Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eCampus News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

A keen-sighted CIO’s inter-view on Glass

Open-eyed and thoughtful views on Glass’ realistic usability in higher education

google-glass-interview“OK Glass,” take a picture. It’s most likely the first thing a Google Glass Explorer will try, as I did.

Now, entering my third month, in the beta Google Glass Explorer program, I saw a need to refocus my exploring, no pun intended, on requesting an open and frank “Glass” interview with the CIO-Chief Information Officer, Paige Francis, at Fairfield University.

By accepting the invitation, Paige has already broken through many proverbial “glass ceilings,” as the first woman, Jesuit University CIO, Google Glass interviewee, represented in a Google Plus Glass community. Paige is now visible on the Google Plus Community, actively engaging in technology dialogue, via Google Glass.…Read More

College CIO: Embrace virtualization, but not too much

Virtualization can sometimes cause IT headaches, Herleman says.
Virtualization can sometimes cause IT headaches, Herleman says.

Using one computer to power many has saved money as college budgets have been slashed, but too much of this good thing can lead to “virtualization sprawl”—an emerging problem that one IT leader is determined to avoid.

Karl Herleman, CIO at Miami Dade College (MDC), has, like many technology decision makers, moved his eight-campus school toward virtualization in the past three years. This means one computer in a campus computer lab can power several machines, reducing the IT department’s costs and saving the college on its monthly energy bills.

MDC has trimmed its energy consumption by 10 percent since 2008, thanks largely to virtualization, Herleman said.…Read More

CIOs prepare peers for their changing roles

A survey shows the number of CIOs considered "business strategists" is growing.
A survey shows the number of CIOs considered "business strategists" is growing.

An international group of chief information officers has developed a program designed to shift higher-education technology leaders from a purely technical role to one with more executive power, putting them side by side with campus decision makers who call the shots.

The CIO Executive Council, made up of more than 500 CIOs from across the globe, released a detailed model last month that guides current and prospective IT officials in a more business-oriented approach to the job of managing a company’s or campus’s computer infrastructure.

While the council’s model – known as the Future-State CIO – includes technical expertise as part of the base for a successful technology leader, the organization’s vision for a more influential CIO involves more interaction with stakeholders and bosses.…Read More

Researcher: College CIO shortage on the horizon

Forty-five percent of college CIOs plan to retire by 2020, according to a recent study.
Forty-five percent of college CIOs plan to retire by 2020, according to a recent study.

Wayne Brown’s seven years of research has identified a wide swath of campus technology officials eager to become chief information officers someday. They’re just not quite sure how.

Excelsior College, an online school based in Albany, N.Y., unveiled this month the Center for Technology Leadership (CTL), which will open next October in Silver Spring, Md., and host week-long courses designed to plug the “readiness gap” for computer experts who strive to head their college’s technology office, but need extensive training on how to translate techno-speak for campus higher-ups and allocate responsibilities to staff members.

The lack of guidance for aspiring CIOs, coupled with projections that show nearly half of higher-education technology chiefs plan to retire in the next decade, translates to a potential CIO shortfall for college campuses of every size, said Brown, head of the Center for Higher Education Chief Information Officer Studies and Excelsior’s vice president of technology.…Read More