Changes to Information Services Leadership; Department Renamed to Library and Information Technology Services

Daniel J. Nesbitt ’22

Managing Editor

In an email to the campus community on October 1, President Berger-Sweeney announced that Fred Kass, currently Director of Networking and Infrastructure Services within the Information Services Division, will take over as Interim Chief Information Officer (CIO) beginning October 15.  

This interim position comes after the announcement of current Vice President for Information Services and CIO Sue Aber’s retirement, which goes into effect at the end of October. To replace Aber’s position, the College “will be seeking a Vice President for Library and Information Technology Services.” 

Per Berger-Sweeney’s email, Kass “has 25 years of experience in higher education library and information technology divisions.” Joining Trinity in 2013 as Director of Network and Infrastructure Services, Kass “was promoted to associate Chief Information Officer in 2016, and has been the Assistant Vice President for Information Services and Associate CIO since 2018.”  

The President’s email also announced that, beginning January 1, 2021, “Information Services will be renamed the division of Library and Information Technology Services (LITS).” According to Chief of Staff to the President and Assistant Vice President for External Affairs Jason Rojas, the name change and inclusion of “Library” in the division name “is to reinforce an appreciation for the central role that the library has in supporting our academic mission and as a hub for campus life at Trinity.” Rojas did indicate that there would be some rebranding costs, though the associated costs “have not been determined at this time.” 

For this administrative restructuring, Rojas informed the Tripod that Berger-Sweeney consulted with “a college library and information technology professional” who “conduct[ed] a review of the division with an emphasis on reviewing its structure, culture, and services provided.” He added that the findings of the review, which “included interviews and a survey of staff, faculty, and members of the Board of Trustees,” aided Berger-Sweeney in making the decision. This organizational restructuring follows the extensive restructuring of the Student Success and Enrollment Management division announced in early June 2020.  

Berger-Sweeney also indicated in her email to the community that details about the search committee and process for  will be finalized “in the coming weeks.”

In late October, Berger-Sweeney indicated via an email to the community that the search committee will be chaired by Acting Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs Sonia Cardenas, with membership on the committee consisting of Director of Analytics and Strategic Initiatives David Andres, Director of Community Relations and Trinfo.Café Carlos Espinosa, Student Government Association Vice President of Communications Jordan Lewis ’22, Brownell Professor of Philosophy and Chair of the Library and Information Technology Committee (LITC) Dan Lloyd, Assistant Vice President for College Advancement Christina Posniak, and Assistant Professor of Computer Science and member of the LITC Ewa Syta.

When asked about how the current hiring freeze will impact the search, Rojas deferred to Berger-Sweeney’s promise for additional information in the near future. In early September, Rohas added that “No decisions have been made about the search process” but stressed that “it will be a multi-constituent group is as typical with searches for Vice President level leadership positions.” 

According to Berger-Sweeney’s email in late October, Isaacson Miller will “serve as our search consultant,” with work beginning in November 2020 and concluding by April 2021.