Bryant University recently hosted a cybersecurity panel discussion for businesses. The goal was to get conversations going on organizations’ readiness and/or vulnerabilities – with panel discussions featuring experts on matters of what to plan and how to put it into practice. Richard Siedzik, one of those panelists, is director of Bryant’s information security and planning.
PBN: As a result of the recent cybersecurity forum at the university and your interactions with the outside business community, what is a main need you see in cybersecurity right now for businesses?
SIEDZIK: Business and risk have always been inseparable terms, but in today’s world information technology poses new kinds of risks. I see the business community struggling with things like how to build a program; knowing the resources required; how to operationalize a program; and measure its impact on the business. A number of institutions have stepped up to help the business community address these issues. Here at the university, for example, a certificate program is designed for IT [information technology] and business professionals so they may play an active role in the design, build and management of their organization’s cybersecurity program.
PBN: Your role is to, in part, research trends that can improve the university’s competitive advantage. Can you explain that a bit?
SIEDZIK: I look at trends as they relate to new developments and changing technologies; market leaders, new entrants, etc. These are technologies that have potential to drive the creation of new capabilities and improve qualities and outcomes at the university.
In my job I identify, evaluate and then most often “park” these technologies for a period of time. If at some point they appear to align with the university’s vision and strategy, they could ultimately be put on the university’s technology road map.
PBN: What is the best part of your job?
SIEDZIK: What’s kept me engaged and excited about my career in information technology throughout the years is the velocity of change this career field has, and the fact that I work for an institution that has a 150-plus-year legacy of growth and innovation. Within the Information Services organization, we take pride in the fact that technology is a pillar of the university.
PBN: What, in your view, is important for a university in terms of its IT infrastructure?
SIEDZIK: First of all, it’s essential to have a common information architecture reference model to render standards, assessments, guiding principles and to facilitate the communication handshake between services, data, technology and stakeholders. Also, there is usually a maturity gap between organizations using legacy technologies and those advancing into innovative technologies. Free up resources to focus on these new areas. Which of your current capabilities are mature enough to delegate, automate or outsource? And finally, there is no substitute or plan B for strategic planning, innovation or talent.
PBN: How does technology at Bryant enhance the learning process?
SIEDZIK: Technology dynamically changes the pathways of education: educator to learner, educator to educator and learner to learner. These pathways are important for us because they could enable our next best technology adaption idea. That idea will come from our educators and learners, and likely not the technologist. We’re infusing technology that leverages two education premises that are particularly important to our students and educators, those being time and location.
Susan Shalhoub is a PBN contributor.
