About Information Technology

The Enterprise Applications group is responsible for Banner, Touchnet, Transact, Hyland, ChromeRiver, Jaggaer, Pyramed, Titanium, EAB SSC, Courseleaf and similar types of enterprise-level applications. This team supports and maintains enterprise applications according to business needs. They assist in designing, developing, testing and troubleshooting enterprise applications; developing effective programming solutions to meet project requirements; reviewing and recommending changes to improve performance; and developing documentation related to design, configuration, processes/workflow, integration/interface requirements.

Core Applications include Google, Microsoft, Zoom, Pharos, SugarCRM, Acoustic, EZVista (soon ServiceNow) and similar applications. This team supports and maintains core applications according to business needs. They assist in designing, developing, testing and troubleshooting core applications; developing cost-reduction initiatives while maintaining productivity; reviewing and recommending changes to improve performance; troubleshooting technical issues related to functionality; tracking and following issues through to resolution, including communications to all stakeholders; developing documentation related to design, configuration, processes, workflow, integration/interface requirements; and developing and maintaining troubleshooting and solution process and procedure documentation in order to build and enhance the knowledge base.

The Web Team is responsible for the university’s web systems, currently in transition from Jadu to Terminal4. They also identify the design and structure of web pages; oversee production and maintenance of web application user interfaces (UI) and websites; participate in web design features development; generate prototypes and mockups; enhance website performance speed and scalability; guarantee the optimization of web design on multiple devices; integrate user-facing components to server-side elements; conduct UI testing; design UI features; enhance interaction with various browsers; determine data protection and security measures; ensure responsiveness; test the site for usability; and manage technical and customer needs.

The Database Administration (DBA) team is responsible for database applications, the performance of database servers, setting and maintaining database standards, managing database access, etc. In addition, this team troubleshoots database issues, recommends and implements emerging database technologies, provides data management support, documents and enforces database policies, procedures and standards, monitors database performance, implements changes and applies new patches and versions when required.

The Rapid App team understands and recognizes the needs of customers, and creates new applications answering those needs. They invent new ways of handling problems, develop innovative applications, and write high-quality source code to program complete applications within deadlines. They focus on having all parts of applications working together; making decisions that move projects forward; and performing unit and integration testing before launch. This is a front-facing team working directly with clients and customers. 

The Physical Security Systems group manages all physical security software-related applications at the university. They are responsible for configuring access control badge templates and access control panels, generating electronic security reports, defining operational and system requirements for Integrated Access Control systems designs, conducting site surveys, and designing access control/ video management systems to counter threats and reduce vulnerabilities. They are the point of contact for all Access Control and Video Systems technical issues; they oversee, install, and configure Access Control and Video Management Systems software; collaborate with Campus Safety and Information Technology to research and develop physical security design standards, IP-based video safety, access control, and alarms; and facilitate design discussions in order to evaluate cost, risk, and benefits of design options. 

The Network Architecture team designs the technical network infrastructure for the enterprise. They optimally integrate solutions into existing networks, document current state network architecture, develop architectural standards, conduct proof of concept and design certification testing, partner with network engineering, and develop, maintain, and drive progress for our strategic roadmap. This group also leads the Life Cycle Management (LCM) for Infrastructure technologies, provides technical and process expertise to support operations engineers, evaluates and projects capacity growth, ensures we maintain scalable and flexible core technologies, and periodically reviews solutions to ensure network systems and associated processes align with IT and university strategies and roadmaps.

The Network Engineering team installs, configures and supports all equipment related to the university network, including routers, proxy servers, switches, WAN devices, wireless controllers, UPSs, etc. They also  maintain, install, and configure all network-related software, such as firewalls, routing and switching to maximize network efficiency. This team Investigates and troubleshoots network issues, and creates and maintains documentation related to network configuration, mapping, processes, and service records. Additionally, they work closely with the network architects to ensure their smooth and reliable operation for fulfilling business objectives and processes. This includes optimization, monitoring of wired and wireless network equipment, and other network hardware. They serve as the senior technical resource and escalation point for all services relating to networks in the organization. 

