IT Services Internal Communication

Hello, I’m Bob Dein, Enterprise Architect for the Information Technology Planning & Strategy office. Long time Miami follower, first time blogger. I learn and render our current business and IT environments and help create plans for IT investment that will help the university get where it wants to go (e.g. 2020 Plan).

I celebrated my 1st year anniversary last Friday with my IT Services colleagues at our annual Souper Bowl pitch-in luncheon. As my fellow architect Roxanne Storer, who started on the same day, explained enthusiastically how great her first year experience at Miami has been, I thought “in-loud” about my own first year, and why I look forward to my commute from Cincinnati each day:

Interesting Times – we do live in interesting times at Miami. By interesting, I don’t mean the Chinese curse, I mean a time of change. Much of our leadership has changed, the Higher Ed “arms race” is impacting our campus and financial priorities, e-learning is affecting our pedagogy and an explosion of mobile technology is changing the way Miamians learn, work and live. I have lived in many interesting times and I have always chosen to focus on the possibilities, not the impossibilities that change brings. These are especially interesting times for a newbie at Miami :).

The Oxford Bubble – I mean this phrase in the most endearing way. Oxford is a very special world apart that I feel blessed to travel in and out of daily. The people, culture and experience are uniquely exquisite.

My Office – I’m writing this entry as I look out of my third floor office window from Laws. As tough as parking can be, I relish being located in the center of everything Miami. Walking down the hallway at Laws is a nostalgic experience of Miami 40 years ago.

My Work – I worked in academia (Cincinnati Public Schools) as an IT architect in another life and it was the most fulfilling experience of my career. That is until now. I am grateful for this opportunity in the academic post-secondary major league to work with so many great Miamians at all levels at a time when so much is possible. I also look forward to the possibility of contributing as an adjunct faculty member when the opportunity arises.

Miami Pride – As part of my Miami immersion, my family (Lette, RJ and Cole) and I routinely wear our brand in public. Over the last year, we have often been warmly and sometimes enviously recognized as and by fellow Miamians.

I am Miami – our Code of Love & Honor is not a just catch phrase and a list of aspirations. I see it in action here in Oxford every day. Miamians really do lead such a life.

No words of architect wisdom this post. Maybe something just a bit more EA related next time.

“Be good to everyone. You never know who you will be working for next week.”

Bob Dein