Subject Area

Education, Information/Library Science, Computer Science

Abstract

This study investigates the patterns and structures of the Information Technology (IT) department in US colleges and universities. It seeks to understand to whom the Chief Information Officer (CIO) reports, how the top level of the IT department is organized, and what functions the IT department offers. It then examines the university factors that are associated with variations. This quantitative case study uses primary data from the EDUCAUSE Core Data Survey (CDS) and IPEDS, combined with a novel dataset collected from university websites and AAU membership. The study employs Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) using IT variables to classify institutions into a four-class model that is then contextually examined using IT and university factors.

This study reveals key insights into IT configurations in elite institutions, demonstrating a dichotomy between large centralized and decentralized departments and underscores the challenges in calculating the costs of decentralized IT due to data limitations. It highlights the benefits of centralization for cybersecurity. Further, it finds the absence of a one-size-fits-all reporting structure for CIOs and advocates for their strategic inclusion in decision-making processes. Additionally, the importance of specialty functions within IT departments is emphasized, suggesting institutions tailor these roles to their missions, with project management identified as a critical function across all institutions.

This study investigates IT configurations across higher education, uncovering distinct patterns in elite institutions and revealing challenges in accurately capturing decentralized IT costs and configurations. It identifies the overrepresentation of doctoral institutions and variability in EDUCAUSE data reliability as areas affecting research outcomes. Recommendations for future research include employing more representative samples, enhancing data accuracy, and deepening understanding of decentralized IT through partnership and collaborative research. Finally, the study suggests examining the unique IT strategies of elite universities and the role of specialty functions within higher education IT departments, offering a foundation for further studying and improving IT governance and strategy at colleges and universities.

Degree Date

2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ed.D.

Department

Education Policy and Leadership

Advisor

Sondra Barringer, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Michael Harris, Ed.D.

Third Advisor

Meredith Richards, Ph.D.

Number of Pages

173

Format

CurtHerridge_Dissertation_2024_Final.pdf

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

Download

Share

COinS