Network Operations responds to all requests, internal and external, regarding network issues and related services. They ensure availability of on-call network support, which includes determining problem severity and deciding the appropriate course of action. They provide direction, procedures and security for supporting a mobile workforce. The network operations team ensures that all support requests are resolved to the satisfaction of customers in good time, and they take 100% responsibility to restore service as quickly as possible. When a problem is beyond the network technician’s expertise, they escalate to other support teams for resolution. All the while ensuring that all work practices, procedures, and systems adhere to established security and quality control standards

Unified Communications (UC) is the integration of two or more communication services (e.g.,  telephone, video conferencing, voicemail, faxing, email) into a single interface. The UC team of specialists in voice products and services, oversee intercampus, local and long distance telephone services, maintain university-issued handsets, and provide training for using the University's unified communications system. Additionally, they lead the design, configuration and implementation of integration between UC and other systems, serve as technical leads for major implementation projects of UC systems, including understanding needs, designing, and implementing best practices for UC deployments to ensure investment in technology is consistent with business objectives. They monitor the effectiveness and efficiency of existing systems and assist with development and implementation strategies for improving efficiency, reliability and performance.

Network Security relates to the policies, processes, and practices used to prevent, detect, and monitor unauthorized access to university networks. This team designs, implements, and supports firewalls, as well as site-to-site and remote access VPNs. They help to maintain all security platforms and related software, such as routers, switches, intrusion detection or intrusion prevention, and firewalls, etc. They also guarantee network security best practices are executed, reply to security-related events and support in remediation efforts, and maintain network security devices to enable proactive defense of networks. This team collaborates with appropriate stakeholders to ensure customers have devices that are fully operational and secure, and with customers to create and fix appropriate policy and signature rules.

Identity & Access Management (IAM) relates to the systems and processes that allow each university community member a single digital identity, with authenticated logins, and authorized access to appropriate resources based on their role. The IAM team is responsible for designing, configuring and implementing IAM Solutions, and managing related systems. Other responsibilities include user provisioning and deprovisioning; managing access management options (e.g., single sign-on); conducting research, analyzing data, and creating reports; serving as the IAM subject matter expert and trusted advisor; providing advisory and consulting services as needed; participating in solution architecture design; and leading efforts associated with the integration and implementation of IAM solutions.

Data integration involves providing users with a unified view of data combined from different sources. The Data Integration team models, maps, and executes all activities related to the integration of data across various sources, including conception, design, and development of interfaces and integration architectures, as well as monitoring data flows between databases, servers and cloud services. This group also creates strategies for data integration processes by developing data definitions and standards, and ensuring high quality and optimum performance of data integration systems. They strive for continual improvement by assessing new formats for data interchange, rewriting procedures as needed, improving physical designs, and optimizing data integration for increasing data volumes.

Application & Systems Security team members recommend and coordinate the implementation of technical controls to support and enforce defined security policies for applications and systems. They identify and define system security requirements, and ensure that security is factored into the evaluation, selection, installation and configuration of hardware, applications, and software. They also work with the enterprise information security team to ensure that there is a convergence of business, technical and security requirements; they forge strong working relationships with the security operations team to develop and implement controls and configurations aligned with security policies and legal, regulatory and audit requirements; and they manage and coordinate operational components of incident management, including detection, response and reporting for application and systems.

The Interlock Group is unique in that its members change regularly. For each project, an Interlock Group is created with members from each DevOps team (planning, applications, platforms, infrastructure), the IT Portfolio Management Office, and Client Services. The DevOps Service Teams will be cross-functional teams that own all aspects of services in their scope of responsibility.

The Analytics Team helps to bridge the gap between the data you collect and the data you need to see. Their diverse team has decades of collaborative experience helping derive insights from data throughout the lead-to-alumni journey. They support the legacy reporting environment in WebFOCUS as well as develop new content in Microsoft PowerBI located in the Fordham Analytic Portal: https://analytics.fordham.edu/. They are always happy to help and talk about data needs. Feel free to email them at [email protected] and one of their data experts will schedule some time to talk.

The Cloud Services team oversees the creation of an efficient, reliable cloud infrastructure that enables applications to achieve high availability. They are responsible for cloud (not onsite) implementation, monitoring and maintenance; detailed knowledge of a cloud's operation and the ability to set up and configure resources, including servers, storage, networks and an array of cloud services; focus on different areas of cloud operations, such as networks, databases, security and so on; provide support and maintenance; keeping design in line with the overall business IT standards and working with other stakeholders to keep cloud architecture aligned with business goals; developing and implementing policies for the use of cloud services; and identifying, analyzing, and resolving infrastructure vulnerabilities and application deployment issues. They also regularly review existing systems and make recommendations for improvements.

