Office of the Chief
Information
Officer

Now that a new academic year is underway it is time to open up this blog. I am going to use this forum to talk about information technology at the University of Toronto. Given that almost all we do in Higher Education seems to be enabled by technology, I think that will leave things broad enough. I will use this blog to signal direction to the University community, affirm direction within the team in ITS and hopefully stimulate broader discussion on various issues.

I was recently appointed as the Chief Information Officer at the University of Toronto. I am thrilled to be working at an institution as prestigious as this. You certainly can feel it when you arrive on campus. And what a gorgeous campus it is, right in the heart of Canada’s largest city.   I have been spending the last few months exploring campus, talking to people and gaining insight into what their needs are. I have really appreciated how open and forthcoming people have been. There is lots of work to do and lots of opportunities.

Now the term is about to start and the students are back on campus. Most of my life I have followed the academic calendar, meaning that, for me, this is a time of new beginnings. In Higher Education, it is one of my favourite times of year. I love the cooler weather, with less humidity, and I really love the energy that you feel every day you come into work. I am sure it will be harder to get a squash court, and the lines for food will be longer, but it is really nice to have the students back.

I don’t have a regular schedule for this blog. I will post when I have something interesting to say and when I have time to put down a few words. I am going to try and carve off some of my commute time to make sure the later is not constraining.

My first “informative” post will be about my priorities over the  next 180 days.