Documents Contributed by ECAR; Strategic Planning, IT; and Leadership

This research bulletin is a personal account of the career of James Penrod, who served as chief information officer at four higher education institutions for over 25 years. Well known as an expert on leadership, Penrod discusses critical success factors for CIO leaders, from strategic planning to portfolio and policy development to knowing your personal strengths and limits.

This case study explores how the University of Delaware has achieved a high degree of alignment between information technology and institution-wide priorities. It describes how an institutional culture based on high morale, strong informal communication channels, trust, and clearly articulated institutional goals fosters a climate conducive to close alignment between IT activities and the academic mission.

This case study explores the information technology vision, processes, plans, and structures that create alignment with institutional goals at Calvin College. Calvin is a comprehensive, liberal arts, Midwest Christian college. It provides an in-depth look at the role of information technology in advancing teaching, learning, scholarship, and the competitive position of the institution.

This case study explores how the University of Cincinnati has developed a governance structure that allows the IT organization to align priorities and function as a cohesive element across the institution. Governance includes participation from all major university constituencies, including members of the president's cabinet. Four working committees represent academic, administrative, and infrastructure IT issues, and an executive IT steering committee ensures the structure's validity and stature. The University of Cincinnati has also developed a sustainable governance process for prioritizing and funding enterprise level campus IT investments in a highly decentralized research university environment.

This case study explores the processes and structures put in place by the first chief information officer of The University of Memphis in order to align its information technology organization with institutional goals. It provides an in-depth look at information technology governance, planning, performance management, and metrics as they relate to leading and managing an IT organization.