This has been quite a week. I don’t know why, but when you return from a break, 2 days later you don’t feel like you had a break. But it is sure good to keep busy and keep my mind focused on the positive rather than all the bad going on right now.
Well, now that we have gotten off to a great start with remote work and remote learning, we need to begin to think about what the return to a combined workplace will look like. In all probability, we will not all return to work at once. We will have a combination of remote and on-premises workers, and it may be that way for a long time. The same will be true for faculty. This means IT will have to set the tone and standards for tools that can be supported and solutions that can be sustained throughout the University. IT will have to be the poster child for standardization and support.
More than ever before, industry standards will reign supreme. Not that all solutions will be commodities, but they will have to be universally accepted. That does not necessarily mean only one solution set for Fordham, but there will be limits, and we must adhere to them. Will we standardize on Webex or Zoom? It will be Zoom, we know that already.
There is a lot of things we did quickly: i.e., expanded Logmein, expanded Adobe Creative Suite. Will this continue? Should we continue with Logmein or make those applications fully accessible via the VPN (virtual private network) or the virtual desktop? How will borrowed equipment be received and secured when it’s brought back to campus? How will IT expand student support? Many questions like these need to be answered and that planning is starting now.
We also have to consider LITE (Learning and Innovative Technology Environment) and the media replacements that normally happen this time of year through the summer, the upgrades, and all the other work that has been deferred. And, of course, we need to measure everything: statistics, KPI’s as they are commonly referred to or key performance indicators. Those KPI’s show us what’s important to our community and provide forward direction for the work we do and supports and illustrates the good work to which you contribute.
Well, I have to get moving, lots of planning to start thinking about. What’s next? Think about that for your group. We will be asking you very soon.
Have a good weekend and stay safe!