Optimizing ICT-Mediated Faculty Workflows and Privacy-Compliant Management of Student Mental Health

Abstract

The management of student well-being in higher education requires a transition from fragmented manual processes to secure, technology-driven information architectures. This study serves as a critical user-requirements analysis to establish the foundational data parameters for an Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-mediated support system at North Eastern Mindanao State University Cantilan Campus. Utilizing a convergent mixed-methods design, quantitative data were collected from 254 faculty members to assess user readiness, classroom data silos, and institutional management bottlenecks. Concurrently, qualitative narratives from students, guidance personnel, and administrators were analyzed to map existing referral workflows and privacy vulnerabilities. Results indicate strong faculty readiness to function as early identifiers within a digital network (M = 3.70). However, system efficacy is fundamentally constrained by informal, unrecorded manual handoffs and severe privacy concerns surrounding sensitive health data (M = 3.20). The findings demonstrate that psychological readiness must be augmented by technology, necessitating the deployment of an automated, privacy-compliant digital referral platform utilizing Role-Based Access Control and end-to-end encryption. This study conceptualizes a comprehensive digital workflow to optimize institutional coordination and secure data management.