FY2025 Annual Report
ITS is emerging as a force in higher education technology.
Letter from Chief Information Officer, Jonathan A. Fozard
I am proud to share with you the FSU Information Technology Services FY2025 Annual Report.
This year, FSU ITS emerged as a force in higher education technology, earning national headlines for pioneering virtual training in child welfare, global acclaim for investing in employee growth and recognition for forging a transformative AI partnership with Microsoft. Our reputation soared—on campus, across industries, and around the globe.
ITS was recognized as a finalist from over 2,700 global submissions for our innovative use of machine learning to improve student retention. Our security team was recognized with a prestigious award for our risk management program. On campus, our veteran employees were honored with the installation of a commemorative veterans plaque in Tallahassee. And that is just a glimpse of the stories and inspiration you will find in this year's report.
We’ve proven that when we rise together, we rise higher. These achievements were not the work of a few, they were the result of a campus community that shows up every day with curiosity, creativity and a shared commitment to making FSU better.
But we’re not just here to celebrate. We are here to build on this momentum. The FY2025 Annual Report is more than a look back; it is a launchpad for our continued success. Here you will find stories of innovation, impact and the people behind the progress. You will see how our work is transforming lives, redefining what is possible and setting new standards for excellence in higher ed tech.
So take a moment to explore how far we have come—and how high we are poised to go.
Here’s to rising together.
Jonathan Fozard
Associate Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Florida State University
ITS is investing in high performance computing and cloud innovation.
AWS Research Day promotes cloud innovation
In March 2025, ITS partnered with the FSU Division of Research and Amazon Web Services (AWS) to host a hands-on training and awards event. The event promoted cloud innovation through AWS and equipped educators with ready-to-use cloud computing curricula. This initiative aligns with FSU’s broader strategy to modernize research infrastructure.
Five FSU faculty members were celebrated at the event as they were awarded seed funding of up to $20,000 in AWS credits for research computing, sponsored by the FSU Division of Research and AWS. Award recipients represented departments across the university, with funding allocated to initiatives ranging from multi-physics simulations to large-scale training infrastructure.
Following the awards ceremony, attendees were invited to participate in a hands-on training session focused on an introduction to research computing on AWS.
The event reflected ITS’s dedication to fostering a skilled, cloud-savvy workforce and advancing academic research through secure, scalable cloud technologies.
Digital learning initiative invests in online course quality
The Office of Digital Learning and Academic Technology invests in online course quality through the FSU Online Quality Initiative. The initiative, which uses the nationally recognized Quality Matters rubric, provides a course review and certification process designed to improve student success in the online environment. “We’re proud of the partnership between the ODL instructional development team and FSU instructors and how the resulting quality courses help improve student learning experiences and outcomes,” reflects Mary Eichin, ODL associate director.
50,000
To date, the initiative has produced 164 quality course certifications and impacted over 50,000 students.
98%
The average course accessibility score improves from 72% before course certification to 98% after, for a 26% improvement, helping ensure all students can participate in quality learning experiences.
>12
More than a dozen colleges across the FSU Tallahassee and Panama City campuses have participated in the initiative.
ITS pilots academic integrity tools
In Spring 2025, the Office of Digital Learning and Academic Technology piloted two academic integrity tools, Akindi and Respondus LockDown Browser.
Akindi, a web-based scanning tool, offers instructors an efficient and secure way to scan tests. With one-click grade syncing in Canvas, Akindi simplifies the process of grading for both paper-based and online multiple-choice assessments, enabling instructors to skip the trip to the FSU Testing Center and scan forms from their home or office. Features like randomized questions help maintain academic integrity during testing, while enhanced data protections ensure the privacy and security of both test and tester data.
Respondus LockDown Browser can help mitigate cheating during exams by preventing access to applications or websites outside the Canvas learning management system. The tool can be helpful for securing exams administered in a proctored environment such as a classroom or testing facility.
