Dodds

Ted Dodds, vice president for information technologies and Cornell’s chief information officer, will retire at the end of the fall semester.

“I have come to love and admire Cornell. I will always think of myself as a Cornellian and will continue to follow the fortunes of the university for years to come,” Dodds said in announcing his decision to the university’s information technologies staff. “In 2010 I was looking for an institution driven by vision and values; I found that in Cornell. I am very proud to have been associated with this institution and will be an ambassador for it, forever.”

“Ted has been a trusted adviser, highly valued colleague and friend during his five years at Cornell,” said Joanne DeStefano, vice president for finance and chief financial officer. “I have not worked with anyone more suited and gifted in developing trust, bridging gaps and bringing out the best in people.”

Dodds assumed his post in January 2011 after serving as vice provost at the University of British Columbia, and previously as that university’s chief information officer. He arrived at a time of financial crisis and faced the challenge of expanding IT services while reducing costs. He revamped the Network Connectivity Program to rewire 46 campus buildings by 2014 at a fraction of the cost previously thought possible, and championed ongoing initiatives to organize technical support into a coordinated set of IT support groups for major units while moving many administrative functions to the cloud.

In May 2013, after working with the community to define IT needs, he developed the university’s first campuswide IT strategic plan for change and improvement over a five-year period. Under the banner of “IT@Cornell” he launched initiatives to unite and foster a collaborative approach to IT across the colleges and schools, administrative units, and Cornell Information Technologies. He gave the highest priority to supporting academic needs, upgraded classroom technology and provided support for Cornell’s entry into the world of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) that reach students worldwide.

He sponsored leadership programs for IT staff across campus and established strong bonds with IT leaders at Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell Tech, and peer institutions. He also has helped lead Cornell’s United Way fundraising efforts for the past two years.

Outside of Cornell, he has been active in leadership roles in EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology, and the Kuali Foundation, which collaborates with universities  to build open-source administrative software for higher education.

Dodds and his wife, Loretta, are planning to return to western Canada to be closer to their two sons, he said.