CTO Update - Top 5 Accomplishments
Dear Members of the Saint Mary’s Community,
Somewhat like placing mileage posts on a roadway, marking the passage of time is an activity significant to both common and unique perspective among those who share not just time and space, but more importantly, goals and objectives. As we begin our 156th academic year at SMC, an interesting illustration of my point here lies in recognition that even the lengthiest tenure as a member of our great community is far short of half of the College’s history, yet we continue to draw inspiration from the things that inspired those who got us started in 1863.
I recognize the irony in an IT update brief that begins with a reference to 1863, when technology was a launchpad for a second industrial revolution, and when information was comparatively scarce. Thank you for indulging my sense of the importance of our shared history, and the duty we all assume in carrying on.
As 2018 races to its close, we have accomplished much in IT Services as the College launches further into the Information Revolution. It would take at least a half day for me to include everything, so I offer just the top five:
Our primary mission, and highest priority, is support of adoption and use of technology to enhance teaching, learning and scholarship at SMC. Dr. Jase Teoh and the IT Services Educational Technology team have been hard at work developing the intermediate level of the Digital Literacy Program, now in its second year. The EdTech Center has become a lively destination for faculty who have ideas about the use of educational technology in and around their classroom, and we have an excellent new arrival, Dr. James Johnson, who serves as the EdTech Manager. While the EdTech team is visible in many online outlets (see our site at stmarys-ca.edu/edtech), I hope you will find the time to stop in at the EdTech Center and to say hello.
IT Services is extending the concept of Ideation, which is a term borrowed from Psychology referring to the formation of ideas or concepts, into a second year as it is clear that demand for our resources and services are on the rise. Rather than explain it all here, I’ll ask you to visit the Technology Planning and Policy section of the IT Services web pages on stmarys-ca.edu/it-services/smc-technology-planning-and-policy-community-time, where you will find a video that provides requisite detail.
October is IT Security Awareness month, and IT Services has made a ton of progress in our efforts to protect community members while also reducing risk related to the use of the Internet and the technologies that we all use for navigation. The details are many, so I will instead use this opportunity to ask that you consider engaging in the October programming, which we hope will build upon the success we had last year.
IT governance, which is a reference to accountability and decision rights in any organization where adoption and use of information technology exists, is evolving at SMC. I am very pleased that the Academic Senate approved the establishment of a Committee on Educational Technology (CET). While the committee has not yet been formed, it was approved in the spring of 2018, and will significantly strengthen faculty voice with respect to the development and support of SMC Information Technology. This is exciting because there is no better opportunity for innovation in IT Services, and moreover, there is no better opportunity in higher education for adoption and use of information technology to lend distinction to institutional mission. IT Services will have a facilitating role on projects and activities related to CET initiatives, and it is our hope to connect progress that we make with the work of the committee.
IT Services will launch its first formal annual report at the end of the 2018-19 academic and fiscal year, with an eye on transparency. We are aware that the things that we do are often lacking in clarity of intent and outcomes due to the depth of detail that creates complexity in any IT project work. My hope is that next year, I will be proudly providing you a pointer to the first report.
Thank you for taking the time to read this update. I hope you will take a look at our web pages, and particularly our Strategic Roadmap. I am happy to answer any questions that may arise. Please also remember that the staff in the IT Service Desk (Galileo 111, servicedesk@stmarys-ca.edu or 925.631.4266) and the students in our Tech Bar locations (Library, Garaventa and Service Desk) are ready to assist you in time of need. We in IT Services are privileged to serve each and all of you, and as we try to improve our service and support, we are grateful to a kind and supportive community that has shown us much patience. Best wishes for a productive and successful academic year!