Assistant Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Major issues and opportunities facing Higher Ed IT CUCCIO IT Leadership Development Program Monday, June 18 Gayleen Gray, Assistant Vice President and Chief Technology Officer McMaster University

What do you think the top issue is? Poll – pick one! Security Data governance Skills development Costs Governance and prioritization Strategy Supporting student success Hiring staff Centralizing IT Privacy Aging infrastructure Supporting students Cloud computing IT being valued on campus Integration of applications

EDUCAUSE top 10 for Higher Ed

Gartner Top 10 for Higher Ed

Asking a friend Reached out to the CUCCIO list Responses from 22 IT Leaders/CIOs (30%?) Large institutions Small institutions Coast to coast Many overlapping concerns Challenges ARE opportunities, but only one IT Leader/CIO focused on opportunities Many were similar but a few interesting reflections

Top 4 overall Cyber Security (15/22) Privacy (11/22) Security, information security, cybersecurity, linked closely to privacy Delivery, demand, costs, funding, skills, shared service opportunities, ‘practical’ Opportunity: recognized challenge by our institutions and senior leadership, see that changes/investments are needed to improve security posture, can be leveraged to advance changes and improve processes Privacy (11/22) Exposure of data through security incidents Use of data on premise – old practices, policies, balancing privacy with important opportunities to use data for strategic purposes

Top 4 overall /continued Data (6/22) governance, information management, inventory, Privacy (overlaps with above) Data integration and/or fragmentation across systems and applications Analytics Innovation and new/emerging technologies (6/22) Cloud, AI (automated integration and/or artificial intelligence), BI, Analytics, Blockchain, VR and AR, Quantum, Open Ed technologies, Google-like, IoT, mobile learning, smart classrooms, Value proposition, preparation (skills and capabilities), organizational structure, culture of change, governance Transform vs run and grow, innovation, balancing new and old tech, faster implementation, new IT services,

Runners up Integration and management of applications across platforms (2) Workforce planning and recruitment (2) Student success – (2) mobilizing data, role of technology in student outcomes/ success Implementing and enforcing effective IT governance across the institution (2) Budgets and building a case for prioritized investment in technology that aligns with and supports multiple institutional strategic goals and capital projects (2) Collaborations partnerships, with faculties and services, to leverage capacity, provide new technologies to deliver on teaching, learning, and service and support efficiencies

Some interesting outliers Cloud computing costs The cloud is expensive and total IT costs continue to rise Salaries are not diminished regardless Still lots of on premise infrastructure and hosted applications Customer relationship management – CRM for students specifically pent up demand for a solution that will become increasingly important for understanding our students, their competencies and skills, staying connected Managing and financing infrastructure growth due to exponential data volume increases – storage The CIO in the academy – opportunity for participation in teaching and learning technologies Fragmentation of data and services… due to access to free or inexpensive online services

Summarized list Cloud computing costs Cyber security (15) and privacy (11) Information management and data (governance, inventory, privacy, integration) (5) User experience Innovation and new / emerging technologies (5) Collaborations and partnerships with faculties and services to leverage capacity Integration and management of applications across platforms (2) Workforce planning and recruitment (2) Skills development and modernization of staff capabilities/ readiness for emerging technologies (4) Elevation of IT of campus – having it recognized for importance and value Student success – (2) mobilizing data, role of technology in student outcomes/ success Customer relationship management – CRM for students specifically Centralization model for IT Managing and financing infrastructure growth due to exponential data volume velocity increases Implementing and enforcing effective IT governance across the institution (2) Budgets and building a case for prioritized investment in technology that aligns with and supports multiple institutional strategic goals and capital projects (2) Identity management Balancing service delivery and project portfolio expectations and management (run/grow/transform with too much focus on transform vs run and grow? Enterprise Strategic Planning (or lack of it) Difficulty driving change with financial/budget constraints Aging of IT infrastructure – need to find best approach for renewal and keep it as a standard process IT is a common thread to connect campus departments to provide comprehensive services to students and faculty Fragmentation of data and services… due to access to free or inexpensive online services The CIO in the academy – opportunity for participation in teaching and learning technologies Alignment with the academic plan Demand for new IT services – people want better and more technology while we have to maintain old technology – capacity and costs Resource constraints – doing more with less for both technologies and services Expanding scope – expectations of IT to support increasing technological complexity – (IoT) with limited experience and skills

What to do with this information? Reflect on your own institution – what are your top 3? What can you leverage to gain capacity and support for making change happen IT governance IT culture IT Strategic Planning and engagement Shared services, enhanced vendor relationships, campus collaborations Find peers with similar challenges/opportunities and work together Tap into EDUCAUSE and Gartner research to find pathways forward Read related materials – Exponential Organizations by Salim Ismail

Thank you! Gayleen Gray, Assistant Vice President, Chief Technology Officer McMaster University gayleen.gray@mcmaster.ca @ggatguelph