It is no argument that modernizing at any institution is a learning curve. In this month&apos;s Top of Mind Podcast episode: "From Butler to Enabler: How IT Services Empower Teaching and Learning," Alison Robinson, associate vice president and deputy CIO of the Division of Information and Technology Services at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, joins host, Elizabeth Farrell in discussing this curve; specifically, the role technology teams play in enabling teaching and learning. For Robinson, enabling and supporting mean two different things, and the difference represents that change in modernizing your IT organization. Your IT department can serve as either a butler—you need a tool, and I&apos;ll bring a tool—or as a service management organization—a partner. 

Top of Mind with The Tambellini Group

From Butler to Enabler: How IT Services Empower Teaching and Learning

The definition of student experience is an ever-changing one. As technology advances, students’ expectations shift to newly introduced possibilities. Inevitably, this affects student experience. However, what’s important to consider is whether implementing a solution just because it’s available is worthwhile to your institution. In this episode, new show host Elizabeth Farrell talks to Dr. Melissa Harts, former Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice President at Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC). Dr. Harts gives listeners an inside scoop on how PHSC leveraged technology to drive a more positive student experience while maintaining personal interactions. 

Keeping it Personal: Technology and the Student Experience

Just like on-campus students, remote learners expect a quality student experience from their higher ed institution. Providing a quality experience coincides with modernizing and simplifying virtual services, yet the work toward this can not be done until institutions understand what problems they are solving. In this episode, Katelyn Ilkani talks with Darcy Van Patten, Chief Technology Officer at the University of Arizona. Darcy shares her perspective and expertise on how the University of Arizona plans to use CRM and user research to solve the problem. 

Modernizing CRMs for Student Success

The COVID-19 Pandemic expedited the timeline for technological modernizations at many institutions. As the fall semester approaches, a new normal is expected. Institutions are reflecting on what they learned and deciding which new adopted practices to continue. In this episode, Katelyn Ilkani talks with Jason Parkhill, Interim Chief Information Officer at Colby College. Jason shares how the pandemic brought innovation to Colby, highlighted inequities on campus, and prompted new insights into the future of higher ed. 

Pandemic Protocol: Realizations and Innovations at Colby College

As higher education institutions continue to roll out vaccination and testing protocols that will be applied going forward, the role of technology (and campus tech leaders) tech leaders is central to making these new requirements work. In this Top of Mind Podcast, Janet Scannell, Chief Technology Officer at Carleton College, shares her perspective from the CTO role on how she and her team have been involved (and continue to shape) pandemic protocol. She discusses how COVID and emergency planning have helped drive collaboration and alignment across functional areas at the college.

Pandemic Protocol: The Role of Institutional Technology Leaders and Teams

Tambellini Top of Mind Podcast host Katelyn Ilkani interviews Augie Freda, Data Steward at the University of Notre Dame, about data governance. Freda explains how Notre Dame manages data and secures student privacy. He points out the importance of considering the size and source of the data when making decisions.  

Data Governance in Higher Education

The Council of Independent Colleges has created a course-sharing consortium. The platform allows students to take digital courses offered by other institutions similar to their own. In this episode, Katelyn Ilkani talks with Dr. Bryan Boatright, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and University Registrar at the University of Mount Union. Dr. Boatright explains how the course sharing works, shares lessons learned, and highlights some successes of the consortium.

Course Sharing Among Institutions

Over the past year, admissions leaders have worked hard to maintain a positive, collaborative culture in a remote environment. Lukman Arsalan, Dean of Admission at Franklin and Marshall College, speaks with host Katelyn Ilkani about creating a top-notch remote employee experience. Arsalan has taken a newly created position at the college and was hired during the pandemic, so he met his employees virtually. He explains how he and his team have met the challenges, all while working remotely. 

Building a Remote Team

Katelyn Ilkani speaks with Milwaukee Area Technical College’s Laura Bray about raising scholarship funding. As Vice President for College Advancement and External Communications, Bray shares her experiences over the past year as head of fundraising. She describes MATC’s “Healthcare Heroes Fund” and how her team raises funding to support graduates who need to pay for licensure to obtain employment. The conversation focuses on how MATC is working toward ensuring equity in their scholarship awards, and Bray describes their participation in the “Moon Shot for Equity.”

A Focus on Equity in Student Aid

Vicki Tambellini, President and CEO of the Tambellini Group, speaks with Katelyn Ilkani about the current state of higher education and what to expect in the coming year. Tambellini discusses the high-stress environment in which many of us find ourselves as a result of the pandemic and how it is affecting the workplace and decisions for the future. Her predictions touch on the adoption of more sophisticated budget and planning tools, the move to the cloud, and institutions combining operations.

Predictions for Higher Ed Technology in 2021

Dr. Mordecai Brownlee, Vice President for Student Success at St. Philip’s College, discusses the benefits of experiential learning with host Katelyn Ilkani of The Tambellini Group. Dr. Brownlee shares thoughts on helping college students prepare to enter the workforce, emphasizing the role of experiential learning in career exposure. Topics include student engagement and success, the role of technology in experiential learning, and the importance of transferrable skill sets.

Experiential Learning

The Tambellini Group’s Katelyn Ilkani interviews San Cannon, Associate Vice Provost for Data Governance and Chief Data Officer at the University of Rochester. Cannon explains the duties of a Chief Data Officer and why higher education institutions should consider establishing such a position. Topics include technology’s role in data management, the importance of establishing relationships with stakeholders, and resources for those who want to learn more about data governance. 

The Role of the Chief Data Officer in Higher Education

In conversation with Top of Mind host Katelyn Ilkani, Marilyn Smith, former CIO at George Mason University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, reflects on the changes she has witnessed over her career. Advisor to GMU’s new CIO, Smith shares her advice to listeners who may aspire to lead a higher education IT department. This podcast includes Smith’s approach to building relationships across a university’s diverse population and coming to understand the role of IT as a service. 

Things I Never Thought I Would Hear a CIO Say

Host Katelyn Ilkani talks with our own Vicki Tambellini, President and CEO of The Tambellini Group, about higher education trends she discussed in January 2020’s Top of Mind podcast. Tambellini notes that campus technology priorities are changing, and while some predictions have held true, COVID-10 has affected others. Tambellini talks about the fall semester and what we might expect from institutions and vendors through the end of 2020 and into the beginning of 2021.

Revisiting 2020 Trend Predictions with Vicki Tambellini

Keep pace with ever-changing education technologies. With insights and ideas from higher education executives, Top of Mind with The Tambellini Group explores the people and technology innovations shaping the future of learning. New episodes monthly.

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Top of Mind with The Tambellini Group

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