Greetings Everyone.

If you are anything like me, you take a few moments every December to reflect on the year that has just passed and assess whether it’s been a good one or not. The past year has been unlike any year we have seen before, and while extremely challenging, I am grateful for the great things we have accomplished in 2020. The video link included in this post shares my message to the IT community and well wishes for the holiday season.
 
As I stated at the end, I am excited about all IT will accomplish within 2021. For the past month, the Office of Information Technology (OIT) has been hard at work reshaping incident, problem, and change management processes as part of our Operational Excellence initiative. The new year presents an opportunity for us to implement new practices established in this effort and demonstrate our mission to continuously improve what we do and how we do it.
 
We will also use Spring semester to establish a strategic plan for IT at Georgia Tech. I have asked a few academic IT directors from various colleges to be a part of the working group to establish the strategic plan, which will also include members from across OIT and SGA representation. We have engaged Strategic Consulting to serve in an advisory capacity as we work to develop a five-year plan that aligns with the Institute and A&F strategic plans and reinforces a culture of service excellence. I am excited to embark on this journey to establish a roadmap and measurable objectives to advance IT.
 
In closing, I would like to remind everyone that while this is a season of peace and goodwill, it also comes with heightened threats to information security. Online shopping numbers are higher than ever before due to the pandemic and many shoppers are vulnerable to cyberattacks. We have prepared a list of tips here with ways that you can remain vigilant during this season at the following link: Cyber Safety During the Holidays.
 
I cannot thank you enough for helping me acclimate to Georgia Tech the last few months. Your partnership is greatly appreciated. If you believe others may benefit from this blog content, please invite them to subscribe so they can be added to the mailing list. In the meantime, please remember to visit my webpage, From the Desk of the CIO, or connect with me any time via Twitter @GeorgiaTechCIO.

Have a safe and happy holiday season! 
 
Daren Hubbard,
VP of Information Technology & CIO