UNCP Hires New Leader for Information Resources

Dr. Maurice Mitchell Jr. has been hired as associate vice chancellor for Information Resources and will direct UNCP's Office of University Computing and Information Services.

Dr. Mitchell comes to UNCP from the University of Alabama's Tuscaloosa campus where he was director of the computer center serving all the university's schools, colleges, library and administrative units. With the exception of five years as a public school teacher, Dr. Mitchell has spent his entire career administering and teaching information technology in higher education.

His responsibilities include directing all university computing services, network systems, interactive video network (NC-REN) and institutional data reporting. He reports to Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Roger Brown.

"Dr. Mitchell has over 25 years of experiences in managing technology innovation in higher education," Dr. Brown said. "We welcome him as a valuable addition in a key post at the university."

Dr. Mitchell said UNCP has a good computing infrastructure, but there are many challenges ahead.

"We are in position to do a lot of good things in the future," Dr. Mitchell said. "There is a good appetite for technology here with some exciting things going on like the Media Integration program. The campus network is in pretty good shape and will require some modernization to handle the increased volume of traffic in the future."

Taking administrative systems to the next level is a top priority for University Computing, Dr. Mitchell said. Filling out adminission applications, online registrations and posting grades online are examples of interactive services that must be provided.

"Some of these services will help the university attract students and faculty," Dr. Mitchell said. "Other new services will provide our stakeholders - students, faculty and administration - with tools to make their jobs easier."

Dr. Mitchell said funding levels make prioritizing needs critical.

"A major part of my time will be invested in developping a strategic plan for the future of information technology at the university," he said. "We need to find out what we should be doing with our limited resources."

"I've got to be a cheerleader for critical programs," he continued. "There is a change process, an innovation process, that I have been using in this industry for approximately 15 years that I will use. I recognize there is a need to introduce people to new products and ideas."

"We have some real opportunities," Dr. Mitchell concluded.

Dr. Mitchell received a Bachelor of Science in Education a Master of Arts in Vocational Education from the University of Alabama and a Ph.D. in Instructional Systems Design and Development from Florida State University.

He was associate vice president for Instruction and Research Services for San Jose State University and a visiting professor and director of Computing and Information Systems at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

He is a member of EDUCAUSE and a past member of the Federation of American Research Networks, the U.S. Distance Learning Association and the American Educational Research Association.

His doctoral dissertation was titled, "The Design, Development and Evaluation of an Algorithmic Process for Reviewing/Selecting Existing Instructional Materials for Inclusion in Local Instructional Systems Development. Dr. Mitchell has published and made presentation in a wide variety of periodicals and settings.

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