Allan Chen
Vice President for Institute Technology at CalArts
Summary
Proven technology leader with over 23 years' experience in higher education information technology. Skilled at blending strategic with tactical thinking, with 17 years of increasing managerial responsibility up to and including executive leadership. Champion for business intelligence and data-informed decision-making and for improvement of business processes, in pursuit of digitally transformative experiences and changes within an organization. Strong communicator and connector, with the ability to fluidly interact with faculty, staff, administrators, trustees, students and other community members and expertise in bringing disparate groups together to achieve common goals. Dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion that goes beyond simply recruiting to breaking down barriers and recognizing implicit biases.
Experience
California Institute of the Arts
Vice President for Institute Technology and Chief Technology Officer
November 2020-Present
Executive-level Information Technology leader managing a staff of 15 at a premier art institute. Supporting over 1,500 students, 300 faculty and 300 staff, CalArts IT has a wide range of responsibilities. These include infrastructure, networking, enterprise applications, project management, and help desk/user support. As CalArts is comprised of 6 distinct schools supporting different métiers, the CalArts IT team is also charged with a high degree of coordination and collaboration with technical staff in the individual schools. Annual operating budget in excess of $1M.
Strategic Planning & Governance
- Designed and implemented 3 year strategic plan for Information Technology at CalArts, that encompasses the realities of what our small team can do, what must be sourced to the separate schools or how we can address those needs through improved coordination with schools.
- Created Technology Committee, Change Management Committee, and Data Governance Committee
Cyber and Information Security- Implemented Single Sign-On and next-generation Adaptive Multi-Factor Authentication for entire community in 1 month sprint to address urgent needs. Comprehensive technical, communication, and documentation campaign to educate community through multiple channels on implementation.
- Deployed Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) security tool for enhanced protection at the device-level
- Lead the Data Analysis Team, a cross-functional group that includes Institutional Research, Admissions, Accounting, Finance, and the Provost’s Office. Our charge is to increase the use and awareness of data in institutional decision-making.
- Liaison, Buildings, Grounds, and Technology Committee of the Board of Trustees
California State University, Northridge
Associate Vice President for Academic Technology
September 2019-November 2020
Information Technology leader managing a staff of 30 at a large, comprehensive university. Team supports a student population of over 35,000 and more than 2,500 faculty. Responsibilities include oversight of the Faculty Technology Center which provides instructional technology support, User Support Services for general technology aid to the campus at large, Data & Analytics, which seeks to visualize and make meaningful the multitude of data at our hands, and the Universal Design Center, a group dedicated to supporting and advancing accessibility, particularly with faculty and staff. The team is also engaged with multimedia production and web communications. A member of central Information Technology leadership and part of the senior staff of the Vice President, Information Technology and Chief Information Officer.
Special Projects
- Awarded grant from California State Univeristy Chancellor’s Office in support of “Identifying Low-Cost, Scalable Lecture Capture for Hyflex Learning”
- Campus-wide lecture capture and media repository system, including automated captioning and multiple aspects of accessibility and universal design
- Implementation of Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) tool to replace aging, inadequate support request system with an emphasis on user experience and flexibility. Expanded use to Purchasing, Facilities and Accessibility Services at launch. Seeking additional opportunities for efficiency gains across campus.
COVID-19 Response
Academic Technology has been particularly and not surprisingly heavily involved in the University’s shift to virtual and online learning. We have achieved a number of accomplishments:
- Started 15 workshops a week within days of announcement of transition to virtual learning, on topics ranging from basic to intermediate Canvas Learning Management System support, Zoom video conferencing, and lecture capture
- Over 1200 interactions with faculty via aforementioned workshops in 2 months
- Nearly 100% increase in subscribers to our YouTube channel (mostly recordings of workshops)
- Over 8,000 impressions from videos of our YouTube channel
- Strong collaborations with Faculty Development, part of Academic Affairs, on workshops and institutes to transition faculty teaching to formats compatible with online delivery
- Collaborating with faculty and others on tools needed to support effective online learning, above and beyond LMS and video conferencing
- Currently designing extended workshops and bootcamps to provide deeper knowledge of tools
University Service
- Academic Technology Committee (part of Faculty Senate)
- Advisory Committee on Academic Technology
- Classroom Technology Committee
- WASC Accreditation Steering Committee
Presidential CSUNasONE Technology Workgroup (chair)
Muhlenberg College
Chief Information Officer
August 2015-August 2019
Chief executive for all Information Technology operations at a 2200-student liberal arts institution. Direct responsibilities include strategic planning and budget management. Oversees a staff of 25 FTE, ranging from general faculty, staff and student support to media services and administrative systems. Engaged with faculty on a number of topics from digital learning to pedagogy. Annual operating and capital budget in excess of $2.2M.
