From Their Viewpoint - notes from the opening general session at NERCOMP 2008

llarsen — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:30:17 -0500

NERCOMP 2008 opening panel presentation: From Their Viewpoint

A podcast of this general session is available at http://connect.educause.edu/blog/gbayne/podcastfromtheirviewpoint/46496.

Panel: Cheryl Norton, President, Southern Connecticut State University, S. Georgia Nugent, President, Kenyon College, Susan Scrimshaw, President, Simmons College, Joanne Kossuth, moderator

These three awesome women college presidents shared their viewpoints on the role of technology in higher education

Introductory remarks:

Norton thanked the audience for caring enough to ask presidents their technology perspectives. She is finishing her 4th year as president. She came from Colorado and found many of the same cultural issues between SCSU and her previous institution. She moved into higher education by “mistake” as she has a gym teacher background in exercise physiology. SCSU is primarily a commuter campus with about a 1/3 of the students in graduate programs. Technology is very important for communications and keeping track of students.

Nugent is in her 5th year at Kenyon. She was teaching ancient Greek and Latin literature at Brown and moved to a provost position at Princeton where she created an academic technology group.

Scrimshaw is in her 2nd year at Simmons which is an undergraduate women’s college that focuses on liberal education and meaningful careers. She was a medical anthropologist and a technology rebel at both UCLA (public health) and the UI-Chicago School of Health. At UCLA she caused “trouble” when working with large data sets and she bought the first desktop against orders. At UIC she developed the first online public health informatics masters degree. She finds the academic technology and support environment at Simmons “amazing.” Their biggest challenge is teaching faculty how to use the technology and to keep up. Asides: Her father is 90 and still giving her good advice. Facebook will tell you what your students are thinking.

Kossuth asked each to talk about technology expectations of incoming students and their impact on us.

Norton: As a commuter campus they need to stay up with each other (and faculty and campus) 24 X 7 primarily with cell phones. Policies are paramount and there are faculty/student cultural differences. The faculty is slowly catching up to the students and the students are learning patience.

Nugent indicated it was the same for residential campuses with cell phones, use of library resources, 24 X 7 access, and more. The faculty have yet to move to an online model and they wring their hands over students using Google as a first reference even though faculty do this as well.

Scrimshaw quoted work by Professor Michael Wesch (Kansas State University) that students are online 26 hrs a day simply by multitasking. The challenge is that students don’t know everything they need to know so a Simmons they have a full set of programs to rectify this. They are also working on blended learning. She wondered “how do we make it a positive educational force?” and talked about the importance of experiential learning.

Norton suggested that access to information is valuable but literacy and plagiarism are now major issues. She said we need to teach them where their learning begins.

Nugent agreed that plagiarism is a problem and that in many ways technology is changing the milieu. Students have changed their expectations regarding privacy. She noted that we have not fully come to terms with how these new social technologies have changed our culture.

Kossuth asked “What are your personal issues regarding 24 X 7 technology?”

Norton: We have priorities on where dollars are spent. We need a strong strategic plan that correlates to the institutional mission. Sometimes we need to say no to technology.

Nugent indicated a need for strong CIO presence at the table with senior staff. This is the largest lesson she took with her from being head of a technology group. She likes being 24 X 7.

Scrimshaw asked if academic and administrative technology should be split. They are hard to separate and you need to give attention to both sides. It is important to listen to the needs of both sides. And it is very important to be aware of the healthy between them.

Nugent indicated how technology is organized is generally not a rational decision but rather one based on individuals and history. She noted that many times people want what they don’t have.

Kossuth asked “What do you want to tell your CIOs (future CIOs)?”

Norton wants her CIO to listen to the users as technology is the servant not the master. She said not to use tech speak and to be a good communicator/listener.

Scrimshaw emphasized the importance of communication, especially listening, and then discussed the importance of education of the community from the president to the students.

Nugent discussed the servant leadership perspective and said that CIOs need to recognize that this is what president does. The president’s constituencies don’t agree and the president must listen carefully.

Kossuth asked about their biggest surprise as a president – not necessarily in technology.

