Vice President for Information Technology, Chief Information Officer (CIO)

Role and Responsibilities

The VPIT/CIO is the chief information officer of the university and must work collaboratively with all divisions of the institution to ensure IT integration, compliance and effectiveness, especially in Research, Student Affairs, Financial Aid, and Division of Finance and Administration. The VPIT/CIO has direct leadership and supervisory responsibility for the following areas that constitute the Office of Information Technology:

• Application Systems
• Database Systems
• Help Desk and Desktop Support
• IT Budgeting

The VPIT/CIO will be tasked with the planning, reviewing, operation and evaluation of all academic computing services and related technologies to support the teaching, student, administrative and research missions of the University. These include the University’s telecommunication system--voice, image and data. The VPIT/CIO will ensure the security of information, computer systems and digital data. The VPIT/CIO will provide strategic leadership for the incorporation of AI/generative AI into university operations. The VPIT/CIO will be responsible for the planning, deployment and maintenance of IT systems and operations, including the management of software development needs. The VPIT/CIO will oversee policies related to the review and approval of new technologies and the maintenance and security of computing resources. The VPIT/CIO will be responsible for helping to advance the library and develop a pathway to create an academic library of the future by expanding its role within the University and the broader community, and leading the development of innovative programming, with guidance from the Dean of the Library. The VPIT/CIO will be responsible for helping integrate library systems into the campus business infrastructure. The VPIT/CIO will work with the Dean of the Library to develop a sustainable funding model to advance the library's mission as an essential partner in the university's research and teaching missions and expand its role in the broader community. The VPIT/CIO will help Finance and Administration develop strategic technology plans and implement information technology objectives. Other duties include: reviewing and approving contracts for computing and IT software, services and equipment; overseeing ongoing improvements and evaluation of system enhancements; serving on planning and policy-making committees; and supporting teaching and infrastructure for online education. The VPIT/CIO will supervise direct reports and participate in other activities as assigned by the President.

Required Qualifications

The successful candidate will have:

• Candidates must possess an advanced degree from an accredited higher education institution.
• Senior-level experience in progressively responsible information technology.
• A commitment to collaborative and data-driven decision making with a demonstrated record of working effectively with administration, faculty, staff, students and external constituencies.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, personnel, resource allocation, and budget/fiscal management.

Desired Qualifications

The successful candidate will also possess most of these characteristics:

Visionary innovator – an ability to lead the Office of Information Technology with creativity and humanness; an entrepreneurial mindset to adopt and integrate innovative technology to achieve a new efficient and high-functioning campus.

Architect of change – an ability to inspire an experienced team; demonstrated ability to change organizational structure, policies, and procedures to effect change; skill to both strategically lead and manage day-to-day operations in conjunction with unit leaders.

Commitment to access and sense of belonging – an appreciation for the diversity of the University of New Orleans student body; strong commitment to access and student success; improving the lives of students and their families.

Personal attributes – proven change-agent with a sense of urgency; demonstrated skill working with staff and faculty in a public urban research university setting; embrace challenges with optimism, confidence, humor, and with a growth mindset.

Education – an earned doctorate (Ph.D.) is desired.

University Overview

The University of New Orleans is the only public urban research university in Louisiana. Located in one of the most vibrant cities in the nation, UNO is classified as a Carnegie R2 Doctoral University- High Research Activity. The University enrolls a talented and diverse student body of 6,601: 5,476 undergraduate students and 1,125 graduate students organized into four academic colleges and six schools. The Privateers participate in NCAA Division I athletics as a member of the Southland Conference. New Orleans is one of the most culturally and economically important cities in the American South with region-specific employment opportunities in sectors such as engineering; renewable energy; coastal restoration; urban planning; transportation; teacher education; hotel, restaurant, and tourism administration; and the arts.

