IT Partners Town Hall Highlights Digital Governance and IAM Strategy
On October 15th 2024, DoIT hosted a Town Hall for its IT Partners, who serve as embedded departmental IT resources and contacts across the institution. The event featured key presentations and discussions on digital governance and identity and access management (IAM) strategy.
Digital Governance 1.0
Simeon Ananou, Vice President and Chief Information Officer, kicked off the Town Hall by thanking the audience for the partnership with DoIT in ways that allow Stony Brook University to rise in reputation and stature. He then followed with an introduction to Digital Governance 1.0. He emphasized the need for robust governance to ensure effective and responsible use of digital resources, highlighting its benefits in promoting data security, compliance, and strategic alignment.
Ananou outlined the structure of the Digital Governance framework, comprising three key committees:
- Operations Committee: Evaluates projects based on need and assesses if they can feasibly move forward.
- Advisory Board: Ensures the culture and spirit of our campus community is elevated and represented in what we do.
- Executive Oversight: Ensure campus technology investments align with the university’s strategic mission, prioritize needs for maximum value, support initiatives, assign measurable value to stakeholders, and protect data and systems.
To encourage collaborative engagement, Ananou announced upcoming office hours dedicated to gathering feedback and suggestions from both the IT Department (DoIT) and IT Partners.
IAM Strategy
Matt Nappi, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), then took the stage to provide context for the institution's IAM Strategy. He emphasized the critical role of IAM in safeguarding institutional data and systems while ensuring efficient and user-friendly access.
Pulak Bhuiya, Director of IAM, delved into the specifics of the IAM strategy, outlining the planned initiatives and solutions under consideration. This included a discussion of emerging technologies and best practices in IAM, with a focus on enhancing security and user experience.
The Town Hall provided a valuable platform for IT Partners to gain insights into the institution's evolving digital governance and IAM landscape. The interactive nature of the event, including the announcement of office hours for feedback, underscores the IT Department's commitment to collaboration and transparency in its strategic initiatives.
Some members of the audience shared the impression of the relationship between DoIT and the IT Partners over the years, and expressed the need for greater collaboration overall.
Closure
In closing the Town Hall, Ananou addressed two further initiatives aimed at enhancing IT services and support. He announced a collaboration with Oracle to revamp the user experience of SOLAR, the institution's student information system. This partnership will focus on modernizing the interface and improving user-friendliness.
Additionally, Ananou highlighted the launch of a new Consulting Service offered by DoIT. This service will provide departments with expert guidance and support on a range of IT projects and challenges, further strengthening the IT Department's commitment to meeting the evolving needs of the institution.