AJCU-CITM 2021 hosted by Georgetown University

The Golden Age of universities is passing and life is becoming tougher.  Rising costs are no longer matched by states and students willing to pay for them.  Coupled with the worldwide pandemic, can the traditional operating model of a university survive?

This session will explore the current challenges facing higher education, take a brief journey through the fast changes happening across the technology landscape. The session is then designed to generate a conversation on how the challenges in higher education and the fast changing pace of technology will impact or change the technology strategies of our institutions. This session will also explore how the COVID pandemic has raised our collective awareness in how technology supports the mission, accentuated the ongoing work, or accelerated changes. 

Transitioning to a culture where the business understands technology projects are actually business projects and not IT projects is fundamental to digital transformation. Directly linked to this culture change is the need for broad technology governance so the appropriate business projects are prioritized. This presentation will discuss how USF and JCU have addressed this culture shift and engage a conversation with the group to explore innovative ways to engage our campus communities to embrace technology as a business partner.

One of the most compelling aspects of participation in CITM is the close-knit group of colleagues.  We all share a common mission dedicated to Jesuit higher education and we share common careers in IT.  Let's all take time to connect with long-time colleagues and new CIO's from across CITM.  Our time together will be rewarding and will help keep our CITM group fresh, vibrant, and moving forward.  Please plan on participating!!

In our efforts to develop exceptional IT organizations, it’s crucial that we cultivate a work environment where we:
- Embrace diversity, equity and inclusion as essential to our organizational success;
- Foster an atmosphere that encourages and values diverse opinions and perspectives;
- Promote trust, respect and a sense of belonging among all members of our teams; and
- Commit to inclusive hiring practices and strategies which retain and cultivate talent across our teams.
Michael Cato, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Bowdoin College will be our guest speaker to share his thoughts on building a strategic case for diversity, equity, and inclusion and advancing DEI practices across our organizations.

Join us for a conversation around some practical and applied methods to establish an inclusive and transparent strategic planning process with examples from Loyola University Chicago and Gonzaga.  Please be prepared to share your experiences to help us learn from each other more broadly.  Food for thought from Loyola:  “Strategy is a pattern in a stream of decisions.” —Henry Mintzberg.  Food for thought from Gonzaga: “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” - Dwight D. Eisenhower

Higher Education institutions are continuing to adapt to a changing future given the impact of the pandemic on this industry already experiencing significant disruption. Throughout this shift, institution leaders must take the proper actions to achieve an optimal student experience, while complementing enterprise business capabilities. More so now than ever, a personalized, integrated and coherent student experience will become a key differentiator for higher education institutions, and a necessity for succeeding as an institution. These changes have pushed the modernization of the institution’s technology platform to the forefront.   A composable and flexible architecture will be the keystone of every institution’s capability to deliver and sustain the future student experience.  Terri-Lynn will explore strategies, technologies, and institutional examples to influence your student experience initiatives.

What exactly is "digital transformation" in a higher education context? Is this a fleeting buzz phrase, or is "digital transformation" inherently worth pursuing as a CIO? What are the levers that need to be pulled on our campuses in order to affect this kind of change? Join the presenters as they answer these and other questions and highlight concrete steps and plans that they are executing towards the goals of "digital transformation."