History and Culture

The University of New Orleans, originally called Louisiana State University in New Orleans, was established by an act of the 1956 Louisiana legislature in the wake of a citizens’ movement to bring public higher education to the metropolitan area. An ideal campus location was acquired in 1957 at the site of a former U.S. Naval air station on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain. A quick renovation of barracks, service clubs and other existing facilities made it possible to begin classes in September 1958. This marked the opening of the first racially integrated public university in the South. A total of 1,460 students arrived for this occasion. In September 1969, when the enrollment exceeded 10,000, LSUNO became the second-largest university in Louisiana. By this time, it had developed into a large academic complex embracing several colleges, schools, and institutes, offering graduate work in many different fields and awarding both the master’s and doctoral degrees. In 1974, the LSU Board of Supervisors approved a name change, and LSUNO became the University of New Orleans. The new name more accurately defined the institution as the metropolitan campus of the LSU System. In August 2005, the University suffered damage across campus during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, but resumed classes 42 days after the storm passed using a combination of online and off-site classes. UNO was the only university in New Orleans to reopen during the fall 2005 semester.

In December 2011, the University of New Orleans officially became part of the University of Louisiana System. The University has grown to become a major research university. Our students now enjoy a broad range of academic programs and extracurricular activities, including NCAA Division I athletics, an extensive program of intramural sports, and frequent exhibits and performances in music, drama, dance and the fine arts to round out the student experience. Culturally, socially and economically, the University of New Orleans is one of the metro area’s foremost public assets. The University has conferred tens of thousands of degrees since the first graduating class of 116 in 1962.

Points of Pride

• The only urban public research university in Louisiana and the only public research university in metro New Orleans.
• In combination with the adjacent UNO Research & Technology Park, the University generates an annual economic impact of nearly $1 billion for the region.
• Offers the only civil, electrical and mechanical engineering programs in metro New Orleans
• Offers one of the few naval architecture & marine engineering programs in the nation
• More than 48,000 alumni in the greater New Orleans area and more than 80,000 alumni around the globe.
• Ranked Top 50 in the Nation for Social Mobility by U.S. News & World Report.
• The Brookings Institution ranked UNO third in the nation for providing equal access to higher education for students from all income levels.
• Top-ranked university in Louisiana for least debt and most ethnic diversity, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Mission

The University of New Orleans is a comprehensive urban research university committed to providing educational excellence to a diverse undergraduate and graduate student body. The University is one of the region's foremost public resources, offering a variety of world-class, research-based programs, advancing shared knowledge and adding to the region's industry, culture and economy. The University of New Orleans, as a global community asset, serves national and international students and enhances the quality of life in New Orleans, the state, the nation, and the world, by participating in a broad array of research, service learning, cultural and academic activities.

Vision

The vision of the University of New Orleans is to be recognized as one of the preeminent urban research institutions in the nation, noted for its commitment to excellence in teaching and in student success; its location in a culturally vibrant city; its innovative and relevant undergraduate, graduate, professional and research programs; and its role as a primary engine of social, economic, intellectual and cultural development in the New Orleans region and beyond.

Core Values

The University’s core values are: excellence; student success; diversity, equity and inclusion; and innovation and discovery.

Students

Although the majority of students who attend the University are from metro New Orleans, the University has educated students from all 64 Louisiana parishes, all 50 U.S. states and more than 140 countries. Our student body of 6,601 is approximately 51% students of color and our undergraduates are 50% first-generation students. Students participate in more than 75 registered student clubs and are members of 14 active fraternities and sororities.

Faculty and Staff

The University’s student-centered approach is facilitated through the work of its 375 faculty members and 700 staff members.

Governance

The University of New Orleans is one of nine public universities that is part of the University of Louisiana System, the largest public higher education system in the state. UNO joined the UL System in 2011. The universities are overseen by the Board of Supervisors of the University of Louisiana System. The Board of Regents coordinates all public higher education in Louisiana, including the University of Louisiana System.

Academics

The University of New Orleans offers a number of challenging and in-demand programs, many
of which are uniquely linked to the vibrant city of New Orleans and its location. The University
of New Orleans grants baccalaureate, master's and doctoral degrees in business administration;
liberal arts, education and human development; engineering; and sciences; as well as
interdisciplinary studies. It offers 40 bachelor’s degree programs, 45 master’s degree programs
and nine doctoral degree programs. The University has four academic colleges: the College of
Business Administration; the Dr. Robert A. Savoie College of Engineering; the College of
Liberal Arts, Education and Human Development; and the College of Sciences. The University
also has six schools: the Boysie Bollinger School of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering;
the School of Education; the School of Interdisciplinary Studies; the School of the Arts; the
Lester E. Kabacoff School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Administration; and the Graduate
School.

