Marian University – Brochure 2020

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

WRI T T EN BY PRODUCED BY

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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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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.”

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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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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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