The power of teaching. The power of technology Project partners
The power of teaching. The power of technology Ray Stanley, CIO and VP of Marian University, tells us how an IT strategy empowers the student to unlock their potential
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D al e Bent o n Cr ai g D aniels
MARIAN UNIVERSITY
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T
echnology is an enabler. Whether it enables us to pay our bills, stream media, do
our jobs or simply access more information, technology is the crucial cog in our everyday lives. When we talk of technology in business, we think of huge digital transformations, IT architectures and omni-channel experiences to better understand and ultimately serve the customers, but what do we think of with regards to technology in higher education? Are investments in technology in this space purely to serve the needs of the business (in this case a college, or a university) or to serve the needs of the student? If it is purely the latter, then the technology is implemented with the faculty members in mind. To look at it from a business perspective, the technology conversation remains the same;
entire customer base as a whole and that
the stakeholders have different needs
you're understanding and aligning with
and the number of them is considera-
the trends in higher education.”
bly more. “In higher education, we have
A technology man by trade, Stanley
many different groups of customers. We
joined Marian University back in 2016
have the staff, faculty and students and
with a career defined by what he
so being a driver of technology is criti-
describes as a mix of “corporate” and
cal,” explains Ray Stanley, CIO of Marian
government IT. He moved to Marian
University, a higher education facility
University at a time where it had grown
that services nearly 4,000 students in
exponentially and needed to reinvigor-
Indianapolis, USA. “But you also have to
ate its IT and technology architecture to
make sure that you're listening to your
cater to the ever growing demands of
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MARIAN UNIVERSITY
the student. Stanley acknowledges the
to go in its offerings. You also cannot
differences of working in higher educa-
force technology and expect adoption.
tion, particularly when coming from a
You're not here to support a business to
corporate background. “It's much differ-
make a profit, your goal is to support the
ent in corporate America, where IT can
faculty to instruct a student for successful
completely dictate direction and tech-
graduation and it's a completely differ-
nology adoption a lot of times. As long
ent mindset and a completely different
as they partner with the business units,
model.”
they can kind of dictate the path as far as
Despite the different model and mind-
where the technology is going to go,” he
set, Stanley finds it an incredibly reward-
says. “In higher education, the industry
ing job and admits that he feels truly
kind of forces you to go where it needs
blessed to see students he’s worked w w w.t h e i n t e r f a c e . n e t
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BUSINESS IMPACT CASE STUDY
with, and knows personally, achieve their goals thanks in part to the work he is doing with the university. “It’s a very different feeling to producing profit for somebody,” he says. “Your goal is to not produce widgets, it's to successfully move that student forward in their lives, and to play a part in that is so incredible.” A common talking point in any IT discussion in business is how the IT function can become stronger and more effective as a partner to the business, rather than simply a separate office that is only needed when required. In higher education, and indeed Marian University, this is an important and ever-evolving conversation due to the needs of the most important stakeholder: the student. Students demand more and as a university that offer a multitude of degrees ranging from Doctoral of Ostephathic Medicine, Nursing and Biomed Sciences to Management, Marketing, Exercise Science and several other Arts and Sciences, where the technology needs to be truly leading-edge. “We have a leading College of Osteopathic Medicine and top tier Nursing School where a lot of the technology we're using is unbelievable,” says Stanley. “We have an assortment of full Simulation Labs where students learn through several technical avenues. In short order, we’ll be introducing a new 3D simulated operating table. It is a large touch-screen operating table with an image of a body on it. Students can use the touch-screen to stretch, open, twist, enlarge, and shrink the 3D images. It really gives students another level of hands-on learning that will help them better understand their practice, and ultimately more competitive for top residencies and jobs as they graduate.” 8
MARIAN UNIVERSITY
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Technology is a partner for the faculty
times because they will quite simply be
for instruction, for students, for learning
forgotten. “Students want mobility. They
and for their on campus life. It's critical
want mobile apps. We are working to
and it's certainly very interwoven into
grow with the students to provide their
every part of the university campus. In
mobility needs,” he says. “You have to
Stanley’s own words; gone are the days
evolve with the students and the faculty
of chalkboards as there is no room for
has to evolve with the students. Anyone
a university or college to be behind the
who’s instructing any class has to make
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MARIAN UNIVERSITY
sure that they're maintaining a level of
cybersecurity holes, a lack of clear tech-
technological demand that the students
nology policies and an overall complex
expect.”
