Will Supervise Computing, Telecommunications and Network Data Services University-Wide New York University President L. Jay Oliva today announced the appointment of Marilyn McMillan as the University’s first Chief Information Technology Officer. Ms. McMillan, who oversaw major reorganizations in technology units at Stanford University and MIT, will oversee NYU’s data and telecommunications operation, which includes some 18,000 telephones, 40,000 computer accounts, and a 24,000 node network. She will assume her post in October.
In her position as Chief Information Technology Officer, Ms. McMillan will work with the University community to set overall technology strategies for NYU. She will lead the University’s principal technology units, including academic computing, administrative computing, and telecommunications. In addition, she will assist the University’s 13 schools and colleges in creating a decentralized information technology service delivery capability.
Dr. Oliva said, “Marilyn McMillan is exactly the right person to take on this critical responsibility at NYU, able to bring a strategic insight to technologies that are changing the face of higher education. This new position is the result of extensive student, faculty, and administrative input; I expect this will translate into tremendous support for the innovations and leadership that she will bring to bear to move us ahead in information technology.
“I want to thank the members of the search of committee, and particularly Vice President for Academic Development Bob Berne, for their efforts in securing a person of such stature for this important new post.”
Since 1996, Ms. McMillan has been the Director of Application Assembly and Integration at Stanford University; in that post, she was responsible for the planning and execution of projects to introduce a new generation of university-wide applications and infrastructure. Prior to that, she worked for some 22 years at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, culminating in her appointment as Director of Information Systems Planning; in that post she led strategic and tactical planning for information systems organization as well as technology initiatives.
At both institutions, she has led complex reorganizations, managed major systems implementation efforts, and led institution-wide strategic planning efforts. She is nationally recognized for her leading role in incorporating technology into institutions of higher learning, and she is frequently called upon to speak at national meetings and workshops.
Ms. McMillan is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Douglass College of Rutgers University. She has done graduate work at both Virginia Polytechnic Institute and at Boston University.
Ms. McMillan’s appointment resulted from a search committee chaired by Vice President Bob Berne. Other members included: Dean Philip Furmanski (FAS), Dean Mary Schmidt Campbell (TSOA); Associate Dean Nancy Kranich (LIB); Prof. Bridget O’Connor (ED); Prof. Anthony Movshon (FAS); Vice Presidents David Finney, Robert Goldfeld, and Harold Read; Associate Vice President Richard Stanley; and Todd Cohen, a student in TSOA,.
Vice President Berne said, “Marilyn McMillan emerged as the number one choice from an extremely strong field of candidates. Her experience will help us set the future course of technology at NYU, building on our academic trajectory, our continuing administrative improvements, our setting in New York City, and our proximity to Silicon Alley. Our goal is to use the strong base that is already in place to create a new organization that will allow us to take advantage of information technology in the most effective manner in support of the academic enterprise. Marilyn knows that what we want to accomplish will require a team effort, and she is excited about leading our team.”
The creation of the new post and a restructured information technology organization to serve students, faculty, and administration is the results of several earlier initiatives. Several years ago, a committee chaired by Prof. Movshon recommended combining several technology divisions and create a position to head such an organization. In addition, over the past several years, various student groups have articulated new directions for technology on campus, including greater computer and internet access on campus and in the dorms, and improved teaching laboratories. The Senate Academic Affairs Committee has played a leading role in planning for information technology improvements. And last year an advisory committee with representatives from the Student Senators Council, the Faculty Council, and the Administrative Management Council and an outside review team recommended the creation of this position.