©2011 educause. cc by-nc-nd the higher education cio: portrait of today, landscape of tomorrow pam...

©2011 EDUCAUSE. CC by-nc-nd

THE HIGHER EDUCATION CIO: PORTRAIT OF TODAY,

LANDSCAPE OF TOMORROWPam Arroway

September 2011

©2011 EDUCAUSE. CC by-nc-nd 2

The Higher Education CIO:Portrait of Today, Landscape of Tomorrow

Contents Data Sources Evolution of CIO Role Demographics: Today’s CIOs The Next Generation of CIOs: Aspirants and Non-

Aspirants Getting Ready: Identifying and Preparing the Next

Generation of CIOs

Source: Arroway, Pam, Jerrold M. Grochow, Judith A. Pirani, and Carrie E. Regenstein. The Higher Education CIO: Portrait of Today, Landscape of Tomorrow (Research Report). Boulder, CO: EDUCAUSECenter for Applied Research, October 2011, available from http://www.educause.edu/ecar.

DATA SOURCES


4

2011 ECAR SURVEY OF IT LEADERSHIP AND WORKFORCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION 30,000 EDUCAUSE members were invited to

respond. Responses were received from 3,400 people from

more than 1,000 institutions. 368 senior IT leaders (whom we refer to as CIOs) 545 CIO “aspirants” 2,487 other IT staff



2011 ECAR LEADERSHIP AND WORKFORCE SURVEY, RESPONDENT DEMOGRAPHICS

CIO

Non-Aspirant Aspirant

Don’t know* Total

Gender

Male 282 985 410 392 2,069Female 82 822 128 220 1,252Did not provide 4 52 7 16 79Total 368 1,859 545 628 3,400

Ethnicity

American Indian/Alaska Native 1 9 2 2 14Asian American/Asian/Pacific Islander 9 43 24 20 96African American/Black 3 24 11 18 56Hispanic/Latino 2 43 22 26 93White/Caucasian 338 1,624 455 512 2,929Other 6 27 11 14 58Did not provide 9 89 20 36 154Total 368 1,859 545 628 3,400

Carnegie Class

DR 73 1,023 263 307 1,666MA 101 322 110 131 664BA 69 171 65 77 382AA 51 100 33 38 222Other US 72 240 72 73 457Outside US 2 3 2 2 9Total 368 1,859 545 628 3,400

*Respondents who selected “Don’t know” or did not give a response about their aspirations.


CORE DATA SERVICE (CDS)POPULATION Since 2002, the CDS has tracked data on higher

education central IT organizations and IT leaders. Over 2,500 institutions are invited to participate

each year (members and non-members). More than 900 institutions complete the survey

each year. Participants have access to data from peer

institutions.


CORE DATA SERVICE (CDS)RESPONDENT CHARACTERISTICS

Carnegie Class 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005

AA 149 147 178 163 166

BA GEN 84 73 89 76 82

BA LA 115 118 115 109 106

MA I 209 218 247 233 237

MA II 36 34 34 30 34

DR INT 62 61 68 62 64

DR EXT 114 114 115 121 122

Other US 58 55 66 63 48

Outside US 92 136 113 105 100

Total 919 956 1025 962 959


CURRENT ISSUES SURVEYPOPULATION AND RESPONDENTS Administered by the EDUCAUSE Current Issues

Committee, the electronic survey was conducted in December 2010.

Of the 1,917 EDUCAUSE primary member representatives who received an e-mail invitation to complete the survey, 320 (17%) responded.

Survey participants—typically CIOs—were asked to select the five most-important IT issues.

EVOLUTION OF CIO ROLE


10

HIGHER EDUCATION CIOs ARE DOING MORE

Standard functions reporting to the CIO include user support, administrative information systems, network infrastructure, data center operations, IT security and policy and telephony.

From 2005 to 2009, half of institutions reported adding more official functions to the central IT organization.

IT planning and budgeting activities have significantly increased in central IT.



FUNCTIONS REPORTING TO THE CIO VARY SIGNIFICANTLY BY CARNEGIE CLASS

Function DR EXT DR INT MA I MA II BA LA BA GEN AAIdentity management 99% 98% 93% 92% 97% 81% 85%

IT planning and budgeting 84% 93% 94% 88% 91% 85% 90%

Student computing 86% 84% 90% 92% 96% 92% 84%

Academic computing 100% 84% 89% 92% 94% 87% 77%

Web support services 93% 87% 86% 77% 88% 75% 76%

Instructional technology 79% 75% 82% 73% 89% 77% 64%

Multimedia services 69% 69% 79% 77% 81% 67% 61%

Student computing 65% 51% 63% 58% 70% 54% 53%

Research computing 68% 58% 35% 19% 46% 25% 11%

Print/copier services 19% 24% 24% 58% 40% 56% 40%

Distance education 12% 31% 37% 38% 20% 37% 35%

Library 5% 18% 18% 12% 30% 8% 12%

Computer store 31% 15% 10% 4% 21% 10% 4%

Mailroom 2% 5% 3% 12% 10% 12% 8%Number of responding Institutions (n)

108 57 200 36 113 73 144


PARTICIPATION IN INSTITUTIONAL DECISION MAKING IS NOT UNIVERSAL

Membership in the senior council (president’s cabinet) has ranged from 46% to 49% over the past five years.

