Category: Big Ideas

A new beginning

On January 24th, I resigned my position at Baruch College, and on February 3rd started as Chief Information Officer at Western New England University in Springfield, Massachusetts.

My time at Baruch was important and transformational. It’s hard to describe the connections I’ve made, the experiences I’ve had, the impact I had on the community and it on me. Working at Baruch and CUNY gave me experiences in a large university system, a complicated bureaucracy (I’m actually fond of referring to it as “multiple intersecting bureaucracies”) and a place where I made an impact. When my former boss retired in June 2023 I was appointed interim VP/CIO and served for eleven months in that role, guiding the College through a significant event, but also supporting a technology refresh at all levels of the organization.

I was a finalist for the permanent position, but ultimately was not selected to continue on and went back to the AVP/Deputy CIO role, which I had been doing since last May. Perhaps a reminder that nothing is guaranteed, and even if you think that the planets have aligned reality often has different plans (and I know the weight of saying that right now.) Thankfully, with some executive coaching and some leadership development experiences, I was able to establish that I was highly qualified for a CIO position, and sure enough as I applied for positions I got a lot of interest.

I have previously posted about the job search process, and I may update that post with some of what has changed and what I have learned since then. Notably I feel like I had nearly every possible experience with potential positions–enthusiastic initial contacts from recruiters that actually went nowhere, searches being canceled, getting ghosted, getting first round interviews, getting finalist interviews, turning down finalist interviews, not getting selected after finalist interviews.
“Roller coaster” is the right metaphor but only incompletely describes the surreality of the whole experience. I took to my technique of looking at my life as an external observer, and often just laughing at the strange things; but ultimately seeing that I would eventually get a CIO position commensurate with my needs and experience. (Also, my advice on videoconferencing and online interviews is certainly now outdated since COVID and the new mores we’d developed as a result.)

I’m also at a different place in my life than I was nine years ago–namely the kids are older, so it’s a little easier to relocate and do the remote thing which is what I’ll be doing for at least a bit. It’s only a few hours between locations and I’ll probably be able to go home most weekends (and in fact my spouse and youngest child came up here just this weekend to visit, which was nice.) It’s part and parcel of advancing your career and balancing home and family life; and I have plenty of colleagues who have done even more extreme living situations to climb the ladder. We made the choice to not move and for me to select jobs within commuting distance while our children were growing up–a decision I stand behind, but I can compare with friends who moved every few years and know I could have been more aggressive with career opportunities. Again, the only correct decisions on your career are the ones that are right for you and your family, which is why this time thinking of moving to a new location was in the cards for me.

Now I have the opportunity to take everything I have learned and apply it to a new institution, one that I believe I can make a large impact on, and one that I feel is on a strong upward trajectory. I am looking forward to helping the organization grow and transform, and as I learn about the opportunities I’m enthusiastic about the possibilities. I’ve only been here two weeks and I’ve absolutely been blown away by the dedication and care of the community–this is an organization that prides itself on the personal touch for its students and it’s clear that also extends to the support of the staff here; and so I will hold that close while I seek to improve IT processes and procedures here.

And yet, leaving Baruch was not easy. My colleagues at Baruch became friends; the mission of the institution is significant, and while I’m not egotistical enough to think they won’t be able to carry on without me, I will miss the possibilities we could have had together. I will miss working with the team I built and strengthened there, and I had certainly learned to negotiate a complex system well. I was once given the advice that it’s okay to mourn what you’re losing even as you’re excited about what you’re gaining; and that is a significant part of what I feel during this transition.

I don’t know what the future holds–and surely this is a tumultuous time for higher education and our world–but I remain defiant in my hope that higher education can continue to make the world a better place and that we who serve in it are doing important work. I look forward to what I can accomplish at Western New England University and hope for the future.

Onward!

(P. S. I let AI generate the header image.)

Ten Years Ago, Part of My Professional Career Ended

Today my former colleagues at Drew marked that ten years ago today was the last Computer Initiative handout.

Continue reading Ten Years Ago, Part of My Professional Career Ended

EDUCAUSE 2018

Here I am, the weekend before the Tuesday morning I’ll be flying out to Denver for EDUCAUSE 2018.  I’m getting ready–I made sure my spouse had my itineraries and conference information, I’m making plans with people, reviewing my schedule yet again, and generally getting in the frame of mind I need to be in to get the most out of the event.

