An open forum took place in Welch Hall regarding the search for Eastern Michigan University’s new Chief Information Officer on Monday. The candidate for Monday’s forum was Dewitt Latimer. Latimer is the Assistant Vice President at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana.
His platform is to keep costs down and tasks up. Latimer believes his task is to fund and support technology in the classrooms. Notre Dame has register control classrooms—classrooms that support technology—in 80 percent of the school.
“The expansion of technology on Eastern’s campus will create progress,” Latimer said. “Some areas would come to the expansion faster and it may take a long time, but people will be glad of the technological revolution.”
Expanding technology into the classroom may take some time due to funding issues. The way to get money to expand technology throughout the campus would be to increase enrollment at EMU.
“It seems that Eastern is not receiving that much money from the state,” he said. “Therefore, it is important to keep admissions high.”
Latimer believes communication is key to being successful. “I need to be out talking to people, listening first and education awareness second,” he said. “In large meetings or one on one, I need to communicate to give knowledge about technology and Eastern Michigan University.”
Latimer mentioned he would like to see a center where teachers could be taught how to teach more effectively. “Notre Dame has the Kaneb Center for Teaching and Learning to help teachers efficiently reach their students,” Latimer said.
He said his goal is to keep learning continuous on campus and to create leaders. Latimer considers himself a leader.
“Leaders need to make hard decisions and they cannot please everyone,” Latimer said. “It is like having a wagon, and every choice you make adds a stone to the wagon.”
According to Latimer, EMU needs to update its technology.
“[Eastern] is not ready for the mobility revolution, in terms of the infrastructure to support it, and the thought process,” Latimer said. “Mobility is coming and we need to embrace it.”
An open forum for Amy Brooks, Executive Director of the University of Michigan, was held Tuesday. On Wednesday, Frank Monaco of Frank J. Monaco & Associates, LLC discussed his candidacy for the position.
The last forum is scheduled to be held Friday. The candidate, Carl Powell, is Vice President and CIO of the Metropolitan State College of Denver.
