Our Commitment to Research
As a research institution, Kean University is committed to providing faculty with the computing resources and flexibility needed to conduct cutting-edge research. We understand that research often requires:
- Installing specialized software and analysis tools
- Configuring systems for specific experiments
- Administrative access to customize computing environments
- Flexibility to adapt quickly to changing research needs
At the same time, we must protect sensitive institutional data and maintain compliance with federal regulations governing research data, including FERPA, HIPAA, IRB requirements, and export controls.
This document explains your options for research computing and how our network security architecture enables both research flexibility and institutional protection.
Table of Contents
- Understanding Our Network Architecture
- Personal Devices and Research Work
- Your Research Computing Options
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Contact Information
Understanding Our Network Architecture
Why Separate Networks for Research and Administration?
Kean operates two distinct network environments to balance security with research flexibility:
Administrative Network
Purpose: Access to systems containing sensitive institutional data
Systems included:
- Colleague (student records and academic data)
- Colleague Finance (financial systems and transactions)
- HR systems (employee personal and payroll information)
- Protected File Repositories (departmental and institutional documents)
- Administrative applications (procurement, facilities, etc.)
Security requirements: Strict controls required to protect FERPA, financial, and personnel data
User access: Standard (non-administrative) to prevent accidental or malicious system changes
Who needs this: All faculty and staff for email, student records, and administrative tasks
Research VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network)
Purpose: Flexible computing environment for research activities
Network access: Internet only—completely isolated from administrative systems
Security approach: Minimum required controls to maximize research flexibility
User access: Principal Investigators can have administrative control of their devices
Who needs this: Faculty conducting research, data analysis, or using specialized software
Why This Separation Matters
Research computing requires flexibility that would create unacceptable security risks on the administrative network:
Research computing needs:
- Installing unvetted third-party software packages and libraries
- Running experimental code and analysis scripts
- Administrative access to configure specialized research environments
- Testing new applications, frameworks, and tools
- Connecting research equipment and instruments
- Running overnight computational jobs
If research computers could access administrative systems, a single compromised research application or misconfigured script could expose:
- 20,000+ student records → FERPA violation, federal penalties, lawsuits
- Employee personal and financial information → Identity theft, privacy violations, institutional liability
- Institutional financial systems → Fraud risk, audit failures, compliance violations
- Proprietary research data from other faculty → IP theft, competitive disadvantage
The Key Insight
Network segmentation is about giving you the freedom to work how you need to while protecting everyone's data, including yours.
When your research computer is on an isolated network:
- You can install whatever software your research requires
- You have administrative access to configure systems your way
- A vulnerability in research software cannot reach institutional systems
- Your research data is protected from administrative network threats
- Compliance auditors can verify appropriate data handling
This approach is a security best practice used by major research universities (MIT, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon), national laboratories (Argonne, Oak Ridge, Lawrence Berkeley), and research institutions nationwide.
Personal Devices and Research Work
Our Policy on Personal Devices
We understand that researchers sometimes prefer to use personal laptops or home computers for work. However, institutional and regulatory requirements prevent us from supporting personal devices for grant-funded research work.
Why Personal Devices Cannot Be Used for Kean Work
1. Data Security and Compliance
Research work at Kean often involves sensitive data subject to federal regulations:
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act):
- Health-related research data
- Penalties range from $100 to $50,000 per violation
- Criminal charges possible for willful violations
IRB (Institutional Review Board) Requirements:
- Research involving human subjects
- Specific data protection and storage requirements
- Institutional liability for violations
Export Control Regulations:
- Research involving controlled technologies
- ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations)
- EAR (Export Administration Regulations)
Grant Requirements:
- NIH, NSF, and other agencies require institutional control over research data
- Specific cybersecurity requirements in grant agreements
- Audit requirements for data handling
Personal devices cannot meet these regulatory requirements because:
- IT cannot verify security baselines or compliance configurations
- No institutional control over device security settings
- Cannot ensure data encryption, backup, or secure deletion
- No asset recovery capability if device is lost or stolen with sensitive data
- Cannot guarantee network security with unmanaged endpoints
2. Legal and Liability Concerns
Ownership and Control Issues:
- University cannot legally support devices it doesn't own or control
- Personal devices remain personal property subject to personal legal processes
- Divorce proceedings, lawsuits, or criminal investigations can expose university data stored on personal devices
- University cannot enforce data retention or destruction policies
Insurance and Warranty:
- University liability insurance doesn't cover personal equipment
- No institutional recourse for data loss or theft
Intellectual Property:
- Research data and materials on personal devices create IP ownership ambiguities
- Grant agencies may question institutional control over research outputs
- Patent and publication issues if work product is on personal devices
3. Technical Support Limitations
IT Cannot Provide Support Because:
- Unknown device configurations and software installations
- No control over security patches or updates
- Cannot guarantee compatibility with university systems
- Cannot ensure data backup and recovery
- Troubleshooting personal devices exposes IT to liability
- Support time for personal devices takes resources from institutional needs
Network Security:
- Unmanaged endpoints create vulnerabilities for all network users
- Cannot verify device is free from malware or compromise
- Cannot enforce network security policies
What We Can Provide Instead
Computing Options: https://helpdesk.kean.edu/support/solutions/articles/15000130317-research-computing-threatlocker-faculty-quick-reference-guide
For Short-Term Needs:
Loaner Equipment Available
- Short-term laptop checkout for conferences or travel
- Pre-configured for secure remote access
Contact: IT
Special Circumstances
We recognize that research sometimes involves collaboration with external partners or unusual requirements. If you have a specific situation not addressed by our standard
options:
Contact Research Computing for Consultation:
Email: [email protected]
We'll work with you to find a solution that meets your research needs while maintaining institutional compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Q: Why can't I just have admin rights on my administrative computer?