As a result of the success of the pilots, FSU has invested in both tools, which will be available for university-wide use in Fall 2025.
New compute nodes boost computational performance
In Spring 2025, the Research Computing Center deployed 20 new compute nodes within the high-performance computing (HPC) cluster, each outfitted with two graphic processing unit (GPU) cards. This expansion increased the cluster’s total GPU capacity by 25,260 teraflops, delivering a substantial boost in computational performance for research.
With this upgrade, FSU researchers now have greater access to the computational power needed for cutting-edge projects in data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence and more. The expansion strengthens FSU’s ability to support large-scale, compute-intensive research across a wide range of disciplines.
Looking ahead, the RCC remains committed to enhancing the HPC environment to further empower research and innovation.
Technical workshops remove obstacles for university researchers
The Research Computing Center hosted a series of informative sessions throughout the academic year designed to help attendees deepen their understanding of various technical applications and research computing resources. Workshops included Introduction to Linux, Introduction to HPC, Introduction to Photogrammetry, Introduction to Databases and SQL, Intermediate Databases and SQL, Intermediate Python, HPC Drivers Ed in Canvas and a Perforce TotalView Webinar.
The 2025 sessions were a success, drawing 195 online and in-person participants. These sessions, which the Research Computing Center has been conducting for over a decade, help attendees build their skills and stay informed in an ever-evolving technology market. Feedback from participants highlighted the practical value and engaging format of each session. “Through workshops, training and other outreach efforts, the RCC aims to remove obstacles and connect scientists and students with the computational resources for their research,” explains Casey McLaughlin, research technology specialist.
ITS presents on AI and immersive media at Faculty Innovators Chats
This spring, two ITS staff members took the spotlight at FSU Faculty Innovators Chats, informal sessions hosted in the Innovation Hub. These events are designed to support faculty in exploring and implementing academic innovation.
January 29
Dr. John L. Crow, instructional development faculty, discussed AI in the classroom, highlighting tools like automated grading, personalized learning systems and the ethical implications of AI in education.
March 19
Derek Kooi, emerging technology developer, presented on Microsoft Mesh and immersive media, showcasing how mixed reality and virtual environments can transform professional and educational spaces through collaborative, interactive experiences.
These appearances elevated the visibility of central ITS and reinforced our role as a leader in academic innovation and emerging technology.
Immersive AI environment transforms student training for College of Social Work
The FSU College of Social Work received national recognition when it launched an AI-powered virtual training environment to enhance child welfare education. In a unique partnership, ITS collaborated with the Florida Institute for Child Welfare to launch the platform and prepare students for real-world fieldwork.
The immersive platform uses the technology of MeetKai, a world-leading AI-metaverse company, to immerse social service workers in realistic, scenario-based environments. The training environment enables students to identify red flags they may encounter on a child welfare or other home visit, preparing them for real-world situations from the safety of a virtual environment.
The platform, which leverages cutting-edge 3D graphics and AI-powered engagement, transforms the conventional learning environment. “The goal of the platform is to create what we believe is the next phase of higher education,” explains Peter John Alexander, MeetKai chief business officer. “We believe the convergence of AI and these immersive-type experiences will be fundamental into the future.”
The training environment exemplifies the university’s commitment to adapt student learning to ever-changing technologies.
"By leveraging the latest tools and capabilities, we aim to set the trend and help others across the country and the globe follow our lead,” said Jonathan Fozard, associate vice president and chief information officer at FSU.
AWS certifications empower employees with cloud proficiency
The ITS Professional Development Bonus Plan empowers team members to pursue professional and personal growth by rewarding team members for obtaining certifications on newly acquired skills. ITS continues to champion cloud proficiency and fluency through its support of Amazon Web Services certifications, a highly sought-after skillset in the past year.
12
Twelve unique AWS certifications, ranging from AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner to AWS Solutions Architect, are available to ITS staff for professional development bonus awards.