The Systems team installs, configures, tests and maintains operating systems, application software and system management tools. They proactively ensure the highest levels of systems and infrastructure availability; maintain custom scripts to increase system efficiency and develop automation; lead technical efforts for upgrades, patches, and data migration, for server software; configure and tune standards in accordance with Microsoft and Linux recommendations. They also develop and maintain system documentation for server/software configuration and customizations; research, develop, and recommend solutions to current organizational challenges as it relates to virtualized infrastructures; assist with technical roadmaps for future virtual infrastructure implementation and growth; research, identify, test, and certify technology products required for server and storage solutions; and design disaster recovery solutions based on application recovery point objective and recovery time objective.

The Platform Operations group provides support to operational teams for mission critical systems. They manage the release management practice for the organization’s IT change management standards, including overseeing activities pertaining to release scheduling, software builds, deployments, installations, configurations and patches across a wide portfolio of applications. This team also responds to priority issues impacting service levels; ensures issues are logged and assembled for prioritization, resolution and follow-up; and ensures technical and user manual documentation is up-to-date and available.

The Educational Technologies group is responsible for supporting faculty across all currently installed and supported educational technologies (applications). They consult with faculty on incorporating technology into their teaching; administer and maintain academic enterprise tools and integration (with DevOps) for faculty and students; provide training and support opportunities for these systems, tools, and services; provide consulting services on leveraging technology tools for teaching to deans, chairs, and faculty including supporting the setup of non-research (content sites etc.) technology needs.

The Research Computing team supports faculty researchers with their compute/IO needs for their university supported research. They provide consultative help with research computing; work on all requirements from small research computing needs to HPCC; design and support hybrid HPCC; support Internet2 for research; and have a dotted-line relationship with DevOps - Platform Services.

The Labs and Training team is responsible for supporting both the physical and virtual computer labs across all campuses of the university. They plan and maintain the software applications needed for courses; plan for decreasing the physical lab footprint by 50% while increasing the digital footprint of labs; innovate on new ways for students to use software from where they are; and train on different software tools for students to prepare them as they graduate and begin their careers.

The Emerging Educational Technologies & Learning Space Design team is responsible for all emerging educational technologies related to teaching and learning, and for the oversight of the LITE center and its programming. They collaborate and work with faculty early-adopters to use new edtech to enhance learning, and they are entrepreneurial in getting faculty to try new technology. They perform regular assessments of new tech on learning; create plans to scale new technology when there is adoption; and develop programs for students to use new edtech for their projects. For all emerging technology that is not ‘EdTech,’ the assistant director will partner with members of the Innovation Hub, and has a dotted line to CIO and Innovation hub.

The Learning Space design person spends 75% of time enhancing learning spaces and 25% with the director of learning spaces and events technology to support on-ground needs. They will also develop plans in collaboration with deans (or designee), faculty, director of learning spaces and other members of IT and the university for discipline specific experimental classrooms and other learning spaces.

Information Security and Assurance plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the confidentiality, integrity, privacy, and availability of the University's IT Resources. Aligned with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), the team focuses on five critical functions: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover. This alignment ensures that the University proactively manages cybersecurity risks with transparent processes for identifying and mitigating threats across all IT Resources. The team collaborates with senior administration and other departments to create a cohesive security strategy that protects University assets from internal and external threats. 

Information Security and Assurance responsibilities include developing and maintaining Fordham's security architecture, conducting risk management and vulnerability assessments, and providing security for enterprise-wide applications and network infrastructure. The team leads incident response efforts, oversees forensic analysis in the event of security breaches, and educates the University community about security policies and best practices, including phishing prevention and data protection while securing Fordham's IT infrastructure against emerging threats. Additionally, the team ensures compliance with federal and state regulations, including FERPA, GDPR, and the New York SHIELD Act, protecting personal data and minimizing the risk of security breaches. This team collaborates closely with the Office of Public Safety to enhance the University's physical security and with the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) in maintaining privacy for faculty, students, and staff. 

A significant part of their work involves continuous IT risk management, with regular assessments and the ongoing development of business continuity and disaster recovery plans. This ensures the University is prepared to respond quickly and effectively to cybersecurity incidents while maintaining operational resilience. Through their comprehensive approach, Fordham's Information Security and Assurance protects the University's digital infrastructure, fosters a security-conscious culture, and ensures the institution meets critical legal and regulatory standards. 

