IT Forward Initiative – Shaping the Future of IT at 91´«Ă˝

91´«Ă˝ is launching IT Forward, a campuswide initiative designed to help align technology strategy, services, investments and capabilities with the institution's future goals and priorities. In partnership with Huron Consulting, the campus will develop a comprehensive road map to support the continued modernization of technology and ensure that IT is positioned to advance 91´«Ă˝'s mission in the years ahead. 

IT Forward objectives

This initiative will review strategy and governance, IT operations, and IT management posture across 91´«Ă˝â€™s central and distributed IT environments, focusing on these four strategic domains:  

  • IT Infrastructure
  • Institutional Research  
  • Cybersecurity and Cyber Risk  
  • Innovation and AI Readiness 

How IT Forward benefits the campus community

IT Forward will help ensure that technology across 91´«Ă˝ is reliable, secure and aligned with the needs of our students, faculty, researchers and staff. The initiative will strengthen our foundation for future leadership, improve services, strengthen cybersecurity, enhance research capabilities, and provide a road map for a more coordinated and strategically aligned technology ecosystem that advances 91´«Ă˝'s mission. 

IT Forward approach

IT Forward’s executive sponsors are Janel Forde, Senior Vice Chancellor for Operations, and Orrie Gartner, Interim Vice Chancellor for IT. Huron Consulting will provide objective insight into our strengths, highlight opportunities for improvement, and help ensure technology resources are strategically aligned with university priorities.

Each domain area is supported by dedicated 91´«Ă˝ and Huron workstream leads who will coordinate activities, engage campus partners and help ensure progress toward the initiative’s goals.

IT Forward has three governance committees advising the project’s executive sponsors on analysis activities and reviewing deliverables This approach includes representation from faculty, staff, and students across 91´«Ă˝ academics, research and operations. 

91´«Ă˝ IR Special Advisor

  • Member: 91´«Ă˝â€™s Senior VC for Leadership Support and Programming
  • Primary focus areas: Institutional Research

IT Director Advisory Committee

  • Members: IT Director Forum Team
  • Primary focus areas: IT Infrastructure, Cybersecurity/Cyber risk, AI

IT Advisory Committee

  • Members: Faculty, staff, and student representatives from across campus academic, research, & operations
  • Primary focus areas: All 
IT Forward structure

Timeline

  • August 2026: Project kicks off
  • Late summer/early fall: Integrated discovery across all workstreams. IT Infrastructure workstream begins.
  • Fall 2026: Integrated discovery continues. IT Infrastructure workstream continues and other workstreams begin.
  • Late fall 2026: Workstream current and future state analyses are reviewed and accepted
  • February 2027: Final road map recommendations are reviewed and accepted. 

How the campus community will be involved

Over the coming months, individuals and teams may be asked by Huron Consulting, and/or our workstream leads to participate in data requests, interviews, focus groups, workshops or surveys to share perspectives and feedback.

Contact Us

If you have project-related questions, please send an email to oitfeedback@colorado.edu with “IT Forward” in the subject line.