As higher education institutions continue identifying new ways to leverage big data, it is important to consider the privacy implications and implement best practices. Sol Bermann, campus privacy officer at the University of Michigan and co-chair of the EDUCAUSE Higher Education Chief Privacy Officers working group, describes several privacy challenges institutions face, such as anonymization and de-identification, the unintentional use of data beyond the original intended purpose, and the omnipresent collection, analysis, and sharing of data. Bermann also cites foundational principles around student data privacy and suggests four steps or best practices: plan, be transparent, handle data carefully and with purpose, and provide for individual control.
Read more in Bermann's article ,"Privacy in the Age of Big Data," which was originally published in the NASPA Leadership Exchange Summer 2015 issue.