance, and resilience across Student Affairs. Explore what’s changed since 2025 and what departments can expect as risk management becomes more structured, collaborative, and proactive.
Effective IT risk management is essential to ensuring that Student Affairs systems remain secure, resilient, and compliant while continuing to support the division’s mission. As part of our ongoing commitment to responsible technology stewardship, DSA IT conducts regular IT Risk Assessments to identify, evaluate, and manage risks associated with information resources, applications, and services across the division. These assessments represent an evolving program focused on continuous improvement rather than a one‑time compliance exercise.
A More Mature and Structured Assessment Process
Beginning with the 2025 cycle, the IT Risk Assessment process was refined to improve coordination, data quality, and consistency across departments. The 2025 IT Risk Assessment Process formalized a phased approach supported by staggered start dates and earlier collaboration with local IT teams. This structure allows departments to better prepare inventories and address potential issues before formal assessments begin.
The process emphasizes core risk management requirements, including information resource inventory management, data classification, and security categorization, ensuring alignment with university and state security standards. By addressing these elements earlier, the assessment process reduces downstream delays and improves the accuracy of reported findings.
Governance, Remediation, and Continuous Oversight
Risk assessment activities are closely integrated with broader governance and compliance efforts. Findings inform remediation planning, risk acceptance decisions, and policy exception workflows, all of which are tracked and reviewed through established governance channels. Ongoing coordination with groups such as the Change Advisory Board (CAB) and Risk Management and Compliance Committee (RMCC) ensures risk considerations are embedded into operational and strategic decision‑making.
What to Expect Moving Forward
As we move through 2026, departments can expect continued refinement of the IT Risk Assessment process, with a focus on early engagement, clearer expectations, and stronger alignment with software audits, change management, and remediation tracking. Risk findings will continue to guide technology planning, prioritize mitigation efforts, and support audit readiness across Student Affairs. By maintaining a consistent, transparent, and collaborative approach to IT risk management, we are strengthening the security and resilience of Student Affairs systems while enabling departments to operate confidently and responsibly—now and into the future.