infrastructure. Over the past four years,
As part of his remit with the University,
he has focused largely on cyber secu-
Stanley was tasked with looking at
rity as his number one priority. Given
putting the pieces together to fix what
the increasing connectedness of every
he describes as ”technical broken
part of the student experience, this was
glass”. This consisted of a number of
a no brainer. Working with a number of partners, Stanley and his team are constantly training and testing faculty staff and students on a regular basis in order to ensure that they are at a very high level that’s required with regards to understanding cybersecurity and better protecting their data and that of the faculty. “We've also had to really beef up our infrastructure in terms of internet bandwidth,” he adds. “Wi-Fi, of course, is huge for students. We went from a single one gigabyte pipe coming into campus to where we have two 10gb connections coming in and right now we are also getting ready to bring a third vendor in so we have a three-way composite if one goes down.” With a number of years focused on getting cyber security, networking and infrastructure to the required levels of a growing university, eyes are now focused on a significant cloud migration that will see Marian University leave the data center days behind. Breaking away from w w w.t h e i n t e r f a c e . n e t
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the traditional (and ultimately costly) colo-
When operating in the technology
cation approach represents a big change
space, making big investments and
for Stanley and his teams. “We talked
implementing new processes and new
about the mobility that students demand
solutions the pressure to provide real
and to be honest, there really weren't a lot
tangible results is high. This is only natu-
of mobile devices on campus, other than
ral and the pressure is no different for
cell phones when I got here,” he adds.
Stanley and the higher education sector.
“We were tethered to PCs and we had
In the corporate IT space, results can be
a few iPads and so we have flipped that
defined by cost savings or an upswing
on its head. We really don't invest in PCs
in customers but what is a key measure
anymore. Everything is on laptops now. So,
of success for Marian University? For
we've really had a monumental shift in our
Stanley, it goes back to the student. The
technology exposure over the past four or
student and the success of the student
five years and I think that will change even
are what drives the IT strategy.
more the next four or five years.”
“For us we look at the retention rates.
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MARIAN UNIVERSITY
“ Your goal is to not produce widgets, it’s to successfully move that student forward in their lives, and to play a part in that is so incredible” — R AY S TA N L E Y, C I O , V P, M A R I A N U N I V E R S I T Y
If we have a student on campus and
system and as a result of this has seen
the classes aren't what they expect or
record enrollment for its first full-time
the technology experience isn't what
freshman student class in 2020. Stanley
they want, they'll go somewhere else
attributes a lot of this success directly to
and that's very well documented,” he
the investments that are being made in
says. “So, we've really helped increased
technology.
our retention rates through a posi-
The technology space is over satu-
tive student-IT experience. At 83% our
rated with shiny new digital solutions that
retention rates are above the national
will claim to fix any problem and solve
average, which is a big number. Most
any challenge and in turn, the conver-
colleges or universities aren’t nearly at
sations become dictated by buzzwords
that level. So, there's a big focus there on
and “sexy” technologies. Headlines focus
retention.”
on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine
Elsewhere, and also feeding into this
Learning, Blockchain, Big Data and one
retention focus, Stanley continuously
could be forgiven for feeling somewhat
monitors the technology provided to the
overwhelmed or worse, focusing on the
advancement team as well as the func-
solutions that don't have any real rele-
tionality of the fundraising and the abil-
vance to their own particular challenges.
ity to reach deeper into a fundraising
Stanley is aware of this challenge and
network as well as admissions. Marian
points to a key example that is currently
University has completely revamped the
a hot trend for the higher education
student information system and recruiting
space. “We’re investigating keyless door w w w.t h e i n t e r f a c e . n e t
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entry into the residence halls. It could
exacerbated in recent times following the
be a key differentiator for us. Now, there
COVID-19 pandemic. Stanley points to
are a lot of new technologies out there
the shifting needs of business and how
that allow you to take a phone, using
that had created a flooding of the market
Bluetooth, to scan your door to open it,”
with solutions that were almost pitted as
he says. “Suddenly, students don't need
a silver bullet for many. He admits that
a key anymore and I can use a phone
yes, some were, and are, right for the
to go to the dining hall, Subway, or
University, but what's important for him
Starbucks as well. It's a great opportunity,
is to recognize and acknowledge the
but we need to perform the homework to
“imposter companies”. These “imposter”
ensure it provide the best return of our
companies were, as Stanley notes, just
investments.”
showing up making it really difficult to
This is a challenge that has only been 14
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find a real solution that provides benefit
versus something that acts like it's going
ideas,” says Stanley. “We rely on some of
to produce benefit. Key to overcom-
the bigger schools like Indiana University
ing this has been the way in which the
and Purdue University for some of their
University works with its external part-
guidance and leadership. It’s about
ners. One such partner is EDUCAUSE, a
getting out, communicating, understand-
nonprofit association in the United States
ing the marketplace and understanding
whose mission is "to advance higher
the needs.”
education through the use of information technology”. “We spend a lot of time with them and
The work and the collaboration with EDUCAUSE allows Stanley and Marian to ask and answer the important ques-
we have a group of 30 in Indiana made
tions: will making a bigger investment
up of colleges and universities. We sit on
make sense? What will the return be?
a council together and we exchanging
And ultimately, how many students does w w w.t h e i n t e r f a c e . n e t
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it either retain or bring into the univer-
into our IT strategic plan because of
sity? Students, much like customers in
the feedback that we get there on what
the corporate IT space, are the biggest
we're doing well, what we're not doing
and most important stakeholders for
well or what we are missing as far as a
Marian University. Stanley and his teams
need, really then drives a lot of that IT
can tell us that they make sure that
strategic plan.”
they [the students] are at the very heart
Being with the students proves critical
of every decision they make, but how
for Stanley and for the success of Marian.
do they go about actually doing that?
