Source: April Mason, 785-532-6224, masona@k-state.edu
Note to editors: Appointment letters specifying salary and benefits are available in pdf format here: http://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/may10/staffordofferletter.pdf
News release prepared by: Beth Bohn, 785-532-2532, bbohn@k-state.edu

Thursday, May 20, 2010

KEN STAFFORD TO JOIN K-STATE AS CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER AND VICE PROVOST FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

MANHATTAN -- An administrator with extensive experience in guiding higher education information technology services is joining Kansas State University as chief information officer and vice provost for information technology services.

Ken Stafford, currently vice chancellor for technology at the University of Denver, will join K-State in his new post Aug. 9.

"As K-State's senior technology executive, Ken will work closely with university leadership and the university community to shape and implement K-State's IT investments, plans and strategies to meet institutional goals and needs of students, faculty and staff," said April Mason, K-State provost and senior vice president.

Stafford, who will report to Mason, will lead K-State's information technology services, or ITS, which has approximately 200 technical and nontechnical professionals. He will have strategic oversight of university information technology services including communications, networking and server/storage infrastructure and services; academic, administrative and instructional technologies and support services; desktop support; technology training; information and technology security; infrastructure for research computing; and data and information management.

In addition, Stafford is responsible for ensuring the development and communication of university IT policies, standards and procedures.

"I am delighted with the appointment to K-State. This is a wonderful opportunity to serve one of the outstanding public land-grant universities," Stafford said. "I very much look forward to working with the faculty, staff and students at this world-class institution. The expectations for technology in research, education and the administrative process are ever increasing and rapidly changing. I am looking forward to the challenges and opportunities."

Stafford has been in his current position at the University of Denver since 1998. His many responsibilities include network security, academic computing, Web technology, mobile computing, network services, computer operations, multimedia services and more for a campus system with 22,000 users, 35,500 Internet connections and extensive wireless operations.

His prior experience includes serving in several similar positions in the University of Maryland System, including as associate vice chancellor and chief information officer and associate vice chancellor for system reengineering. He also was vice president for administration and finance at the Maryland Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources, vice president at Bowie State University, and chief financial officer and director of administrative services for the College of Agriculture at the University of Idaho.

Stafford has been the keynote speaker or presenter on information technology at numerous conferences and universities across the world and in the U.S., and has helped design IT systems for governmental agencies in Costa Rica, China and Egypt. He also has been an IT consultant in the U.S., helping to develop or make recommendations about IT systems at universities across the nation.

Stafford has a bachelor's in business and a master's in economics, both from the University of Idaho. His numerous honors include the Executive of the Year award from Bowie State University, Alumni Award for Faculty Excellence from the University of Idaho, and the Award for Advancing Technology in Agriculture from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C.

He has been active in several professional and civic organizations, including serving on the board of directors of the Denver Executive CIO Council, chair of the Colorado IT Symposium in 2010, member and treasurer of the board of directors of the Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries, a member of the National Association of College and University Business Officers, a member of the Western Cooperative for Educational Technology, and a member of the Coalition for Networked Information.

Stafford will replace Lynn Carlin, who has been serving as interim vice provost for information technology services since July 2007.

"Lynn has laid a firm foundation for Ken, and I appreciate her leadership as the interim vice provost for information technology services," Mason said.