Scrimshaw talked about the depth/complexity/richness of the experience. At her previous university she had big silos. At Simmons they work across them. On the technology side it has been smooth and worked well, unlike her public institution experience.

Nugent said that we all know that leaders don’t want surprises, and she essentially didn’t have them. However, everyone attaches meaning to whatever you do or don’t do; whatever you say or don’t say.

Norton said she was the first woman president and everyone wanted to know how it felt to be a woman and a president. Regarding technology: she discovered that they weren’t using technology for decision making and has changed that. She also said that everyone is waiting on your every wish.

Nugent had excellent systems but was surprised that online blended learning didn’t work well at Kenyon. One, an Arabic class, did successful blend. However the culture of an institution impacts how certain technology may or may not serve the campus well. Her campus is allergic to online applications/enrollments/evaluations. The culture is “hands on/personal touch” so there are different expectations.

Scrimshaw said there was a big hullabaloo over paper checks vs electronic deposits.

Norton followed up saying that most of the time the faculty is the stumbling block to using new technologies. They managed to have electronic deposits implemented by talking about how salaries could still be paid in disaster situations.

Norton also indicated that she is a great proponent of online learning.

Scrimshaw asked where is blended learning appropriate in the high-touch colleges and described a nursing program where students have different experiences to share and blending learning worked well.

Kossuth asked about work/life balance.

Scrimshaw: her husband and others are her support for 24 X 7

Nugent never believed in balance and has always had a 24 X 7, blended, everything all together, workaholic life of work and fun

Norton slots in very specific things for herself; especially exercising which is her discipline. Eating is the problem. She has either too much or too little all the time and always more events with more food.

Scrimshaw said that once or twice a month they get away to their weekend home in New Hampshire but now they get back to music. She’s in a choral group with rehearsals and performances. There has to be something that replenishes you and time for those most important to you

Last words of advice:

Norton said that your children keep you real –apparently hers have said: “get over yourself, mother!”

Nugent said her best advice was to be honest!! It is what you learned at your mother’s knee. You will be tempted to be dishonest - - don’t ever do it.

Norton heard an interesting speech about 6 months ago that said always leave with the soles of your feet. Keep your decisions on the high moral road so no one questions the reasons you make decisions and they trust you. Inspire confidence.

Scrimshaw agreed that taking the high road and being honest is key. People will try to undermine you, but always be “nice to everyone” and never stop learning. Never think you know all that you need to know.

Q&A

Students and Technology

Information literacy is an issue. They may use it but may not fully understand that use. Create programs for incoming students that are also ongoing. If you ask if we should test students for technology skills and understanding they may ask us “have you tested the faculty” Create centers and opportunities where they will receive the technology and information literacy required before they graduate.

Dealing with faculty – bringing the faculty along – faculty development

Work with groups of faculty, affinity groups working together and cohorts rather than individuals as peer energy is important. Technology can be transferable between disciplines but faculty would/could only learn from someone in their own discipline. Go to end of tunnel first – ask them what they want to do and then provide the appropriate technology. Forget about the group that won’t do it regardless and those who will. Work with the middle group and pay them to attend technology classes. Use incentives and make it as easy as possible to attend. Peer-peer experiences can be good. There may be more resistance at larger public institutions where you need to pay them but it may be different at small private institutions – the issues may be different dependning upon where you are.

Information for Decision Making

Oversight is important. Ask who owns this problem/technology/decision management? Is information (and technology) being used effectively? Shared ownership with president but the president sets the tone.

Making technology ($$) decisions

Look at the context – What are we doing now? What will it cost? What will it do? What will we not be able to do? What is the overall impact? You must make the cost benefit very overt. It must be transformational. Will it be user friendly? Look for unintended consequences. Was everyone affected at the table making the decision?

Listening and learning

As a CIO you must listen to your users. Presidents listen to people constantly as a part of their servant leadership. Have open meetings “what do you want to talk about” with students and others. Have office e-hours for students – be available by e-mail.

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From Their Viewpoint - notes from the opening general session at NERCOMP 2008