Montclair State University

The Challenge

Montclair State University engaged Vantage to better understand its information security posture and build a foundation for stronger governance and risk management. The institution’s program faced challenges related to siloed operations and limited visibility into security practices across campus. As a result, the information security team spent more time reacting to security incidents than proactively safeguarding against future threats. Leadership sought an assessment of the university’s existing controls, a roadmap for improvements, and foundational policies to guide future decision-making.

Our Approach

Vantage led a strategic, phased four-month engagement with Montclair State. Key team members included Senior Principal and Partner, Joanna Grama; Vice President, Jon Young; Senior Strategic Consultant, Valerie Vogel; and Strategic Project Manager, Amie Runk. Our primary initiatives during the partnership included:

• Information Security Controls Assessment: Vantage conducted a week of workshops with stakeholders from across the institution, reviewed existing policies, and created a detailed roadmap to strengthen security practices based on the findings. Vantage delivered an executive summary report with recommendations, a policy review workbook, an assessment workbook, and an actionable roadmap. We presented our findings to institutional leaders and confirmed next steps.
• Executive Advisory Services and Policy Development: After conducting our assessment, Vantage established a stronger policy framework by drafting guidelines for core policies, creating a reusable policy template, developing five essential policies (Information Security, Acceptable Use, Incident Response, Identity and Access Management, and Privacy), and drafting two new job descriptions for roles that would support policy execution.

The Outcome

The success of these projects and buy-in from institutional teams often hinges on building trust and alignment from the outset. We focused on uncovering underlying issues and setting shared expectations early in the engagement to position the project for a strong start. Vantage’s workshops helped Montclair State gain a comprehensive view of its current information security program and clarify what was needed to reach their improvement goals.

Vantage also delivered a clear, prioritized roadmap focused on immediate, high-priority actions requiring coordinated effort across IT, security, and campus leadership. Our policy development work created needed structure and consistency, making it easier to communicate expectations around security. And with our team’s strong background in higher education, we were able to have productive conversations with stakeholders across the institution that didn’t require the CISO to “translate” technical concepts for employees less familiar with information security best practices.

Vantage team leaders for this project included Senior Principal and Partner, Joanna Grama; Vice President, Jon Young; Senior Strategic Consultant, Valerie Vogel; and Strategic Project Manager, Amie Runk.

Need Help?

Whether you’re building a foundation for strong governance and risk management or seeking to improve your information security controls and policy, our consultants can help your institution develop a security posture that enhances your protections and sets you up for long-term success.