Technology Plans and Priorities for 2025 through 2026

June 2, 2025

As we look ahead to the coming year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the remarkable progress we've made—both here at the University of Georgia and across the 26 institutions that make up the University System. In my role, I’m fortunate to serve as Vice President for Information Technology at UGA and Vice Chancellor for Information Technology at the University System Office, which gives me a front-row seat to the incredible work happening across both organizations. This annual memorandum is part of my planning process, and it’s intended to serve as a roadmap for the year ahead for all of you. More importantly, it’s a chance for me to say thank you. Your dedication powers everything we do, and I’m grateful every day for the work you put in to support our students, faculty, and staff.

Successes and Resilience Across the University and System

This past year brought a mix of achievements and unforeseen challenges—both of which speak to the strength and resilience of our institutions.

At the University of Georgia, we reached several meaningful milestones. Fundraising hit an all-time high, with more than $275 million raised to support teaching, research, and public service. Our faculty continued to break ground in areas like artificial intelligence, including work on COVID-19 detection and ocean mapping. And in a move that will have a long-term impact on the state’s healthcare workforce, the Board of Regents approved the creation of a new School of Medicine in Athens.

The University System of Georgia also advanced on several fronts. Most notably, we hit a major milestone in the Unified ERP project, successfully negotiating a system-wide Workday agreement that positions us for a more modern, cloud-based administrative platform—and at significantly lower cost than what similar institutions paid just a few years ago.

Of course, the year wasn’t without its challenges. At the system level, we experienced a major storage equipment failure that required a full activation of our business continuity plan. Our alternate data center at UGA stepped in, and thanks to the around-the-clock efforts of many of you, we maintained mission-critical services—including making payroll. Around the same time, we detected and remediated a cybercriminal intrusion into UGA’s Active Directory. That incident demanded rapid, disciplined action, and the lessons we learned are now being applied across all 26 institutions to improve our security posture.

These weren’t routine events—they were the kind of situations that test an organization’s culture, capability, and character. What I saw from all of you was leadership under pressure, an unwavering focus on mission, and a deep sense of responsibility to the people who rely on us. I couldn’t be more proud.

Every accomplishment, every response, every recovery—none of it happens without your focus and effort. Thank you for the countless ways you contribute to our shared success.

How We’re Performing: Signals from the Campus and the System

At the University of Georgia, we continue to track our organizational performance through the TechQual+ survey, which provides a clear, consistent signal on how our IT services are meeting campus needs. In the 2025 survey, both students and staa again rated all 13 core service areas positively—an encouraging sign that the baseline support we provide is dependable and strong. Faculty sentiment was also solid, with 11 of 13 items rated positively. We did note some areas for improvement, particularly around classroom technology and online instructional tools. In response, we’re working closely with our partners in the Libraries and the Center for Teaching and Learning to target those needs with additional investment and planning.

Across the University System, our performance is often reflected less in survey results and more in the strength of our partnerships. I’ve seen that strength grow over the past year— whether it's our work with the USO leadership team, IT leaders at the 26 institutions, or cross-functional collaboration on the Unified ERP rollout. We’ve also continued to make meaningful progress on shared infrastructure, network performance, and the growing demands of information security.

One of the things I’m most proud of is the culture we’ve built across these relationships—a culture where trust, respect, and shared ownership are now part of our organizational muscle memory. That kind of culture isn’t just nice to have—it’s the foundation that allows us to scale, respond quickly, and deliver results in an increasingly complex environment.

Progress on Our 2024 Goals

At the start of last year, we outlined a set of strategic priorities that would shape the future of IT across both UGA and the University System. I’m pleased to share that we made meaningful progress on all fronts—progress made possible by the steady, skilled work of our teams and our strong partnerships across the institutions we support.

1.Moving the Unified ERP Project Forward

We took major steps in 2024 toward transforming how the University System handles finance, HR, and eventually student systems. After months of planning, we successfully negotiated a highly favorable Workday agreement—securing a 30% discount compared to what the state paid just a few years ago. With Workday now selected for both Financials and HCM, our focus has shifted to selecting a consulting partner to help guide implementation. Staa from UGA, the University System Oaice, and other institutions are working side by side to evaluate proposals, with a decision expected by this summer. At the same time, our teams are diving deep into business processes, data migration planning, and integration points—laying the groundwork for a smooth and eaective rollout. We’re setting the stage for a once-in-a-generation transformation that will modernize our systems and give us faster, more reliable access to data.

