The Department of Education’s proposed rule builds on Executive Order 13556, which established the framework for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Under this executive order and the regulations in 32 CFR Part 2002, non-Federal entities—now including higher education institutions—are required to implement NIST 800-171. This standard outlines specific security measures to safeguard CUI in nonfederal systems and organizations.
Higher education institutions participating in federal financial aid programs or handling sensitive information tied to federal grants will be directly affected. The Department of Education underscores the importance of these regulations, stating that they are crucial to ensuring the protection of sensitive data routinely processed, stored, and transmitted by schools.
This shift brings universities in line with NIST compliance requirements previously reserved for contractors in the defense industry. The move acknowledges the critical role that higher education institutions play in national data security and reflects the growing importance of NIST for education.