2006-2007 Provost Lecture Series

Brian Hawkins

IT and the Future of Higher Education: Fire, Fuel, and Focus

Wednesday, September 27, 2006
3:30-5 p.m.
Hemisphere Room
Hale Library

Brian Hawkins

President
EDUCAUSE

Video of the Lecture

Archived video of the lecture provided by the Office of Mediated Education and Regents Educational Communications Center.

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Brian L. Hawkins is currently President of EDUCAUSE, a professional association of more than 1850 colleges and universities, dedicated to transforming higher education through information technologies. This organization was formed in 1998 as a result of the consolidation of Educom and CAUSE, the two premier technology associations in higher education.

Prior to accepting this position, he was Senior Vice President for Academic Planning and Administrative Affairs at Brown University. In this capacity, he had responsibility for academic planning, management of the instructional budget, campus computing, enrollment management, institutional research, summer programs, admission, financial aid, and student registration. Hawkins went to Brown in 1986 as Vice President for Computing and Information Services. In 1989 he filled in as Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration, and then was appointed Special Assistant to the President for Academic Planning while he spearheaded Brown's strategic planning processes. In 1997 he served as part of a three-person team filling in for the President of Brown University.

Before going to Brown, Hawkins was Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at Drexel University. At Drexel, he was responsible for general academic planning, and was responsible for the academic program that was the first in the nation to require access to a microcomputer, and to integrate the use of technology throughout the curriculum.

He is a management professor by training. He received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from Michigan State University and his Ph.D. from Purdue University . He taught at The University of Texas at San Antonio, and served as Department Chairman and Assistant Dean of the College of Business there. His organizational work focused on organizational structure, conflict management, communication, and performance appraisal.

Hawkins has written extensively, including four books, many articles, book chapters and monographs in the area of information resources, academic planning, and the use of technology in higher education. He has received two honorary doctorates of science degrees. In 1991 Hawkins was the recipient of the CAUSE ELITE Award, a lifetime achievement award for Exemplary Leadership and Information Technology Excellence.

Abstract

This presentation will address the challenges of the transformative nature of information technology and its impact on changing the nature of teaching, research and outreach of our colleges and universities. Issues related to the learning environment, the need for collaboration, the organization of our institutions, as well as policy issues, and pressures for accountability will be focused upon, in order to have the academy successfully adapt to this new environment.