Conference Invitation

Agile at PSU

I was recently invited down to Penn State World Campus to discuss Delhi’s move toward Agile for the enterprise. Here is the audio and the slides to click through (sorry no bell included to tell you when to turn the page).

This was the first run for a upcoming NERCOMP presentation, so it’s a bit rough…

“No Five Year Plan, No Advisory Board: How do I still Have a Job”
[Slides] | [Part 1 Audio] | [Part 2]

“…First Year Shock and Awe” (Not my title)

I was recently involved with a Campus Technology Magazine article looking at the first year on the job for a new CIO. Considering my original idea behind this blog, “…learning from the seasoned CIO, discovering their issues and sharing ideas: perhaps the experiences related here will help some future first-time CIO,” I realize how delinquent I have been in posting the various issues encountered through my first year.

Therefore in upcoming posts I will look back at the last year–my first year–highlighting the issues I faced coming into the organization, my responses (good and bad), and some of the outcomes. Hopefully to, as I mentioned when first starting up this forum, learn from the seasoned CIO, discover their issues and share ideas: with the hope that the experiences related here will help some future first-time CIO.

lol l8r

I was recently asked by our Provost for a “universal term” that included everything: cell phones, ipods, gameboys, pagers, etc. The plan was to include a statement in the universal course syllabus prohibiting the use of [insert universal term here] in class.

I responded with a question: “Would laptop computers be allowed in the class?”

I can not think of any functionality available in a personal-electronic-mobile-hand-held-device that is also not available on a laptop.

• music: iPod/mp3 player/iPhone = iTunes, Helix, Windows Media Player, Real Player, web pages, Quicktime, etc.
• phone calls: cell phone/Blackberry = Skype, Yahoo voice, Viatalk, etc.
• texting: PDA/cell phones/iPhone/Blackberries = e-mail, IM, chat, discussion forms, blogs, etc.
• movies: DVD players/iPods/iPhones = Windows Media Player, Quicktime, RealMedia, YouTube, BlipTV, etc.
• games: DS/Gameboy/PSP = online games (MMORPG), computer games (CD/DVD), etc.

So what is it that our polices are tying to manage: devices or disruptions?

I believe we are actually trying to eliminate disruptions; that cell phone call in the middle of class, a student talking on the phone, music playing so loud we can just hear the base pumping from the earphones, etc. Yet these are all disruptions independent of technology. We wouldn’t tolerate someone outside the class to yell to a friend inside the class “Pat, hey Pat, are you in there, Pat come here” (analogous to a a ringing phone - in fact that is my ring tone), we would probably also stop two students from talking during class (analogous to a phone conversation), we would also probably stop a student from singing, tapping their feet or humming if it became disruptive as well.

And what about legitimate uses of technology in the classroom (beyond ADA issues):

• A student with a laptop could be IMing a friend or typing, diligently taking notes.
• A student could be shopping online or researching a topic under discussion (anyone hear of Google Jockey’s?).

At the same time I was asked to come up with a catch-all term, the campus was implementing an Emergency Notification System, NY-Alert. With NY-Alert, in the event of an emergency, the campus can send out a message that is transmitted to phones as voice and/or as text. So while we were ready to deploy a notification system that relied on communication with the students through their personal-electronic-mobile-hand-held-device we were also telling them that these devices would not be allowed in class. Let’s just hope nothing ever happened during classes!?!? Does this make us liable for any damage or injuries?

Considering that the issue is really disruptions, not the devices, and that policies are already in place for disruptions perhaps a policy like: “All personal-electronic-mobile-hand-held-devices must be turned off during class” could be changed to, “No disruptive behavior will be tolerated within the class.”

Based on this, students can leave their phones on, we keep open our channel of communication, we avoid the issues of liability, and faculty have options should a student’s phone go off in class.

CIwhO?

A recent discussion on the EDUCASUE CIO listserv touched on a topic that seems to be a theme in many discussions, articles and presentations of late within IT circles. Deepak Mathew at Rice University, asked, “How [do you] determine what degree to pursue. MS in MIS or an MBA? I guess it depends on one’s needs/the company’s needs and dependent on other variables. Which has more value?”

His question, essentially, what does it take to become a CIO, is actually just the beginning of the debate. Once you have the job, what role does the CIO play within the organization? And considering the role of technology, can the CIO role be a path to a position as CEO (i.e. campus President)?

Toot! Toot!

As part of my own pollution of the Internet, in part perpetuated through the exponential growth of blogging, SUNY Delhi’s Computer Information Systems has launched its own blog, “As Much by Writing.” Although just out of the gate, we have already been fortunate to receive some kind words from those in Higher Education. Micheal Feldstein, who provided the motivation for this site, was kind enough to announce the CIS effort.

Considering e-literate’s following, Delh’s blog was picked up by EDUCUASE and a few others. Comments included:

“…it was great to see SUNY Delhi using blogging software to post updates about IT developments for their user community.”
- Computer World Magazine

“I love this IT department”
- Janet Clarey, Brandon Hall Research

“Don’t you wish every IT department worked this way?”
- Michael Feldstein, e-Literate

“The IT department at SUNY Delhi has come up with a nice idea: Staff members have built a group blog that aims to put the department in close contact with the campus community.”
- The Wired Campus, The Chronicle of Hired Education

Anyone Looking for a Job?

Applications/Systems Developer

The State University of New York, College of Technology at Delhi is seeking an Applications/Systems Developer. This position will be a vital member of SUNY Delhi’s Central Systems Team of programmer analysts, database administrators and system administrators that provides service for, support of, and modifications to enterprise applications and systems, as well as run and automate operational tasks.

EDUCAUSE Follow-Up: File-Sharing Amendment Dropped

Higher Education Reauthorization Act: Update

URGENT, ACT TODAY

AMENDMENT HARMFUL TO HIGHER EDUCATION