A higher education technology brief outlines a “connected campus” approach aimed at improving learning, operations, and decision-making with a secure, AI-ready digital ecosystem. The article describes how networked infrastructure—building on foundational campus connectivity efforts—supports more integrated campus services, including resource management and digital learning experiences. It frames security as an essential component of AI readiness, emphasizing how institutions must manage identity, access, and communications across campus systems. For universities deploying AI tools across admissions, advising, student services, and academic workflows, the piece positions a connected-campus strategy as the underlying architecture that can support scalable and compliant AI integration. While the coverage reads as a technology overview rather than a single policy action, it directly targets the operational layer institutions need to implement before AI tools can be governed and trusted.