This will be my 13th EDUCAUSE Annual Conference.   My first was in 2004, and I’ve been to every one since 2010.  I’m very fortunate in that I’ve cultivated a great network of people that I get to experience the conference with, and their perspectives continue to educate and amaze me.  I hope that I give something back to them as well.

I’m looking forward to reconnecting with everyone, meeting new friends, learning great things (I’m particularly interested in diversity in the profession, data warehousing, furthering my professional growth, and the future of higher ed).  I also love Denver–I lived in Colorado for a year and a half when I was in grad school, and driving to Denver for shows or tourism was always a treat.  I love the crisp mountain air and the brilliant sunshine (although the weather forecast says that will be in short supply).

As always, most of my conference suggestions are evergreen and are in this blog (just search the EDUCAUSE tag).  Denver’s altitude and dry air means hydration is important, especially for those of us nearly at sea level.   Understand you’ll be going full tilt for 12-16 hours every day, and plan for sleep and exercise to balance that.  And don’t go too crazy with the food and drink (and, I suppose, other things.)  But definitely go to dinner with people, and linger at the bar as well.

If you don’t know me, say hi.  If you do, of course also say hi.  We’ll do lunch, or dinner, or second dinner, or just hang out late at the hotel bar.  Think of deep, profound questions to ask people you meet–they will be primed to give you deep, detailed answers, trust me.  Keep the fires alive after the conference too–you can always meet up later on, and decide to collaborate on other things.  (Related:  Come to our poster session.)  Also, I’ve never met someone–even the biggest “rock stars” of EDUCAUSE, who haven’t been happy to say hi and shake hands with anyone.  That’s why they’re there.

Also, I apologize in advance for my Twitter being full of #edu18 starting Tuesday morning.  If you really don’t care I would understand if you mute me for a bit.  But not only do I like sharing with others, it’s also how I keep my notes of the conference.

See some of you in Denver!

 

Remembering Alan

Alan Candiotti– my mentor, boss, and friend for nearly thirty years–passed away five years ago today. I think about him nearly every day. This post will be based on remarks I made at his memorial service, additional recollections, and reflections on my life since his passing.

Continue reading Remembering Alan

Book Club–“Weapons of Math Destruction” by Cathy O’Neil

I’m finally doing it.

I’m going to keep up with Bryan Alexander’s book club.  This one should be easy–I started reading this book over the summer after hearing O’Neil speak at NYSCIO.  I got about halfway through before vacation and the ensuing chaos of the start of the semester overwhelmed me; luckily the timing of the book club is such that I should be able to carve out a little time to read it.  I believe this is a critically important book for everyone in IT, higher education, or anyone whose life is affected by data (i.e., everyone.)  Bryan did an excellent job summarizing the introduction and first chapter, so there’s little point in me reiterating it verbatim; I’ll just add a few of my personal impressions.

Continue reading Book Club–“Weapons of Math Destruction” by Cathy O’Neil

Nostalgia

Feeling a little nostalgic as of late.  This is because of four things:

  1. I recently passed my one year anniversary at Baruch.  I didn’t really mark it at the time because I was on vacation.  But I’ve always thought it takes a calendar year to really experience and understand new things–especially in academia where the calendar gives us more structure than some other workplaces.  Facebook reminding me of my post on my last day working at Drew and my first day at Baruch also helped quite a bit, as well as LinkedIn reminding me (and several colleagues congratulating me there.)  One year to me is also when I have to stop calling myself “new”, with the commensurate set of expectations.
  2. Last night I went to a going away dinner for yet another of my work colleagues who have left Drew. There have been several who have left since the start of 2016, and the organization will need to rebuild.  I’m extremely happy for my colleagues who have left, and I am hopeful for those who remain, they are a great team and they will do well.  It was an interesting evening also because several other colleagues who left Drew were also there, and it was a group of people who hadn’t all been together in the same place in a long time, so that felt a bit nostalgic.
  3. I’m right now on a plane to Chicago, where my Frye class of 2006 is having a summit.  Frye was (still) the single most transformative event of my leadership journey, and I’m looking forward to getting together with many of my closest professional friends, and reflecting on the lessons Frye gave us.  It’s convenient that it happens right after my first year at a new job.
  4. It’s spring.  Rebirth and all that.

