Joanna Grama
Senior Principal,
Vantage Technology Consulting Group
Boring on Purpose: Modernizing IT Policies So They Just Work
Thursday, April 30, 2026 | 9:00AM–9:45AM PT | Pacific Ballroom A, Second Floor
Session Type:
Breakout Session
Delivery Format:
Presentation/Panel
Institutions of higher education tend to accumulate IT policies the way network closets accumulate mystery cables. Everything seemed essential at the time, but years later no one is sure what still fits, what is duplicated, or what actually protects the institution. This session tells the story of Virginia Tech’s effort to step back, take inventory, and modernize its institutional IT policy library without starting from scratch or burning political capital. Participants will hear how Virginia Tech evaluated its policies against regulatory obligations and best practice frameworks, engaged campus stakeholders in candid and productive conversations, and built a realistic roadmap for improvement that leadership could actually support. The session focuses on clarity, life cycle management, and alignment with institutional strategy, rather than endless rewrites or policy sprawl. Attendees will leave with practical ideas for turning an unwieldy policy library into a coherent, usable governance tool that supports security, privacy, and institutional goals.
