A wave of cyber intrusions targeting Ivy League and peer institutions has exposed persistent security gaps in higher education. Recent incidents at several prominent universities demonstrate how research data, student records and administrative systems remain attractive targets for sophisticated attackers and why colleges struggle to defend decentralized IT estates. Campus CISOs point to legacy systems, fragmented governance across schools and research units, and constrained budgets as drivers of vulnerability. Security experts urge boards and presidents to prioritize coordinated incident response, cross‑unit risk assessments, and sustained investment in identity management and network segmentation. Boards and chief administrators should expect increased regulatory scrutiny and potential class‑action exposure; trustees must weigh cybersecurity as a core fiduciary responsibility and align risk appetite with capital and staffing decisions.