So I’m feeling a bit reflective and contemplative.  It’s a good time for me to take stock, and ready myself to continue to grow as an employee, professional, and leader.  I’m happy with what I’ve accomplished and yearning to do even more and do it better.  A good time to outfit my toolbox and practice my skills.

How do you refresh, reflect, and recharge?

On the Occasion of my Semianniversary

October 11, 2016 marked six months of working as AVP of IT and Deputy CIO at Baruch College.  Tl;dr:  It’s been the hardest I’ve ever worked, and overall it’s been incredibly rewarding.  And I’m just getting started.

Continue reading On the Occasion of my Semianniversary

What I Learned in the Job Search

As I come up on my six month anniversary at my new job (surely that is worth blogging about, stay tuned) I’ve decided to dust off this post.  Parts of it date from nearly a year ago, as I was basically using it as a place to write down some of the random thoughts that would occur to me during my explorations into the employment market.   (I would always test myself by clicking “Save Draft” instead of “Publish” because I like living on the edge.)  I’ve cleaned it up because I’ve been sharing parts of it with people I know who are on their career paths, and figure it could be of use to others. Of course, this is written by someone who is on the higher education IT leadership track, but it should have some relevance for anyone in the job hunt.

A disclaimer:  I’m not looking for a new job at the moment.  Anything written here is from the perspective of when I was looking for a new job, which was before I had a new job.  I like my new job, a fact about which I’ll elaborate on in a few weeks.

 

Continue reading What I Learned in the Job Search

When You Know It’s Time

I have just a few weeks left at Drew.  One of the things I keep realizing about this transition is that it’s something I’ve never done before:

 

 

But I had forgotten something when I tweeted this:  As a child, I moved three times before I graduated high school, and my parents moved an additional time right after my graduation, and another time 2 years later while I was in college.  As an adult I have moved to a new domicile 4 or 5 times as well. So I do have some experience with transitions, they’re just more personal than professional.

Every time I’ve moved,  there would always come a point in the move–usually when the movers had packed everything up and the house was filled with nothing but the clutter of the move–when I didn’t want to be there anymore.   There was something about that trigger that made my mind say “Yes, now, it’s time.”

I’m starting to feel that, but it’s not because I’ve physically packed up my office (I’m going to start that soon) but because I’m “packing up” my job. I’m making sure I’m giving things to other people to take on, deliberately not taking on most new things, watching as the organization makes the first steps into doing things without me.  Soon, my job itself will be nothing but a cluttered house, empty except for the pieces that are too unimportant to deal with.

And that is when I will be completely ready to go.

None of this means I won’t miss the place or the people.  Of course I will, and it will be very hard.  But I’m reminded that there’s something about the nature of transitions that readies you for the next step,  just in time for when you need it.

 

The next chapter

I’ve accepted the position of Assistant Vice President and Deputy Chief Information Officer at CUNY Baruch College.  I start in April.

I’ve just passed my 23rd anniversary of working at Drew. At this point working at Drew will likely be more than half of my professional career, which was one of the many reasons I think I realized I had to take on a new position,  so I could understand all the things you can only understand if you have worked in multiple places.

My new position  will provide me a higher profile role, a larger staff to manage, a place at the table making institution-wide decisions, a chance to be an important part of a larger organization (not just Baruch but the entire CUNY system).  I’m already digging into some of the new challenges and opportunities I will have.  Sure, the commute will be a little more intense, but I’m hoping my “train time” will be productive–whether it’s a little extra sleep, a chance to do work, or even time spent recreationally on the computer so I can focus on my home life when I do get home.   And I get a built in hour or so of walking every day, which means even on days I don’t get to the gym or out for a run (and I’ll be able to run along the East River Greenway)  I’ll still be getting my daily exercise.

Of course, I will miss my friends and colleagues at Drew very much.  However, as an alumnus of the institution, I will be around.  I’m also still a 10-minute drive away, so hopefully I’ll get to visit frequently enough.  In fact, it will be great to be connected to Drew “just” as an alumnus instead of “an alumnus and administrator.”

I’m looking forward to my new adventure.  I’m going to learn so much and grow a lot as a person.  Most importantly, I think I’m really going to be able to make a difference at my new institution.

Here’s to the future!