UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The vision for the future of information technology at Penn State was presented today (Feb. 22) by Michael Kubit, vice president for information technology and chief information officer, to the Board of Trustees’ Committee on Audit and Risk.
Over the course of his first year, Kubit met with constituents from all across the University and has worked collaboratively to develop the strategic vision for Penn State IT.
The strategy encompasses eight areas:
- organizational development;
- analytics and business intelligence;
- teaching and learning innovation;
- advancing research;
- mobility;
- operational excellence;
- talent development; and
- governance.
"My primary responsibility as the CIO is to support the University's mission of teaching and learning, research and service,” Kubit said. “There are a lot of changes within society, technology and education. Our challenge is building an IT organization that is responsive in the midst of these changes and poised to fuel and empower the innovation that is a critical component of the University's strategic plan."
Kubit outlined several current IT projects that align to those strategic areas, including transitioning to Office 365 as the email and calendaring system for students, faculty and staff across the University; protecting the University's assets by delivering a next-generation firewall; and providing wireless network upgrades for a consistent user experience throughout all Penn State buildings.
Penn State IT also has been working with a consulting group to assess the current state of IT. Results of this assessment will be ready in the spring and used to help inform future strategic direction.
Two successes over the past year include the full transition to Canvas as the University's learning management system and rolling out Adobe Creative Cloud for free to all faculty and students.
“We have very bright, talented, and dedicated people working in IT, and I am excited about the possibilities and the work ahead," Kubit said.
Penn State IT comprises more than 1,600 employees across college, campus, administrative, research and enterprise departments.