Not long ago, the most common item stolen on campus was a bicycle. Today, as students and staff carry all manner of expensive mobile devices--containing all manner of sensitive information--campus crime has taken on a distinctly high-tech flavor. Tablets and smartphones are now among the easiest and most valuable targets at school.

As universities examine ways to safeguard these assets, it's important they recognize that their existing security policies are probably not adequate. “Campus IT must take the time to think about its mobile device security, and get a policy infrastructure set up before it deploys,” advised Ojas Rege, VP of strategy for MobilIron, a company specializing in mobile security management. “Don’t assume your laptop-security plan will translate to mobile. The mobile device is much more dynamic. Traditional IT security focuses on lockdown. Mobile security focuses on the user experience, and requires a new set of skills and capabilities.”