Colleges and universities can never be too prepared, whether for physical attacks or data security breaches. A quick data slice of over 7,000 US higher ed institutions, using the Office of Postsecondary Education's Campus Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool Website and cutting across public and private two- and four-year schools, reveals some startling statistics: In 2006, over 31,000 burglaries, 1,800 robberies, 2,900 aggravated assaults, 2,700 forcible sex offenses, and 5,422 motor vehicle thefts were reported on US campuses. And according to nonprofit consumer organization Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, there have been more than 150 publicly disclosed data breaches at colleges and universities since 2005. In responding to these trends, a growing number of colleges and universities are bringing logical (or data) and physical security together. Though the process can be complicated at times, this convergence merges IT with physical security programs such as card access systems, mass notification systems, and network access control. By bringing all of these functions under one roof, controlling, containing, and reducing security breaches of all kinds can be easier, more cost-effective and, most importantly, more effective. In this article, the author discusses how schools such as Bryant University and Golden West College are embracing such convergence and leading the charge. The author also discusses how others are hesitant to embrace convergence, insisting that keeping IT and physical security separate makes each more secure.