The IT Administration team is responsible for everything related to the care and wellbeing of IT staff, including talent management, which relates to the entire employee life cycle at Fordham: job descriptions, hiring, on/off boarding, retention, professional development, engagement, wellbeing, performance management, recognition, providing a safe space to be heard, and ensuring IT staff have everything they need to do their jobs.

This area is also responsible for IT policies, procedures, and guidelines not related to information security, such as our Standard Operating Procedures, Hiring Protocols, Performance Management Process, and Business Operations requests.

Also under IT Administration is the communications team, which provides strategic communications planning and messaging on behalf of Information Technology. They work closely with the CIO and other stakeholders to develop content to promote IT resources, services, and initiatives to IT staff and the Fordham community. They also provide messaging for service interruptions and outages, and ensure all communications uphold IT's brand and are aligned with overall University branding. Our assets include IT web pages, blogs, social media, an email-marketing platform, and digital signage.

The IT Business Operations area is responsible for processing purchase orders and invoice payments, managing contracts, and organizing and managing office spaces to ensure they are in good repair, functional, and aesthetically pleasing. This team also maintains office and pantry supplies and equipment, and ensures they adhere to our ‘green’ initiatives.

IT Service Desk personnel manage the phone queue and handle all ServiceNow submissions (requests, incidents, and problems) from the community, escalating issues as needed, and providing updates on high-profile incidents, using customer feedback to continually improve satisfaction levels. They refine escalation processes, identify root causes, and ensure proper communication with internal and external customers. The team also trains, coaches, and monitors Service Desk Specialists, and ensures the Service Desk is the single source of truth for IT support.

Level 1 Support is the initial point of contact for the university community. These folks address a wide range of issues such as basic troubleshooting, account access, and software or hardware inquiries. They provide customers with essential information, resolve straightforward issues, ensure timely responses, and escalate issues to higher levels of support when it’s outside their scope. Their goal is to restore service quickly and efficiently while ensuring a positive customer experience.

Level 2 Support staff manage escalated tickets that require more advanced technical expertise. These professionals handle complex issues, often involving in-depth troubleshooting, system configurations, and more advanced hardware or software problems. They work closely with users to fully understand issues, conduct root cause analysis to identify underlying problems, and provide long-term solutions to prevent recurrence. In some cases, they collaborate with other specialized teams to address intricate technical challenges. Their role is crucial in resolving more difficult issues efficiently while minimizing downtime and ensuring that escalated cases are properly documented and resolved.

The Endpoint Services team manages tickets that remain unresolved by Level 1 and Level 2 support, focusing on high-impact or urgent technical issues. They provide advanced solutions for complex problems, perform hardware and software deployments, and ensure thorough resolution to prevent future issues. Their responsibilities also include managing computer replacements and new hire setups ensuring devices are properly configured, deployed, and ready for use. This involves installing software, applying security settings, and conducting initial system checks to ensure a smooth onboarding process. In their role, they conduct hardware testing, maintain detailed configuration documentation, and collaborate closely with departmental partners to meet organizational needs effectively.

Additionally, the team addresses vulnerabilities on endpoints, such as laptops and desktops, to mitigate potential security risks. They proactively identify and resolve these vulnerabilities by applying security patches, enforcing compliance policies, and collaborating with the information security team. These efforts ensure that all endpoints remain secure and compliant, contributing to the overall safety and integrity of the organization’s IT infrastructure.

The IT Asset Management team is responsible for overseeing the entire lifecycle of university-wide hardware and software assets, ensuring compliance with licensing agreements, governance policies, and regulatory requirements. They maintain an accurate inventory of assets and work to optimize performance and cost control across the institution by tracking asset utilization and preventing overspending.

In addition to managing renewals and warranties, the team identifies opportunities for cost savings through strategic procurement and licensing optimization. They also handle the provisioning of new assets, ensuring the equipment and software meet the university’s needs. The team evaluates vendors and makes recommendations to ensure investments are cost-effective, reliable, and aligned with long-term technology strategies.

The Learning Spaces & Events Management team is dedicated to ensuring that all technology in supported spaces—such as classrooms, event venues, and labs—operates seamlessly. They are responsible for developing comprehensive documentation and policies for the use of this technology, as well as creating and delivering training programs to ensure users can effectively operate the equipment. This includes managing AV hardware and software to ensure all systems are up-to-date and functioning properly.