2.Strengthening Data Infrastructure and Reporting

One of the most important and complex pieces of this transition is how we manage data. We began laying the foundation this year for reimagining both the UGA and USG data warehouses. At UGA, we brought in a dedicated data architect to lead this work, and we’ve making a full pivot to Power BI as our enterprise reporting platform. These changes are already simplifying reporting workflows and improving how we prepare for the data needs of Workday. Long-term, we’re aiming for a setup that gives executive leadership clean, consistent, and timely data—without letting the technical backend distract from that goal. And we’re actively weighing whether certain data functions should shift out of OIR to give that team more room to focus on academic reporting.

3.Accelerating Responsible AI Adoption

We’ve leaned into AI in 2024—not just the hype, but the practical use cases where we can see clear value. At UGA, we invested $200,000 in Microsoft 365 Copilot and ChatGPT Edu licenses so faculty, staa, and researchers could explore what generative AI can actually do in their day-to-day work. Across the system, we’re negotiating with Google to provide free access to Gemini and NotebookLM tools for all 26 institutions. On the research side, we added $2.4 million in high-performance computing capacity to support AI workloads. And later this year, we’ll launch a survey to assess how AI tools are being used in practice, so we can make smart, evidence-based decisions about what to support moving forward.

4.Planning for the Next Generation of Infrastructure

We made meaningful upgrades this year to the Boyd Data Center, including key electrical improvements to support growing AI and research demands. But we know that long-term, we need something more scalable. That’s why we’re working with UGA’s Oaice of University Architects and a national data center design firm to plan for a new shared facility that could serve both UGA and USG. While that proposal works its way forward, we’re continuing to invest in Boyd to make sure it remains stable, reliable, and secure. This two-track approach—short-term resilience, long-term vision—will keep our infrastructure aligned with where teaching, research, and service are headed.

The Year Ahead: Building Toward an AI-Infused Future

It’s clear that Artificial Intelligence isn’t a passing trend—it’s becoming a foundational technology that will shape how we teach, how we do research, and how we run the institution. As we think about where UGA and the University System are headed, our goal shouldn’t just be to adopt AI tools—it should be to intentionally build AI into the core of how we operate.

Being an “AI-infused” organization means something deeper than rolling out the next big tool. It’s about weaving AI into teaching, research, and administration in ways that are aligned with our mission and values. That requires careful thought, shared strategy, and a willingness to experiment with what works—and walk away from what doesn’t.

I find it useful to think about our approach in terms of two dimensions. First, there’s a diaerence between Everyday AI and Game-Changing AI. Everyday AI includes the kinds of tools that help individuals work smarter—things like writing assistants, meeting summaries, and process automation. These tools don’t require big investments, but they can have a big impact on productivity if used thoughtfully. Game-Changing AI, by contrast, is institutional. It includes the large-scale research infrastructure, the major changes in how we deliver services, and the deep work of rethinking processes from the ground up.

Second, we should distinguish between improvements that are inward-facing and those that are outward-facing. Some of the most immediate gains will come from using AI to streamline internal systems—making life easier for faculty and staa. But the longer-term opportunity lies in how we improve the experience for our students and community—in how AI helps us teach better, support learners more personally, and make our institutions more accessible and responsive.

As I lay out our goals for 2025, I want to use this four-bucket approach to becoming “AI-Infused.”

1.Investing in Infrastructure That Powers AI-Driven Discovery

One of the most important things we can do to support game-changing, inward-facing AI is to ensure our infrastructure can keep up with the pace of innovation. Our faculty are doing extraordinary work in AI-driven research—work that not only advances knowledge but helps shape the next generation of scholars, scientists, and problem-solvers. But to continue growing that impact, we need more horsepower behind the scenes.

That’s why one of our top priorities is to complete the building program and begin design work for a new, shared-use data center, located at UGA and serving as the University System’s alternate data center. This facility will expand our capacity for compute, storage, and networking—creating the foundation we need to support advanced research, scalable AI infrastructure, and long-term institutional resilience.

This isn’t just about keeping the lights on. It’s about making sure our faculty and students have the tools they need to ask bigger questions, run larger models, and create new knowledge that reaches well beyond our campus. We will also continue to invest in additional compute, storage, and transit capacity inside our current facility and will work to increase support for desktop and cloud platforms where possible to support our faculty research.