Athletics

The University of New Orleans Athletics department, which sponsors 14 intercollegiate programs, has competed in NCAA Division I since 1975. The Privateers have been members of the Southland Conference since 2012. The University fields men’s teams in baseball, basketball, golf, cross country, track and field (indoor and outdoor), and tennis. It also offers women’s programs in basketball, cross country, tennis, track and field (indoor and outdoor), indoor volleyball, and beach volleyball. UNO’s on-campus athletic facilities include the 10,000-seat Lakefront Arena, 3,500 seat Maestri Field at Privateer Park, the Privateer Beach volleyball complex and the Privateer Tennis Center, one of the premier tennis facilities in the region. Across all sports, the Privateers have captured 15 conference titles, eight tournament titles, two NCAA team championships, and one individual NCAA national title.

Community

Located on the southern shore of Lake Pontchartrain, only 15 minutes from the French Quarter, the University of New Orleans occupies a 195-acre campus in one of the finest residential areas of the city. The University derives many benefits from its location in a world-class destination with its own distinctive culture, cuisine, music, architecture and traditions. In addition to the annual Mardi Gras festivities, the city is home to a number of internationally renowned festivals, such as the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and French Quarter Fest. New Orleans is a preeminent big-game city with a storied history of hosting major events including the Super Bowl a record 10 times, the Men’s and Women’s Final Four, the Bayou Classic, the NBA All- Star Game, and the College Football National Championship.

Advancement

University Advancement works to increase the resources available to the University of New Orleans by cultivating private philanthropy and volunteer support. The University initiated a $50 million comprehensive campaign to challenge its alumni and friends to ensure the University rises to the next level. With the final stages of “Next is Now: The Campaign for the University of New Orleans” underway, total fundraising in 2023 approached $8.5 million, and the University's overall endowment of $87.6 million in fall 2023 represented an increase of 10.5% since 2019. During this time, the University has increased its population of active alumni and friends with major gifts coming from both constituencies. The University of New Orleans Foundation has been a key aspect of this success. The Foundation was chartered in 1984 as an independent non- profit organization to receive, invest, administer, and disburse private resources on behalf of the University of New Orleans.

Research

The University of New Orleans is one of 133 U.S. institutions with an R2 Doctoral Universities- High Research Activity designation. The UNO Office of Research supports and expands the research, creativity and scholarship of the university community; fosters innovation; promotes sustainable economic growth; and enhances the quality of life of the greater New Orleans community through discovery and partnership. UNO offers 9 doctoral programs and a wide range of master’s and graduate certificate programs aligned with institutional strengths and regional needs. With 11 centers and institutes and two collaborative consortia, UNO pursues its research mission by fostering faculty, staff and student innovation across disciplines, helping investigators find funding, apply for opportunities, manage awards and learn best practices at every stage. We safeguard the integrity of the research conducted in our community, protect the intellectual property of our investigators, and promote UNO's creative, scholarly, and research achievements. In the most recent fiscal year, external award expenditures exceeded $47 million (including over $8 million in federal grant awards). Areas of particular strength include computing and data science, energy, sustainability and advanced manufacturing.

The Beach at UNO

The Beach at UNO, the only research park in greater New Orleans, includes 600,000 square feet of office, laboratory and conference facilities across six individual buildings on a 30-acre site. The park houses 46 tenants, including the U.S. Navy; Eurofins (the world’s largest food testing company); a cluster of nonprofits and government entities focused on water and environmental sciences; various nonprofits focused on justice, resilience and STEM education; and engineering, technology, and advanced manufacturing companies. The Beach at UNO represents more than just a physical space—it embodies a sandbox ethos, fostering connections between the university and industry. With an academic concierge team and the dynamic assets of its research park, the environment is designed to accelerate innovation and collaborations. The Beach is owned by the UNO Research & Technology Foundation, a 501(c)3 created for the benefit of the University of New Orleans. The R&T Foundation operates as a public private partnership supporting the research, scholarship and commercialization activities at UNO. The Beach at UNO harnesses the power of a public-private partnership with the University of New Orleans, bringing out the best of academia, government and entrepreneurial endeavors to maximize innovation and shared prosperity.