Headshot of Phillip Lyle.

It’s a pleasure to have the opportunity to write my first note as Interim Vice President and CIO for IS&T as part of this year’s newsletter. Leadership transitions are never simple, and I’m incredibly grateful for the support, partnership, and steady commitment I’ve seen from both the IS&T team and colleagues across campus as we begin this next chapter together.

This is a pivotal moment for both higher education and technology. We’re seeing rapid change as artificial intelligence reshapes how we teach, learn, conduct research, and operate as an institution. While change can bring uncertainty, it also creates meaningful opportunities for us to rethink how our technology priorities align with Chapman’s mission and how we can better support our community.

One of my immediate areas of focus has been on streamlining processes and improving how we work together. We are actively reviewing and refining certain procedures, such as software intake and accessibility reviews, to make them more efficient, transparent, and responsive to campus needs. At the same time, we are continuing to strengthen our cybersecurity posture. Under the leadership of our Chief Information Security Officer, Keith Barros, we’ve expanded preparedness efforts through tabletop exercises (structured simulations that help us practice and coordinate our response to potential incidents) to strengthen our readiness for emerging threats. We are also exploring new authentication options, including passkeys and optional biometrics, to make access both more secure and, over time, easier for our community by reducing reliance on passwords.

I’ve also been spending time closely evaluating our current technology investments to ensure we are maximizing their value and reducing duplication where possible. As we look ahead, it’s important that our investments are clearly aligned with student success, faculty support, and operational excellence. In parallel, we are advancing efforts to ensure our data is well-positioned for the age of AI – so that we can generate more meaningful insights and support more effective, data-informed decision making across the university.

Artificial intelligence is front of mind for many across campus. I’ve engaged in numerous conversations with faculty about its impact on pedagogy and student learning, and with staff about how it may shape their roles. Beyond cybersecurity, I believe artificial intelligence will eventually reshape how we operate as an institution. It will not change our mission, but it will change how we support it, creating new opportunities to improve service, strengthen decision-making, and improve efficiencies across the University.

Over time, we can expect many of our existing systems and integrations to be augmented by AI, and in some cases, replaced by new capabilities. This will require us to thoughtfully evaluate new tools, ensure they integrate effectively and securely within our environment, and remain focused on delivering real value to the campus community. Equally important, we must continue to evolve our policies and guidance to ensure these technologies are used responsibly and securely – particularly when it comes to institutional and student data.

Looking ahead, our focus will be on continuing to build capability within IS&T, strengthening partnerships across the university, and thoughtfully exploring how technologies such as AI can add value in ways aligned with our academic and institutional goals.

Thank you again to the entire Chapman community for your collaboration, your candor, and your continued partnership. It’s an exciting and important time, and I appreciate the opportunity to be part of it alongside all of you.

Warm regards,

Phillip