$8,000
As part of the ITS Professional Development Bonus Plan, $8,000 was awarded to ITS staff members who earned AWS certifications in FY2025.
$78,000
A total of $78,000 was paid out in professional development bonuses to ITS employees during FY2025, reinforcing the ITS commitment to continuous learning and technical excellence.
Florida Virtual Campus Annual Report
Florida Virtual Campus provides educational support services to Florida’s public postsecondary institutions, technical colleges and centers and K-12 school districts, serving more than 1.3 million students, faculty and staff across the state. Find out more about how FLVC creates essential educational tools and resources to support Florida’s students, teachers and administrators.
ITS is making headway (and headlines) with AI and immersive media in higher ed.
New website serves as hub of AI innovation
FSU is pursuing innovation in artificial intelligence in a campus-wide initiative to shape the future of teaching and learning. As part of the initiative, ITS partnered with faculty and administration from across the university to create a central website for AI-related resources. The website—ai.fsu.edu—is designed to support the university community in the effective and ethical use of AI technologies for teaching, learning, research and workflow.
We were excited to collaborate with campus partners in developing a dedicated website to provide guidance to students, instructors and staff with the ever-evolving technologies of AI.
The website provides guidelines, policies, tools and training for students, faculty and staff. It also features the latest news and events, wide-ranging creative projects and individual pursuits in innovation. Featured projects include the ITS partnership with Microsoft to bring Microsoft Copilot Studio into university operations and integrating AI into the classroom.
Immersive media environment opens doors to virtual collaboration
Florida State University is stepping into the future with the launch of a pilot program for Microsoft Mesh—an immersive, mixed-reality platform that redefines how we connect, learn and innovate on campus. Powered by cloud-based technology, Mesh enables students, faculty and staff to create and explore custom 3D environments where distance disappears and interaction feels real. Whether attending a virtual lecture, hosting a global research meeting or designing a collaborative workspace, users can engage through lifelike avatars and shared virtual spaces using a computer or VR device.
This initiative, led by ITS, opens the door to transformative teaching and learning experiences that transcend traditional boundaries. From reimagining classroom discussions to building global academic communities, Mesh positions FSU at the forefront of immersive education.
Data vault accelerates university data processing and outcomes
The FSU data vault is a secure, centralized hub for all of FSU’s data, from student records and research data to operational insights and institutional knowledge. It acts as a modern digital library that safely organizes and stores all of our university's valuable information.
300,000,000
The data vault grew considerably in the past year, with one recent addition of HR data containing 300 million rows of live, revolving data.
1.4TB
This data repository safeguards over 1.4 terabytes of compressed historical data, supporting long-term compliance and preserving audit-ready access from a centralized cloud-based archive.
70%
Since its launch, the FSU data vault has yielded up to a 70% improvement in processing times and 18% improvement in dashboard load times, streamlining archival workflows and reducing operational delays.
Strategic roadmap preps university for ERP modernization
As part of its ongoing digital transformation, FSU has taken a significant step toward modernizing university enterprise systems. In FY2025, ITS completed a comprehensive cloud enterprise resource planning (ERP) readiness assessment and proposed a strategic roadmap to guide the university’s transition from its legacy PeopleSoft environment to a modern, cloud-based ERP solution.
The assessment confirmed FSU has established a solid foundation for maintaining its existing enterprise platforms, including consistent upgrades and timely maintenance. However, it also surfaced challenges stemming from extensive customizations that have added complexity and increased maintenance costs and hindered usability. Additionally, the assessment identified cultural and organizational readiness as key risk factors. Specific concerns included limited staff capacity, intricate business processes, inconsistent data governance practices and resistance to change rooted in long-standing, linear workflows.