In addition to maintaining and supporting technology, the team provides crucial event support. They offer consultations and coordinate the technical aspects of events to ensure smooth execution. This involves planning for new equipment and software needs, managing equipment availability for borrowing, and working closely with other departments to align technology solutions with organizational goals.

The Client Services Operations team is vital for delivering exceptional customer service. They analyze community feedback and review technician calls to identify areas for improvement, allowing us to better understand customer needs and expectations. This proactive approach enables necessary adjustments in our support strategies, ensuring that our techs are equipped to effectively handle diverse customer inquiries and foster strong relationships within the community.

Additionally, the team monitors Service Desk performance, provides trend updates, and advises management on situations that may require additional support or escalation. They drive enhancements through in-depth ticket analysis, oversee Service Level Agreements (SLAs), maintain the solutions repository, and handle Incident and Service Request processes according to ITIL standards. A key aspect of their work involves collaborating with developers to ensure that ServiceNow is tailored to meet business needs. This customization helps streamline processes and improve efficiency, ultimately contributing to high-quality service delivery. Furthermore, the team ensures the effective use and compliance of the knowledge base tool.

The Students/Relationship Manager is essential in fostering strong connections between the institution and its student body. By understanding student needs and concerns, this role ensures that students feel heard and supported. The manager collaborates with various departments to develop initiatives that promote engagement and success, including organizing events and assessing student satisfaction to advocate for improvements.

In addition to facilitating communication, the Students/Relationship Manager plays a key role in conflict resolution and support, guiding students through challenges during their academic journey. By providing personalized assistance and resources, they help create a sense of belonging and community, ultimately contributing to a thriving educational environment.

For more information or to get in touch, please contact Judy Rothschild at [email protected]

Project managers coordinate and oversee the process of a project from start to finish. When a project is approved to launch, the project manager assembles the team and gathers information to create the project plan and schedule. Using the plan as the basis for monitoring progress, the project manager works to help the team maintain focus on the work at hand and facilitates status meetings and reports, keeping the team and stakeholders informed about the project’s progress. The project manager serves as a central point of contact for the team, vendors, and other stakeholders. As problems arise, the project manager documents the issues and monitors them through resolution. If the project team needs additional resources, such as staff or funding, the project manager escalates these needs to the project sponsor. All the while, the project manager provides oversight while the project is in motion to guide the team toward achieving the intended outcomes.

Business Analysis is the starting point for all project request inquiries. Analysts complete a quick-start Scope document that outlines the objectives of the project request, primary deliverables, cost estimates, high-level timeline, and hour estimates for required resources. When a project request is approved, analysts work closely with stakeholders and project team members to document current processes and requirements and then develop future processes with input from the team which includes a process improvement professional. Analysts develop all technical documentation in collaboration with vendors and internal team members. They document system configurations and manage testing cycles to facilitate system readiness for production. They partner with other PfMO team members to operationalize support for projects post go-live.

Process improvement managers play an integral role in selected projects by helping to configure and implement new technologies to effectively realize efficiencies. They work closely with business analysts and subject matter experts to analyze current processes and to streamline and update them to take advantage of newer technologies and methods. Analysis of areas for improvement starts with an impact analysis and review of key metrics. It is followed by holding brainstorming sessions with project team members to identify major pain points and solutions and to help plan out how those improvements will be implemented and adopted. Process improvement managers also participate in the continuous improvement of PfMO processes.

Change managers are key to the realization of the efficiencies envisioned when a new technology is implemented or an existing technology or process will be substantially changed. They focus on understanding who is impacted by the new or changed technology and how their work routines will change. Change managers then formulate communication plans to assist project stakeholders in the creation of clear messaging that contains technology specific highlights. Change managers are also responsible for professional training development and orchestrating technology deployments in lockstep with the project manager. This role is integral to the overall project team’s success.

Assistant VP IT Planning serves as an air traffic controller for the leader and the senior team: as an integrator connecting work streams that would otherwise remain siloed; as a communicator linking the leadership team and the broader organization; as an honest broker and truth teller when the leader needs a wide-ranging view without turf considerations; and as a confidant without an organizational agenda.

The Assistant Manager of IT Finance & Administrative reviews, analyzes, prepares, and reports on budgets and budget performance for the Office of the CIO, as well as oversees all financial aspects of capital projects. They also provide high-level administrative support and assistance to the CIO and Executive Team.