Cabinet membership often goes along with a title of vice president (VP), but not so for CIOs who are directors.

Far more CIOs participate in institutional decision making (up to 73%) than are in the president’s cabinet.


CIO PARTICIPATION IN INSTITUTIONAL DECISION MAKING VARIES SIGNIFICANTLY BY CABINET MEMBERSHIP

Almost Always or Often Participates in Decisions on:

Cabinet Representation* IT ImplicationsAdministrative

DirectionsAcademic Directions

Participant in president’s cabinet 89% 85% 43%

Non-participant in president’s cabinet

56% 62% 18%

Overall 72% 73% 30%

*n = 368


CABINET MEMBERSHIP VARIES SIGNIFICANTLY BY CIO’S TITLE

Title

Participation in Institution’s Senior Council (Cabinet)

Change**

2005 2009

Percentage* Number Percentage* NumberCIO 53% 192 50% 244 -3%Director 17% 261 21% 205 4%VP 91% 176 92% 172 1%Associate VP 31% 61 41% 51 10%Executive director 26% 35 25% 36 -1%CTO 38% 24 42% 31 4%Vice provost 39% 28 52% 21 13%Assistant VP 16% 25 19% 16 3%Associate provost 36% 22 40% 15 4%Vice chancellor 100% 20 100% 15 0%Dean 55% 12 69% 13 14%CITO 67% 15 27% 11 -40%

*Percentage of all schools reporting senior council membership.**Changes are not statistically significant from 2005 to 2009 for any CIO title.


CIO, VP, AND DIRECTOR ARE THE MOST COMMONLY USED TITLES

Total

Non-US

OTHER US

AA

BA GEN

BA LA

MA II

MA I

DR INT

DR EXT

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%120%140%160%

CIO

VP, Assoc. or Asst. VP

Director

Vice or Assoc. provost

Executive director

CTO

CITO

Vice chancellor

Percentage of CIOs (n = 880)

Note: Percentages add up to more than 100% due to individuals with compound titles, such as CIO and VP.


REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS HAVE NOT CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE 2005

CIO most often reports to the highest-ranking administrative/business officer (34%) president or chancellor (30%) highest-ranking academic officer (26%)

87% of institutions reported no change in the reporting line from 2005 to 2009.

10% of institutions reported a change from reporting to the president or chief academic officer to the chief administrative or financial officer.


THE CIO IS NO LONGER IN THE “IT BOX”

The CIO position is more strategically oriented. Half of CIOs selected IT funding as one of the top-

five issues they spend time on. CIOs cited the importance of being able to

communicate, think strategically, influence, negotiate, and manage relationships.

CIOs must know how to introduce a new technology as well as which ones to introduce.


IT FUNDING IS AMONG THE TOP 10 ISSUES THAT CONSUME CIO TIME

Issue Percentage*Funding IT 49%

Administrative/ERP/information systems 39%

Strategic planning 34%

Governance, portfolio/project management 30%

Policy development and compliance 26%

Security 23%

Infrastructure/cyberinfrastructure 22%

Collaboration/partnerships/building relationships 21%

Staffing/HR management/training 21%

Service and support (formerly service delivery models) 20%

*n = 320


CIOs’ PERCEPTIONS OF THE SKILLS NEEDED TO BE A SUCCESSFUL CIO

Technical proficiency

Manage relationships outside institution

Manage my boss

Manage projects

Manage budgets

Business knowledge

Manage relationships within institution

Ability to negotiate

Ability to influence

Ability to think strategically

Ability to communicate

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

31%

49%

57%

81%

83%

86%

92%

93%

93%

96%

100%

Percentage of CIOs Rating Skill as High or Very High in Importance (n = 368)

DEMOGRAPHICS: TODAY’S CIOs



WHO ARE TODAY’S CIOs?

74% are baby boomers 80% have an advanced degree 75% had a previous position in higher education 50% have been in their current position for more

than five years 23% are female 8% are non-White/Caucasian


74% OF CIOs ARE BABY BOOMERS

45 and under; 21%

46–49 (young boomers); 16%

50–64 (older boomers); 58%

65 and over; 5%

n = 308

80% OF CIOs HAVE ADVANCED DEGREES, WITH PhD CIOs MORE COMMON AT DOCTORAL INSTITUTIONS

DR(n = 73)

MA(n = 101)

BA(n = 69)

AA(n = 51)

Other(n = 72)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Other terminal degreeDoctorate (PhD)Master's degreeBachelor's degreeAssociate's degree

