VPCIO Mission, Vision, Values, Goal Statements
January 2026
Mission:
We partner with the University at Buffalo community to achieve UB’s Top 25 Ambition by providing secure and transformative IT services and support.
Vision:
UBIT will shape the future of learning, research, and service at UB through visionary, secure, and inclusive technology ecosystems.
Goal Statements:
VPCIO • Goal Statements
People
Goal:
Develop a workforce of experts by fostering a thriving, inclusive, collaborative and resilient organizational culture and structure that supports professional growth, promotes engagement, and a strong sense of purpose and shared identity.
- Why it matters:
- An RI/research-ready IT team must be skilled, curious, and supported in their career growth.
- What it means:
- People-First Culture
- How we communicate it:
- “We invest in our people and empower them to grow, lead, and innovate.”
Objectives:
- Build systematic approaches to attract, identify, and cultivate top IT talent resulting in sustainable organizational growth and a robust pipeline of skilled professionals
- Build comprehensive career pathways and expand professional development opportunities leading to increased engagement, retention, and advancement within the IT workforce
- Establish transparent, equitable, and competitive compensation practices that support R1/research aspirations ensuring that investment in people is reflected in recruitment and retention outcomes
- Foster and sustain a positive, people-first culture, evolving as a collaborative strategic partner across the university to enhance engagement, shared purpose, and organizational resilience
- Create and maintain a comprehensive organizational succession planning framework, ensuring leadership, continuity, and long-term institutional success
VPCIO • Goal Statements
Partnership
Goal:
Build and sustain collaborative partnerships to align UB-wide IT resources and initiatives to drive the university's overarching goals, ensuring that every technology investment maximizes institutional impact through intentional investment, efficient resource allocation, and continuous value optimization.
- Why it matters:
- Siloed IT won’t succeed. Deep partnerships with students, faculty, researchers, and administration are critical to long term growth, managing resources, and achieving sustainability.
- What it means:
- Trusted Partnership
- How we communicate it:
- “We co-create solutions with the community, not just for them.”
Objectives:
- Communicate value proposition of UB-wide IT initiatives to increase stakeholder understanding and support for strategic technology investments
- Build and implement a comprehensive relationship building and campus engagement program to strengthen collaboration and drive campus-wide alignment with IT goals
- Create standardized systems and processes for operational and support needs, resulting in improved efficiency, consistency, and operational excellence across UBIT
- Engage the campus community to develop and grow the IT workforce, ensuring a diverse, skilled, and future-ready team that supports UB’s strategic goals
- Partner with all university IT groups to enhance strategic alignment, leading to unified efforts and maximized institutional impact from technology investments
VPCIO • Goal Statements
Experience
Goal Statement:
Enhance the university experience by delivering a resilient, inclusive, and adaptive digital ecosystem that prioritizes exceptional customer service—ensuring that technology and services are accessible, customer-focused, and responsive to the diverse and evolving needs of the UB community.
- Why it matters:
- Seamless customer experience and dependable service are the baseline for everything else.
- What it means:
- Commitment to Excellence
- How we communicate it:
- “We deliver secure, reliable, and customer-centric services every time.”
Objectives:
- Enhance and build relationship within VPCIO and with campus partners to improve overall digital experience for the university community
- Identify, develop, and support personalized, interactive, and transformative technologies to elevate customer experience in classrooms, research labs, offices, and across campus
- Meet customers where they are—through spaces, training, and communication strategies—to ensure technology and services are accessible and responsive to diverse needs
- Develop dashboard that displays collective VPCIO operations and statuses, providing transparency and actionable insights for stakeholders
- Improve the change management process and follow best practices to ensure smooth transitions and minimize disruptions for the university community
VPCIO • Goal Statements
Innovation
Goal Statement:
Position UBIT as a catalyst for transformative innovation by harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence and strategic technology initiatives to advance the University at Buffalo’s mission in research, education, community impact, and institutional excellence.
- Why it matters:
- A top-tier R1 university needs cutting-edge, agile, scalable, and experimental technology and support structures.
- What it means:
- Forward-thinking mindset
- How we communicate it:
- “We embrace emerging technologies and respond quickly to change.”
Objectives:
- Facilitate adoption of a 'Yes...and' mindset across teams to shift organizational behavior toward forward-thinking, collaborative problem solving—resulting in faster iteration and more constructive solution design
- Establish an Innovation Hub to provide shared space, structure, and support resulting in coordinated pilots, accelerated timelines, and scalable innovations that advance university priorities
- Promote risk-taking, experimentation, and feedback through safe-to-fail initiatives and rapid learning loops resulting in higher rate of validated insights and continuous improvements of services
- Allow dedicated resources (funding, time, and talent) for innovation and experimentation resulting in a sustained pipeline of new services that support UB strategic goals
- Develop an inclusive strategic planning process that meaningfully engages diverse stakeholders resulting in aligned priorities, transparent roadmaps, and equitable decision-making
VPCIO • Goal Statements
Security
Goal Statement:
Cultivate a university-wide shared responsibility for cybersecurity and privacy that promotes innovation and usability while safeguarding University at Buffalo and its people.
- Why it matters:
- Research integrity and institutional reputation depend on robust cybersecurity and ethical stewardship.
- What it means:
- Security First, Always
- How we communicate it:
- “We protect information and build trust through transparency and accountability.”
Objectives:
- Implement secrets and password management system to strengthen protection of sensitive information and reduce the risk of authorized access
- Develop automated network and configuration reviews and changes to proactively identify vulnerabilities and ensure continuous improvement of security controls
- Improved Identity and Access Management processes to enhance user authentication, authorization, access, and overall security posture across the university
- Develop and implement a network source of truth to provide accurate, real-time visibility into network assets and configurations, supporting effective security management
- Mature incident response program by including automated response and investigation capabilities, resulting in faster detection, containment, and resolution of security incidents
VPCIO • Goal Statements
Data
Goal Statement:
Drive a university-wide, data strategy through targeted investments in systems, governance, and stakeholders that enable insight, informed decisions, innovation, and institutional impact.
- Why it matters:
- R1 institutions make high-impact decisions—data and insights must be trusted, timely, and ethical.
- What it means:
- Data-Driven Decision-Making
- How we communicate it:
- “We use data responsibly to inform strategy and improve outcomes.”
Objectives:
- Centralize and democratize data access for all UB staff to enable timely, trusted, and ethical insights that support informed decision-making and institutional impact
- Modernize UB’s data platforms to provide scalable, reliable, and innovative infrastructure that empowers research, education, and operational excellence
- Develop data skills and culture across the university to foster responsible, data-informed decision-making and continuous improvement
- Re-imagine data governance to ensure ethical stewardship, transparency, and accountability in the use, management, and protection of institutional data