A new position at Fresno Pacific University reflects a new priority on information technology.
Norm Rempel has been appointed vice president, chief information officer and registrar. The cabinet-level position reports to president and is charged with reorganizing and coordinating computer systems across the campus. "Now we can bring together our efforts in this critical area to better serve students, faculty and staff," said FPU President D. Merrill Ewert. "Information is what universities are about."
"One of the biggest challenges facing universities today is to develop and maintain an up-to-date information technology system," Ewert said. "This is a problem for the major research universities as well as for the small privates such as FPU. What frequently happens is that universities introduce one solution for a problem here and another for a problem over there."
FPU needs to integrate its information systems, create a coordinated strategy and increase investment in order to fill gaps in the present service and prepare for demands of the future, Ewert said. Rempel was an early advocate of information technology and has given leadership to the campus data management system. "No one knows the university or understands our data needs better than Norm. In addition, he is committed to FPU and has the respect of faculty and staff," Ewert said.
Coordination will be the essence of Rempel's role. "We have the resources. My job will be to bring together those resources and point them in the right direction," he said. "I am truly excited to be doing this."
Continuing as registrar, a position he has held since coming to campus in 1988, Rempel will delegate many day-to-day duties to his staff. There are currently no plans to hire additional employees.
The decision to implement the new position came from the president's cabinet in consultation with the university deans and with the approval of the executive committee of the board of trustees. "It is in line with our strategic plan and the desires of many on campus," Ewert said.
Rempel earned bachelor's degrees from Grace College of the Bible and Wichita State University, master's degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and the University of Nebraska-Omaha and a doctorate from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.