Carnegie Classification

Pe

rce

nta

ge

of

CIO

De

gre

es

©2011 EDUCAUSE. CC by-nc-nd23


75% OF CIOs HAVE COME FROM WITHIN HIGHER EDUCATION, AND ONE-THIRD HAVE HELD A PREVIOUS CIO POSITION

DR(n = 73)

MA(n = 101)

BA(n = 69)

AA(n = 51)

Other(n = 72)

All classes

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

CIO at another institution

Second-in-command at this or another institution

Senior leader in central IT at this or another institution

Other

Carnegie Class of CIO’s Current Institution

Pe

rce

nta

ge

of

CIO

s

25

IN THE NEXT SIX YEARS, 31% OF CIOs PLAN TO RETIRE OR LEAVE HIGHER EDUCATION

Plan to stay in higher education

42%

Did not know or did not give enough information

28%

Plan to retire in next six years22%

Plan to leave higher education in next six years

9%


n = 368


THE PERCENTAGE OF CIOs PLANNING TO RETIRE BY AGE 65 HAS DECREASED BY 12% SINCE 2008

By 60 By 65 By 70 By 750%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

9%

58%

88%

93%

8%

46%

83%86%

2008 (n = 232)

2011 (n = 182)

Planned Retirement Age

Pe

rce

nta

ge

of

CIO

s O

ve

r 5

0

12% drop

THE NEXT GENERATION OF CIOs:ASPIRANTS AND NON-ASPIRANTS



ASPIRANTS ARE CONFIDENT AND OPTIMISTIC


EXECUTIVE IT STAFF UNDER 40 ARE MOST LIKELY TO ASPIRE TO THE CIO POSITION 32% of executive IT respondents aspire to be a

CIO. Among executive IT respondents under 40, 56%

aspire to become CIOs. By their mid-50s, only 25–30% of executive IT

respondents still aspire to become CIOs. Non-executive IT respondents are about half as

likely to be aspirants as those in executive IT.


THE PERCENTAGE OF IT STAFF WHO DO NOT ASPIRE TO THE CIO ROLE HAS INCREASED

Do Not Aspire to CIO Role

Do Aspire to CIO Role Don't know0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

51%

19%

30%

56%

23%20%

61%

18%21%

2004 (n = 1,587)

2008 (n = 2,539)

2011 (n = 3,032)

Pe

rce

nta

ge

of

No

n-C

IO R

e-

sp

on

de

nts


POLITICS AND STRESS ARE COMMONLY CITED AS REASONS FOR NOT ASPIRING TO BE A CIO

Reason

Executive ITNon-Aspirants

(n = 242)

All Other Non-Aspirants

(n = 1617)Political demands are too great 50% 48%

Stress is too great 28% 33%

Lack PhD or other terminal degree 27% 29%

Prefer to remain in technical position 12% 26%Don’t have technical skills CIOs require

11% 16%

Don’t have management skills CIOs require

10% 15%

Hours are too long 12% 14%Don’t have leadership skills CIOs require

8% 13%

Wish to pursue a career outside IT 8% 10%


RESULTS SUGGEST A SUFFICIENT SUPPLY OF ASPIRANTS IN COMING YEARS

Aspirants Expected Vacancies0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

186

234

113

Currently at non-executive levelCurrently atexecutive levelColumn2

Nu

mb

er

of

Re

sp

on

de

nts

GETTING READY: IDENTIFYING AND PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CIOs


34

A CULTURE OF SUCCESSION PLANNING IS NEEDED WITHIN HIGHER EDUCATION 74% of CIOs come from within higher education.

Roughly half of those from within the institution. Only 31% of CIOs indicated that they are held

responsible for identifying a successor. However, 64% of CIOs have identified a successor.

Aspirants who are being groomed for the CIO position are more optimistic about job opportunities. However, less than one-third of staff selected mentoring

as a top factor in their professional growth.



ASPIRANTS WHO ARE BEING GROOMED ARE MORE OPTIMISTIC THAN THOSE WHO ARE NOT

I will need to leave my current institution to become a CIO.

I believe there will be a sufficient number of CIO job openings.

I have sufficient opportunities to develop CIO skills.

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

56%

36%

40%

36%

56%

80%

Being groomed by manager as future CIO

Not being groomed

Percentage of Aspirants Who Agree or Strongly Agree (n = 545)


MENTORING AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING SHOULD BE HIGH-PRIORITY ACTIVITIES Provide potential leaders with developmental

opportunities to gain the necessary background and skills in technical disciplines and particularly management disciplines.

Ensure that potential leaders learn about all IT areas.

Help potential leaders develop the understanding of institutional functions and priorities senior leaders need.


MENTORING AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING SHOULD BE HIGH-PRIORITY ACTIVITIES. Encourage potential leaders to access the

professional network and leadership development opportunities offered by organizations such as EDUCAUSE.

Act as mentors and encourage qualified aspirants to pursue the CIO role.

©2011 educause. cc by-nc-nd the higher education cio: portrait of today, landscape of tomorrow pam...

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