Change Leadership
- Developed shared governance models for multiple major projects, including selection of a new Learning Management System (LMS), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution, and new email and collaboration system. This involved the community in major decision-making while still moving large projects forward at a rapid pace
- Coordinated multiple committees, complex vendor management and negotiations, and working with contractors and outside project teams in implementation of a Workday Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution to replace legacy Student Information System (SIS) and several business functions. New solution should dramatically improve business processes, develop change management practices, and positively affect institutional culture. Full implementation slated for Fall 2020.
- Leveraged extensive shared governance, faculty inclusion, training and change management principles in launch of Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) in Fall 2016. Over 97% adoption by faculty in first full-launch semester, and an anecdotally improved experience for students.
- Implemented College’s first full-fledged communication and collaboration platform, based on Google GSuite for Education, replacing limited Novell Groupwise email & calendaring solution. Implementation completed early 2017. Over 500,000 items in Google Drive within 1 year of launch.
- Reimagined unified communications on campus with deployment of new Mitel Voice over IP (VoIP) phone system during summer and fall 2016. Complex project that included overcoming multiple technical hurdles, design and implementation of reliable disaster recovery and business continuity, and significant cultural change over how we communicate with each other on campus
Instructional Technology Leadership
- Reorganized department to create an Instructional Technology team to address growing institutional needs in classroom and other learning spaces, plus the development of new delivery models such as online and hybrid courses.
- Collaborated on establishment of institution classroom design planning process, utilizing EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative Learning Spaces Rating System.
Cyber and Information Security
- Spearheaded multiple major cyber security initativies, including laptop encryption, two factor authentication, and policy development.
- Developed campus-wide training program with regular phishing simulations and awareness campaigns. Phishing susceptibility fell from 10% to 2%.
Client Services
- Increased efficiency of service delivery and the development of an intentional service management approach by unifying tier 1 and tier 2 support services under a new Director of Client Support Services.
- Improved student media experience with launch of Internet TV (IPTV) in Fall 2017, working with the Offce of Housing and Residence Life. This brought TV programming to mobile devices, computers, and media players across campus.
Systems and Process Innovation
- Dramatically shifted networking funding focus to a wireless, mobile-first perspective. First major upgrade to the wireless networking infrastructure since initial installation several years previous. Installed over 250 access points in 4 residences during Fall 2015 alone, dramatically improving student experience. Student bandwidth usage went up an average of 25% per residence following the upgrade
Staff Retention and Initiatives
- Emphasis on professional development and staff retention programs to meet changing needs of college. Increased budget for conferences and training four-fold.
- Began series of diversity, equity, inclusion, and implicit bias training workshops for OIT staff.
University Service
- Teaching and Learning Spaces Advisory Group (2018-Present)
- Co-Chair, College Committee on Data Standards (2017-Present)
- College Committee on Technology and Digital Learning (2015-Present)
- Liaison, Board of Trustees Buildings, Infrastructure, Grounds and Technology Committee (2015-Present)
- Strategic Plan Development Committee (2017-2018)
Menlo College
Chief Information Officer
Aug 2012 - August 2015
Executive-level position overseeing the breadth of all IT operations and planning at an undergraduate, AACSB-accredited business institution. Managing a team of 8.5 FTE with a budget of $1.2M, the CIO role governs work on infrastructure, ERP operations, IT vendor management, contracts, daily support, and help desk. Also responsible for process improvement through business intelligence and operations training.
Institutional Effectiveness, Recruiting, and Retention
- Implemented enterprise recruiting tools for Admissions and Athletics to build consistent communication and reach enrollment targets. Highest enrollment and retention rates achieved in 2014-2015 academic year
- Aided in establishing Menlo’s first online alumni directory
Technology and Organizational Leadership
- Growing instructional technology program that includes classroom/learning space design and consulting with faculty that has led to improved planning and impact on learning
- Strategic emphasis on transparency and interaction with a series of online newsletters and in-person “town hall” presentations.