A: Administrative computers access sensitive institutional systems containing student records (FERPA), financial data, and personnel information. Providing administrative rights would allow:
- Installation of unapproved software that could contain malware
- Accidental system changes that break security controls
- Disabling of security software or network monitoring
- Elevation of privilege attacks if the account is compromised
This isn't about trust—it's about defense-in-depth. Even experienced IT professionals use non-admin accounts for daily work on systems with sensitive data. The research computer option gives you the administrative access you need for research work while protecting institutional systems.
Q: Can I use my personal laptop for research work?
A: No. Personal devices cannot connect to Kean networks and cannot be used for university or research work due to:
- Federal compliance requirements (FERPA, HIPAA, IRB)
- Grant agency requirements for institutional control
- Legal and liability concerns
- Inability to verify security compliance
- Lack of asset recovery for sensitive data
We provide research computing options that give you flexibility while meeting these requirements. See the Personal Devices section for details and alternatives.
Q: What if I need specialized software that IT doesn't support?
A: This is exactly what the PI-Managed Research Computer option is designed for. You have full administrative control to install any software your research requires. IT provides hardware and OS support, but you manage your research applications.
Q: Can I connect my research computer to the administrative network temporarily?
A: No. The network segmentation is enforced at the network infrastructure level and cannot be bypassed. A computer is either on the administrative network OR the research VLAN, never both. This is by design to maintain security boundaries.
If you need to access both administrative systems and research tools:
- Use your administrative computer for Colleague, email, and student records
- Use your research computer for data analysis and specialized software
- Transfer files between them using approved methods (OneDrive, secure file transfer)
Q: How do I transfer files between my administrative and research computers?
A: Approved methods:
- OneDrive/SharePoint: Best for documents and general files
- Secure File Transfer: For larger datasets (contact IT for access)
- USB drive: For non-sensitive data (encrypted USB required for sensitive data)
Never transfer files containing:
- Student records (FERPA violation)
- Patient data (HIPAA violation)
- Personally identifiable information
- Sensitive research data subject to export control
Contact Research Computing if you need guidance on appropriate data transfer methods for your specific research.
Equipment and Support Questions
Q: Can I use grant funding to purchase a research computer?
A: Yes! Grant funding is commonly used for research computing equipment. The device remains university property but you have full PI management rights. Contact Research Computing before submitting your grant application—we'll provide cost estimates and technical documentation required by funding agencies.
Q: What happens to my research computer when my grant ends?
A:
- Device remains university property
- If no longer needed for research, it can be:
- Transferred to another grant/project
- Returned to IT equipment pool
- Reassigned within your department
- Research data should be migrated to the appropriate storage before returning the device
Q: Can I take my research computer home?
A: Yes, laptops can be used off-campus. Desktop research computers should remain on campus for security and support reasons. Off-campus use considerations:
- Research computers can access the internet from anywhere
- Cannot access Kean administrative systems remotely (by design)
- VPN access available if needed for specific research collaborations
- Ensure physical security of device and data when traveling
Contact Information
Research Computing Team
Email: [email protected]
IT Service Desk
Phone: (908) 737-6000
Portal: helpdesk.kean.edu