Campbell University Secures Data, Simplifies IT, and Drives Campus-Wide Collaboration

Campbell University, a private institution serving approximately 5,000 students, faced significant challenges due to escalating electronic data, network complexity, and stricter security regulations. Its lean IT team struggled with fragmented on-premises file storage, burdensome permission management, and outdated data sharing methods that presented security vulnerabilities and compliance risk. Recognizing these pressures, Campbell initiated a strategic cloud migration to centralize content and enhance data protection.

Partnering with Egnyte, Campbell achieved digital transformation. The secure cloud platform streamlined IT operations, empowered departmental users with self-service file permissions, and fostered real-time collaboration. Crucially, Egnyte fortified the university’s data security posture with advanced features like ransomware detection and robust data governance, facilitating compliance with evolving regulatory requirements.

The Challenge: Overwhelmed IT, Fragmented Data, and Growing Compliance Pressures

Prior to its strategic cloud migration, Campbell University grappled with escalating IT and data management challenges. Assistant CIO John Skuce noted a dramatic increase in electronic data and network size in recent years, with thousands of devices requiring protection. Document and network security became paramount concerns, adding significant pressure to the IT department.

A primary hurdle for the university's already-busy IT staff was the administrative burden of local file storage. "We have a very small staff, and we spent so much time upgrading servers, and assigning permissions to various folders and files," Skuce explained. It was also difficult to maintain version control when files were shared as email attachments.

From a financial perspective, Deborah Gibbs, University Bursar, highlighted challenges in handling sensitive financial documents. “There was an attitude that data breaches happened to others but not here or in higher ed in general, and it was solely IT’s responsibility.” Sensitive information was often shared through physical storage devices or sent via campus mail, email attachments, and fax…methods that lacked the robust security and centralized control now deemed essential.

The evolving regulatory landscape, including HIPAA and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), led the university to confront the reality that data security was no longer optional. Gibbs underscored this, stating, "We understood that there are consequences, both financial and reputational, for non-compliance."

Solution: A Unified Platform for Campus Efficiency and Security

To address its data management and security challenges, Campbell University implemented Egnyte as its comprehensive content platform, enabling a new approach to file storage, collaboration, and data governance. The move addressed administrative burdens on its small IT department, particularly by empowering departmental users with permission management. Skuce stated, "Egnyte has enabled us to offload a lot of administrative tasks directly to our users, which has helped us tremendously. Now IT can focus on more strategic initiatives.” The platform’s ease of use led to rapid, widespread adoption, with approximately 850 users across administrative and academic departments. Gibbs expressed, "I was surprised how quickly Egnyte was embraced by the university community after its implementation. People were eager to learn it, and everyone is actually using it."

 

Empowering Collaboration and Ensuring Robust Security

Egnyte transformed campus-wide collaboration by replacing fragmented legacy methods with seamless Microsoft 365 integration. This allowed users to share secure links instead of email attachments, while enabling real-time co-editing of documents. Skuce affirmed, “Now, it's very easy to share links, and people can collaborate in real-time on a single document, which has been incredibly helpful.” Beyond collaboration, Egnyte’s Secure & Govern product provides crucial data protection capabilities. “My favorite aspect of Egnyte is ransomware protection, which helps me sleep better at night.” 

Driving Efficiency in Financial Settings

In the Bursar's office, Egnyte enhanced the management of sensitive financial data. Protected information can be securely emailed to parents and students via links. Internally, Egnyte facilitates secure file sharing with critical teams like bill clearance, general counsel, and finance, streamlining daily operations. Gibbs stated, “Egnyte has provided the Bursar's office a tool to be more confident in the way that we handle and protect sensitive information.” Audit processes are also streamlined. Campbell teams can set up secure folders for sharing sensitive student and financial data with external auditors, overcoming previous difficulties with cumbersome portals and access. Gibbs affirmed that "providing access to the audit team has been extremely easy" with Egnyte's simple permission features.

Results: Enhanced Efficiency, Strengthened Security, and Campus-Wide Empowerment

Egnyte’s implementation yielded significant results across Campbell University, fundamentally transforming its operational efficiency, security posture, and collaborative capabilities.

The IT department experienced a substantial reduction in its administrative burden. By enabling departments to manage their own file permissions, valuable IT resources are freed up for more strategic initiatives. The rapid and widespread user adoption was a key indicator of success.

Collaboration across campus has been dramatically improved. Cross-functional departments can now easily share secure links and co-edit documents in real-time. Skuce explained that this new collaborative environment has streamlined work processes throughout the university. The ability to collaborate seamlessly has also generated environmental benefits, by significantly reducing the amount of paper used at the university. This unified approach has created a centralized repository for all critical documents, including student, faculty, and payroll data, enhancing overall document security.

The Bursar's office has greater confidence and control over sensitive financial data. This newfound confidence stems from the ability to securely send protected information externally to parents, students and auditors, as well as internal teams.

Finally, Egnyte has significantly enhanced job satisfaction and operational flexibility across Campbell University. Team members can now access information securely from anywhere, at any time. Gibbs summarized the impact, stating, "Egnyte literally brings everyone together, which has improved the effectiveness, efficiency, and overall job satisfaction for our team members.”