- Worked closely with a cash-flow-based budget environment that necessitated precise fiscal management.
- Extensive work on sourcing – from development of existing staff to identifying key partners to complete outsourcing – to achieve optimal balance of internal knowledge and effective management of systems.
Enterprise Systems
- Complete overhaul, redesign, and replacement of wired and wireless network, to latest and fastest protocols with an emphasis on user experience and ease of connection to support growing and changing student and faculty needs
- Developed operational flexibility and agility through significant redesign of virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), upgrades to network and security to enterprise levels, and implementation of unified communications (UC)
ACM SIGUCCS 2012 & 2013 Annual Conferences
Treasurer Apr 2011 - January 2014
Volunteer position with international organization focused on higher ed and IT. Part of the Core Committee responsible for planning the Annual Conference for the Special Interest Group for University and College Computing Services (SIGUCCS). Primary responsibility is to manage budget of over $300,000 that is based on a multitude of factors that change from week to week. Additional responsibilities, as part of the core committee, are general input on design and theme of the conference.
Santa Clara University
Assistant Dean for Law Technology and Academic Computing
Oct 2007 - Jul 2012
Chief strategist and manager for technology serving the Law School community. Identified emerging trends and technologies that directly benefit the school and its mission. Developed short and long-term strategic and tactical plans for the school, and sculpting a department and culture to meet those goals. Managed budget in excess of $600,000 annually. Key accomplishments:
- Increased collaboration and sharing of resources with Central IT through regular communications, interpersonnel interactions, and an emphasis on transparency, improving efficiency and compliance with university standards
- Aggressively upgraded and rebuilt infrastructure to an enterprise level, dramatically improving agility and right-sizing demands with staff resources
- Initiated a rebuild of our content management and administrative system to support dynamic online presence requirements
- Supported introduction of business intelligence measures to school operations, improving transparency and data-based decision-making
- Launched the school’s iTunesU presence, growing our repository of online materials by over 900% in less than a year
- Implemented Santa Clara University’s first cloud-based file storage/collaboration service (based on Box)
- Introduced a “value” focused decision-making framework and teamwork concept known as ‘the polygon.”
Stanford University
Educational Technology Manager
Aug 2006 - Oct 2007
-Research, design, and implementation of new learning space elements at Stanford University central and residential locations. Provide leadership on these topics, working in conjunction with university departments and outside vendors to implement new technologies and ideas.
Stanford University
Technical Projects Specialist
Aug 2004 - Aug 2006
Floating project manager for orphaned and/or large-scale, cross-functional projects for Academic Computing department. Included implementation of new services and technologies for students, design of learning spaces, and development of policies and procedures governing operations.
Stanford University
Technology Projects Manager
Jan 2002 - Aug 2004
Provided leadership on implementation of technology in support of students with disabilities via the Student Disability Resource Center, part of the Office of Accessible Education. Identified practical application of solutions that would best meet student needs, and developed infrastructure and install-based needed for deployment. Also managed our centralized accessibility lab and the production group responsible for creating accessible course materials, such as texts in Braille and electronic formats, for students.
Allan did much more than serve as treasurer of the ACM/SIGUCCS 2012 conference; he was ready to serve in any capacity as needed, and provided terrific energy and impetus toward positive changes in the way the conferences do business. He maintains a high-level, strategic vision of complex endeavors while maintaining an excellent grasp on logistics and detail. Allan would be a valuable asset to any organization.
— Carol Rhodes
Organizations and Certificates
Memberships
Member
Special Interesting Group for University and College Computing Services (2011-Current)
Memberships
Participating Member
EDUCAUSE (2008-Current)
Memberships
EDUCAUSE Fellowship Advisory Committee (2013-2014)
Certificates
Learning Technology Leadership Program
EDUCAUSE Institute (2013)
Certificates
Leadership Program
EDUCAUSE Institute (2013)
Certificates
Fellow, Leading Change Institute
EDUCAUSE (2014)
Memberships
Treasurer and Core Committee Member
SIGUCCS Annual Conference (2011-2013)
Memberships
Executive Committee, Special Interest Group for University and College Computing Services (2014-2017)
Certification
ITIL v3 Foundation
Publications
EDUCAUSE Review Online
Top 10 Issues from a Small College Perspective
April 7, 2014EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI)
The EvoLLLution Newsletter
Driving the Student Experience Through Information Accessibility
February 16, 2017
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Copyright 2014