Technology Talks with Deans Productive

by Ilee Rhimes

During autumn quarter, my staff and I began holding the first round of what will become regular annual meetings with the deans and heads of administrative offices to discuss the state of technology on campus and in the academic units. During these meetings, which will continue through February this year, we are presenting an overview of the services we provide and their benefits.

In turn, the deans and administrators are giving us their feedback and telling us about their needs, goals and direction for the coming year. It has been a productive dialog so far, especially with the newer deans who say they have found the process most helpful.

During these discussions, we have been presenting the goals, objectives and time frames of the Information Technology Strategic Plan and discussing the importance of the role of deans and administrators in the planning process. Our goal is to more effectively align our technology initiatives with those of the university’s Academic Plan. The process is as important as the result and creates buy-in for the strategic plan.

In support of the process, we are finding agreement for the formation of a technology committee. Deans and department heads we’ve met with thus far are naming interested faculty and information technology staff from their areas to participate. The new committee will meet regularly beginning this quarter to share information on activities, initiatives and best practices on campus; discuss the pros and cons of various technologies; and solicit and provide information before decisions are made.

Anticipated benefits of such a committee to faculty, staff, and students are a more integrated technology environment on campus, better leverage on technology purchases, and opportunities to elevate the level of technical knowledge in the campus community through the sharing of knowledge, experience and information. The committee can also foster a more highly trained workforce by hosting annual or semiannual development seminars featuring technology experts.

It is also my hope that this committee will play a vital and integral role in information technology strategic planning, and ultimately, in helping us to realize the ambitious goals of its implementation as called for in the Academic Plan.