What is clear is that there is a culture
After all, no two students are the same
of bringing the students in, getting to
and offering individual experiences to
know them and ensuring that the univer-
each and every one is possible to some
sity is doing what the students need. A
degree but it is a difficult and often fruit-
key example of this can be seen in the
less endeavour. Stanley knows this, but
Freshman Connect program. By visiting
he also knows how to walk the walk and
the residence halls and taking part in
not simply talk it. “The very first thing I
a root beer social, interacting with the
did when I joined was create a student
students and showing them how to use
survey that goes out twice a year at the
different technologies, Stanley and his
end of each semester, gauging feedback
teams took feedback from them in a way
on how their technology experience has
that was more personal than just relying
been and what things they would like to
on the surveys. “It was so rewarding,” he
see changed,” he says. “I then meet with
beams. “I was really looking forward to
the different student government associ-
doing it this fall, but we couldn't quite do
ations and that's my time to listen. Sure,
it with the social distancing that we need
I tell them where we are at with certain
to, but we'll certainly put that back into
initiatives but I'm there to listen. Tell me
place next year.”
what you want and what you need. Tell
In early 2020, the world was gripped
me what's not working. Tell me what is
by the COVID-19 pandemic. With lock-
working.”
downs, social distancing and isola-
The results, for him personally, speak
tion being enforced all over the world,
for themselves. “It really is a great feed-
the education sector faced a difficult
back loop. The survey also leads right
challenge; how to continue providing
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“ ...The biggest key to success is setting a path and making sure that you’re always looking ahead. Yes, you’re going to encounter deviations off that path, but you need to know where you’re going. If you don’t. Then you’re not going to get there. We simply cannot chase those shiny objects” —
R AY S TA N L E Y, C I O , V P, M A R I A N U N I V E R S I T Y
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education services to the students when
planning, which included being able to
they are not on campus and to do so
teach remotely. And so, that pivot in the
in a way that does not jeopardize their
spring was almost a non-event for IT,”
success. Marian University closed and
he says. “Now, there were some things,
the students were sent home. Rather
people needed different devices than
than be faced with a new challenge of
they'd had before getting the devices
online teaching, Stanley and his team
in March and April was almost impos-
had spent the last few years focusing on
sible. But that was really the only large
how to use the technologies to deliver
hurdle we encountered, which is really
exactly that. “We had been doing a lot
amazing.”
of work in our emergency response
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The new demands that were required
of IT included temperature monitor-
there's still equipment that's aging, all
ing, capacity scanning and planning
of that,” says Stanley. “So, it really threw
and contact tracing, things that Stanley
an extra amount of work in. But we were
openly admits he knew little of only 12
able to kind of parallel the work streams
months ago. The technology that's been
and still make it back. As we speak today,
required to have a university open back
we've successfully had students back for
up was a whole new experience for
about three weeks now.”
Stanley, but there still remained an over-
At the time of writing, the future
arching IT strategy that needed to be
remains uncertain and there is no guar-
addressed. “I still have to keep things
antee that those students will not be sent
moving, where there's still licensing,
back home in the near future although
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the immediate future looks good. What we can be certain of is that Marian University has worked extremely hard to ensure that it can still be there for its students in their time of need. There have undoubtedly been a number shifts in its IT strategic plan to cater towards more mobility and to be able to deliver that technology remotely and virtually for teaching. But Stanley affirms that the IT strategic plan has remained intact and all of the yearly schedules and goals are where they need to be. Looking to the future, the next 12 months and beyond, Stanley is keen to fully migrate into the cloud and to be able to continue to improve the University's network offering. For him, the biggest complaint of any student is connectivity and so there will be constant work in improving that connectivity and improving the (already high) student satisfaction rate. Working in the technology space is not easy. Combining that challenge with the challenges of serving a higher education facility and it becomes even more difficult. Stanley reflects on a piece of advice that has stuck with him throughout his career. "Don't steer a cruise ship, like a speed boat,” he laughs. “An old manager told me that and it’s stuck with me because it is easy to chase the shiny objects because they are shiny, new and promise great benefits. But you cannot shift a large group of 5,000+ people that quickly, it just doesn't work. The biggest key to success is setting a path and making sure that you’re always looking ahead. Yes, you’re going to encounter deviations off that path, but you need to know where you're going. If you don’t plan and set a path, then you're simply not going to accomplish your goals for the University.” w w w.t h e i n t e r f a c e . n e t
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