IT Forward Initiative – Shaping the Future of IT at ñ

IT Forward is a campuswide initiative designed to help align technology strategy, services, investments and capabilities with the institution's future goals and priorities. In partnership with Huron Consulting, the campus will develop a comprehensive road map to support the continued modernization of technology and ensure that IT is positioned to advance ñ's mission in the years ahead. 

IT Forward objectives

This initiative will review strategy and governance, IT operations, and IT management posture across ñ’s central and distributed IT environments, focusing on these four strategic domains:  

  • IT Infrastructure
  • Institutional Research & Data Analytics 
  • Cybersecurity and Cyber Risk  
  • Innovation and AI Readiness 

How IT Forward benefits the campus community

IT Forward will help ensure that technology across ñ is reliable, secure and aligned with the needs of our students, faculty, researchers and staff. The initiative will strengthen our foundation for future leaderships and provide a road map for a more coordinated and strategically aligned technology ecosystem that advances ñ's mission. 

IT Forward approach

IT Forward’s executive sponsors are Janel Forde, Senior Vice Chancellor for Operations, and Orrie Gartner, Interim Vice Chancellor for IT. Huron Consulting provides objective insight into our strengths, highlight opportunities for improvement, and helps ensure technology resources are strategically aligned with university priorities.

Each domain area is supported by dedicated ñ and Huron workstream leads who will coordinate activities, engage campus partners and help ensure progress toward the initiative’s goals.

IT Forward has three governance committees advising the project’s executive sponsors on analysis activities and reviewing deliverables This approach includes representation from faculty, staff, and students across ñ academics, research and operations. 

ñ IR Special Advisor

  • Member: ñ’s Senior VC for Leadership Support and Programming
  • Primary focus areas: Institutional Research

IT Director Advisory Committee

  • Members: IT Director Forum Team
    • Assistant Director | Infrastructure & Resilience IT
    • Executive Director of Teaching, Learning and Administrative Technologies | Leeds School of Business
    • Director, Computing and Research Services | Institute of Behavioral Science
    • Athletics IT Lead Professional | Athletics
    • Interim VC for IT | Office of Information Technology
    • IT and Operations Director, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES)
    • Director of IT | BioFrontiers Institute
    • Director of Student Life Technology Solutions | Division of Student Life
    • Director of Technology Experience | College of Communications, Media, Design and Information
    • IT Director | Colorado Law
  • Primary focus areas: IT Infrastructure, Cybersecurity/Cyber risk, AI

IT Forward Advisory Committee

  • Members: Faculty, staff, and student representatives from across campus academic, research, & operations
    • Associate Teaching Professor; Director, Mechanical Design and Product Development Graduate Certificate; Boulder Faculty Assembly | College of Engineering and Applied Science
    • Interim Vice Provost for Academic Assessment and Planning
    • Vice Provost for Academic Technology and Resource Management
    • Senior Instructor; Director of Sommers-Bausch Observatory; Boulder Faculty Assembly | College of Arts and Sciences
    • Associate VC, Research Integrity & Compliance
    • Associate VC, Research Development and Strategic Initiatives
    • Professor and Dean of Natural Sciences | College of Arts and Sciences
    • Assistant VC for Student Life | Division of Student Life
    • Staff Council Tri-Chair
    • Graduate student
    • Undergraduate student, CUSG
    • Undergraduate student, CUSG
  • Primary focus areas: All
IT Forward structure

Timeline

  • August 2026: Project’s structure and team finalized, and the project officially kicked off on 8/27. Executive interviews and central IT data collection completed.
  • September 2026: Activities underway in IT Infrastructure, Institutional Research & Data Analytics, and Innovation and AI workstreams. Distributed IT data collection is in progress. IT Activities survey sent, completed and analyzed. Interviews and focus groups with campus stakeholders are ongoing.
  • October 2026: Cyber security/Cyber risk workstream begins. Some current state themes and analysis delivered.
  • November/December 2026: Continued current state deliverables & future state deliverables.
  • January/February 2027: Recommendations & roadmaps delivered.

How the campus community will be involved

Over the coming weeks, individuals and teams may continue to be asked by Huron Consulting and/or our workstream leads to participate in data requests, interviews, focus groups, workshops or surveys to share perspectives and feedback.

Contact Us

If you have project-related questions, please send an email to oitfeedback@colorado.edu with “IT Forward” in the subject line.