As a unit engaged in such varying efforts, it is especially important that we come together to strengthen our employees, our campus, and our community. The unique situation provided by the pandemic in 2020 meant that opportunities to gather together were somewhat limited, but our leadership ensured that our staff had as many chances for engagement and growth as the situation allowed.
Every year, OIT works to make several training and personal growth options available to employees. This year, although it was originally slated to be an in-person class, many IT professionals had the opportunity to attend a Zoom course on Building and Sustaining a Service Culture for IT Professionals. This class, led by Bill Shannon, Director of Human Resources Development, provided information on keeping the customer at the center of your focus while still following necessary IT Processes for various job functions.
OIT's Project Management Office facilitated another opportunity for training and growth through the AU Young Professionals (AUYP). Unfortunately, AUYP, which is a project in conjunction with the Office of Professional and Continuing Education, was only able to meet once during 2020, but the group was able to gather some excellent insights from Athletic Director, Allen Greene, as he shared a little about the path that brought him to Auburn.
As a service organization, it's crucial that we continue to grow technical knowledge as IT providers and pass training along to end users as well. Many members of our staff had the opportunity to attend various virtual trainings this year. While these experiences limit hands-on learning, it was still a great way to get more people involved and continue gathering knowledge to share with the rest of the campus.
2020 also presented us with the unique opportunity to address challenges that the campus hadn't faced before, specifically regarding the cybersecurity surrounding working and studying remotely. Members of our cybersecurity team stepped up to that challenge to participate in campus-wide webinars and write informational articles to help keep members of our campus safely engaged.
Last Updated: March 04, 2021