2.Laying the Foundation for Intelligent, Streamlined Operations

A major step toward becoming an AI-infused University System is transforming how we operate—not just by replacing outdated systems, but by radically simplifying and standardizing our core business processes. That’s the vision behind the Unified ERP project. It’s a game-changing initiative aimed at improving the experience of the people we serve—students, faculty, and staa—by reducing complexity, increasing transparency, and ultimately enabling smarter, faster, and more responsive service across all 26 institutions.

This year, we’ll continue advancing that vision by finalizing the selection of a consulting partner and launching the early phases of planning for data migration, integration, and business process redesign. Our ultimate goal isn’t just implementation—it’s to streamline administrative processes across the entire system so that we can build a foundation for automation, intelligence, and scale.

The more we can simplify and standardize our processes, the more we’ll unlock opportunities for process automation—and eventually, for AI agents to take on routine administrative tasks. This is where game-changing, outward-facing AI starts: not with flashy tools, but with smart, disciplined process design that frees up our people to focus on work that really matters.

This ERP eaort is one of the biggest opportunities we have to reshape the operating model of higher education in Georgia—and we’re approaching it with that full potential in mind. Many other smaller projects with our current Banner and PeopleSoft platforms will also advance this goal this next year.

3.Equipping Our People with Everyday AI That Works

While the long-term impact of AI will play out in research and large-scale systems, the near-term opportunity is right in front of us: helping faculty and staa work more eaiciently, creatively, and confidently every day.

That’s why we’re focusing on Everyday AI tools that support our own people—faculty, staa, and administrators—in the work they do every day. Tools like Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, and Google Gemini are already helping with writing, analysis, meeting prep, and routine decision-making. They’re not magic solutions, but they oaer real, practical value in improving how we manage the day-to-day responsibilities that keep teaching, service, and operations running smoothly.

This year, we’ll launch a formal survey of faculty and staa to better understand how these tools are being used and where they’re delivering value. We’ll use that feedback to guide future investments and help determine how and where to scale.

In parallel, we’ll begin supporting faculty development of targeted, no-code AI chatbots using platforms from Microsoft, OpenAI, and Google—not just for administrative eaiciency, but to personalize the student experience in meaningful ways. One promising use case is the development of course-specific chatbots that help students engage more deeply with course material, get timely answers to questions, and stay on track. This is a clear example of everyday AI applied outward, where the goal isn’t to replace people, but to extend the reach of our faculty and staa by delivering smarter, more responsive digital support that meets students where they are.

Final Thoughts

As I conclude this year’s planning memorandum, I want to highlight two additional priorities that—while not directly tied to AI—are critical to strengthening our foundation for the work ahead.

4.Finalize the Data Strategy given the Unified ERP/Workday Implementation

At UGA, we’ll finalize a long-term data warehouse strategy, including whether ERP-related data infrastructure should remain within the Oaice of Institutional Research or transition elsewhere. At the same time, we’ll begin shaping campus-wide data governance and integration plans to ensure we’re ready to support the reporting and analytics demands of a unified ERP environment.

5.Organize IT Infrastructure Standards and Operations across UGA EITS and USG ITS

Across both EITS and USG ITS, we’ll also evaluate opportunities to streamline infrastructure and improve operational alignment, especially in the areas of server and network engineering. That may include consolidating functions where it makes sense to do so—always with an eye toward eaiciency, resiliency, and long-term sustainability. These are the kinds of structural decisions that don’t always draw attention, but they’re essential to building an IT organization that’s prepared for what’s next. In the long-term, this will be more about consolidating the service catalog and not necessarily about changes to the organization chart.

And just a few final, closing words about AI.

As we look ahead, one challenge stands above the rest: we must begin using AI—not just talking about it. Every IT employee, from entry level to senior leadership, needs to start experimenting with everyday AI tools now available to all University students, faculty, and staff—Copilot, Google Gemini, and NotebookLM. Try them. Use them in your daily work.

See what they can do. Managers and directors: initiate team conversations now. Ask how these tools might automate tasks, reshape workflows, or unlock new value. And bring your questions—not just your conclusions—to leadership. We are not far from a future where every vacancy will be scrutinized before filling—and the first question will be: can our existing staff, using AI to enhance their work, eliminate the need to hire? AI isn’t just a technology shift—it’s a culture shift. The sooner we start learning together, the more prepared we’ll be to lead what comes next.

Thank you for everything you’ve done—and continue to do—to move our institutions forward. Whether you serve on the UGA campus or across one of the 26 USG institutions, your work matters. It’s your talent, commitment, and care that allow us to support our students, enable research, modernize operations, and lead with confidence. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if I can support you—professionally or personally. I’m proud to work alongside each of you.