Conference edition: Capturing the spirit of One IT
April 11, 2024
After nearly a year of planning, the inaugural One IT Conference brought over 340 IT practitioners together on Wednesday, March 20. In addition to supporting the organizational priority of “aligning to seamlessly enable institutional goals,” the conference, which exceeded its attendance goal by 36%, created opportunities to advance collaboration within and beyond IT.
Marsh Hall at Yale Science Building was the setting for the keynote panel moderated by Vice President for Technology and Campus Services John Barden and featuring three distinguished academic leaders: Jenny Frederick, Associate Provost for Academic Initiatives; Mike Crair, Vice Provost for Research; and Barbara Rockenbach, University Librarian. The panelists discussed various topics, including the role Yale IT plays in enabling Yale’s academic mission. A few highlights from their conversation include the following:
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Panelists reflected on the opportunities AI presents to our university community. As an academic institution, Crair suggested that Yale holds a distinct advantage in exploring what it means to be human through the study of AI behavior, asserting that “we can observe this more readily at Yale than in a commercial context.” Frederick agreed and noted that students—and the broader Yale community—are increasingly aware of the importance of AI literacy and field-specific skills. At the same time, Rockenbach emphasized the need to “think about ethics and equitable access, including licensing resources to reduce barriers.”
Decision-making
Panelists agreed that decision-making must be driven by community input, with Frederick stating, “I don’t make the decisions, but I represent the consensus.” Crair added that leaders shouldn’t overstate decision authority, and if they’re “not making decisions that are good for the community: faculty, students, and staff, then their authority is gone.” In cases where the leaders cannot approve a decision, they don’t feel that this should be a roadblock to progress. Frederick said that, instead of a “no,” she seeks “another kind of ‘yes’ so that we can continue to move things forward.”
On navigating high volumes of work
Each panelist navigates conversations about workload differently. Rockenbach encourages staff to speak up when they need extra support and to explore if contractors can provide relief. Frederick is piloting a new technique of “describing priorities rather than having a list to react to.” She added, “Some principles apply broadly, including transparency, listening, engagement, and time, to help people understand why we say ‘yes’ or ‘not right now.’”
At the start and close of the event, conference co-chairs Associate CIO of FAS and SEAS Chuck Thompson and Director of Information Technology at YSE Ray McKeon encouraged staff to make the most of the 15 sessions offered in Sage and Kroon Halls throughout the day.
One highlight of those sessions included special guest Dr. Michael J. Jabbour, Microsoft’s Education Chief Innovation Officer and expert in organizational transformation. Jabbour led several AI-focused sessions and an AI prompt-a-thon for IT staff.
Barden encouraged attendees to “connect with colleagues in ways you haven’t yet been able to, see the diversity in what you do, and understand the important role you play in supporting Yale.” One post-event survey participant did just that, stating that the sessions “inspired me to reach out and connect with many of the presenters to improve the experience of the department I work for.”
Keep exploring “Advancing Collaboration: One IT as a Catalyst” conference resources: