Don Harris to Retire in October
Dear DU community members,
In the spirit of congratulations and with the utmost gratitude, I would like to announce that, on October 9, 2020, Don Harris will retire as the University of Denver’s vice chancellor of information technology & chief information officer (VCIT & CIO). Don’s rich set of experiences (he was once a faculty member himself) and singular ability to understand the role of technology at an institution of higher education has made him an incredible asset to our community.
In the VCIT & CIO role, Don has served as a thoughtful partner to the campus in the implementation of DU’s strategic vision. Under his leadership, the entire IT organization at DU was strengthened by converting to a unified model, embodying OneDU and helping to break silos. He expanded and strengthened IT’s partnership with the academic units, and demonstrated a commitment to helping DU—and most especially our faculty members—use technology to support and improve the learning process.
It goes without saying information technology is an incredibly dynamic field, and Don successfully followed industry trends, standards, and practices. Finally, and certainly not least, Don exemplified DU’s commitment to inclusive excellence: He established the first IE committee in IT at DU, funded IE training and events, and created an environment where all IT staff at DU experience a welcoming and supportive workplace.
The systems and technology we rely on—most especially now as much of our lives take place online—are vital. Through Don’s leadership, and by the efforts of the excellent team he has assembled, our technological experiences at DU are largely seamless.
So please, join me in thanking Don for all he has done for the DU community and to congratulate him on this exciting new chapter.
The co-chairs for the search committee tasked with finding Don’s replacement are Rohini Ananthakrishnan, assistant vice chancellor, Enterprise Application Services and Kate Willink, vice provost for faculty affairs. More details on the search process will be forthcoming later this summer.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Haefner
Chancellor