GC Technology: New Tech Chief Faces Thankless Role
Robert D. Campbell has a lot of work cut out for him during his first year as the new assistant vice president for information technology at the Graduate Center.
Since July 19, his first day on the job, Campbell has identified two main goals for the Information Technology department: to comprehend the affairs and resources already present within the system, and to review the manner of delivery of these services. Within the first two months he said that “a lot of needs were uncovered,” and that time spent in conversation with individuals within the GC community discussing their needs will expose new necessities.
As to the state of IT affairs upon his arrival, Campbell noted that there is a “significant amount of work to do to get the resources in line with the needs” of the GC. Citing the recent impetus to install wireless Internet coverage, Campbell pointed out that “wireless is not cutting edge technology,” but “[it] is a technology we need to put in place to catch up with where we should be.”
One of the obstacles he and his 40-member team face is the fact that many of the personal computers (PCs) at the GC have not kept pace with PC standards and thus many need memory and software upgrades.
Though he admitted that this is a major deficiency of the GC, Campbell said that “Citrix is an outstanding resource,” which is utilized by many of the GC community. Citrix provides remote access to the GC library and online databases, in addition to certain software applications accessible through the GC network.
Presently, Campbell and his staff are undertaking a review of all GC servers. They anticipate adding Storage Area Network (SAN) technology as a means to provide additional network storage at a reasonable price and of making the library resources much more accessible to students. Another aim is to find ways to incorporate new technologies to enhance the learning process and keep the GC up-to-date with other universities. “A lot of places have started using pod casting,” he said, referring to process of distributing multimedia files over the internet to be downloaded onto computers, MP3 players, and other devices that provide media playback.
Previously, Campbell was the associate vice president for information technology services at Rock Valley College in Rockford, Ill., where he began his tenure in 1998 as dean of information technology. From 1979 to 1993 he taught mathematics and computer science at Manatee Community College in Venice, Fla., and served as director of the college’s division of mathematics, science, technology, and business from 1993 to 1998.
“Sometimes things you do aren’t sexy,” Campbell said, “but they help a lot of people. Day in and day out we’re supporting the institution.”
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