Advancing Virginia Tech by enabling technological innovation
The 2024 fiscal year was a transitional one for the information technology community at Virginia Tech, marked by change, achievement, and the emergence of a new approach toward collaboration, administration, and shared governance.
During this time, the university introduced two new strategic priorities: Virginia Tech Advantage and Virginia Tech Global Distinction, which set the direction for the coming years. In response, the administrative and operations-focused units of the university introduced the concept of ‘enabling infrastructure’ as a unifying element in our work.
Enabling infrastructure can be defined as the structures, services, and capabilities that make it possible for the university to meet its strategic goals. As the university navigates this period of transformation, the Division of IT remains a steadfast partner in supporting the university’s evolving technology needs to ensure that the right technologies are in place to help drive learning, discovery, and outreach.
This year also opened a new chapter in leadership, with the arrival of Sharon P. Pitt as the university’s new Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer. Pitt’s appointment followed the successful 12-year term of Scott Midkiff, who continues to serve the university as a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Pitt’s leadership brings fresh energy and direction as we continue to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of higher education. She is guiding the Division of IT toward a new horizon, starting with a renewed focus on promoting true partnership with units across the university. An organizational redesign began with the creation of IT Governance, Planning, and Strategy (ITGPS) – a new unit within the Division of IT dedicated to building and sustaining an ongoing conversation on technology needs across the university. ITGPS is leading the efforts to consider and build solutions that not only meet the current needs of the university but also anticipate future demands.
Reflecting on the achievements of FY 2024, we deeply appreciate the efforts of the people of the Division of IT as they have worked to support Virginia Tech’s broad goals—particularly in enhancing access to educational opportunities and expanding the university's technological capabilities. Key accomplishments this year included tackling difficult challenges related to storage and collaboration platforms, improving our online giving platforms, launching the Owl supercomputing cluster, and continuing to enhance our user support processes and systems. These and many more projects not only reflect our commitment to operational excellence but also highlight our role in facilitating the university's academic and research initiatives.
As we continue moving forward, the Division of IT remains dedicated to supporting the university's mission and providing the technology and infrastructure that will enable students, faculty, and staff to thrive. We invite you to peruse our 2024 Annual Report, and reach out with your questions and feedback.