In response, FSU developed a phased ERP modernization roadmap designed to prioritize user experience and institutional alignment. The first phase, executive alignment and visioning, was completed in FY2025 and focused on securing leadership endorsement and presenting readiness findings. The next phase, stakeholder engagement and change readiness, will include workshops and communication strategies to build trust and address change resistance. Additional phases include vendor assessment and partner selection, user-centered discovery and design, full-scale UX modernization and continuous improvement and governance to ensure long-term adaptability and user satisfaction.
To support a smooth transition and maintain continuity, FSU currently plans to implement a phased rollout designed to balance risk, minimize disruption, reduce costs and ensure user experience remains central throughout the modernization effort.
By identifying challenges and opportunities early, FSU is positioning itself to modernize administrative functions, improve usability and support institutional growth in alignment with its strategic goals.
Softball and baseball sound system renovations promise next-level home field advantage
FSU softball and baseball have a long tradition of excellence on the field. That standard has much to do with the Seminole faithful—and their experience on game day. This year, ITS worked with Athletics to push that excellence even further. At the Seminole Softball Complex, an audio overhaul was overdue. Installing alongside our partners at Formetco, ITS used existing infrastructure to install additional speaker arrays next to the scoreboard. This points the music right at the fans, instead of over their heads. For baseball, ITS again worked with Formetco to install a temporary LED board in Haggard Plaza—an open space at the first base entrance where it is not always easy to see the on-field action. The board keeps fans connected to the game while grabbing their favorite concessions. This enhancement is the first step in future renovation plans for Dick Howser Stadium.
Low-code platform digitizes campus business processes
ITS is reshaping how Florida State University handles administrative processes through the implementation of the Decisions platform—a powerful, low-code tool designed to automate and streamline business workflows across campus.
In June 2025, ITS launched a new, automated membership form that replaced a PDF-based process used by departments and the FSU Controller’s Office to request and approve organizational memberships. The new digital form integrates directly with myFSU Financials, enabling real-time validation of chart field combinations and payment methods. With multi-tiered workflow approvals and automated file transfers, the system has significantly improved processing speed, accuracy and auditability.
Another initiative, developed in collaboration with the Office of Human Resources, digitizes the previously manual FMLA and parental leave request process. The digital form reduces submission errors, streamlines approvals and enhances tracking and reporting. “These efforts are a great example of how we are using low-code tools to deliver high-impact solutions across campus,” said a project stakeholder.
By empowering departments to design and manage their own workflows, ITS is leveraging the platform to build scalable, user-friendly tools that serve the entire campus community.
Custom app streamlines operations at Challenger Learning Center
ITS recently developed a new application for the Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee. This custom-built, all-in-one platform digitally transforms the Center’s processes and replaces legacy point of sale and scheduling systems. The new design integrates various operational tools into a unified interface tailored to the Center’s unique needs.
The app, which is anchored to the university’s customer relationship management platform, enables staff to easily plan events, book rooms and manage group visits through a flexible calendar system. It supports everything from one-time reservations to complex scheduling needs like overlapping events. Additionally, user-friendly digital forms allow staff to track and manage unique requests. Beyond that, a built-in movie schedule manager helps organize showtimes and coordinate logistics. Fully integrated with the broader system, it keeps ticket pricing and showtimes in sync, allowing for quick updates. The app also features a fast, secure checkout system that supports receipt printing, refunds and invoice tracking.
This app will improve the user and operator processes for the Challenger Learning Center.
FSU selected as finalist for Gartner innovation award
In 2024, ITS was honored as a finalist for a prestigious Gartner Eye on Innovation Award. The FSU AI Analytics Accelerator project was selected from over 2,700 global submissions for our use of AI in data analytics to improve student retention.
While FSU already boasts a 96% retention rate, the university set out to improve the retention of the remaining 4%. ITS partnered with the Office of the Provost and Office of Institutional Research and harnessed the power of AI to automate the creation of a predictive machine learning model capable of aggregating and analyzing billions of data points from across the university. What would have taken top data scientists months to realize, AI produced within minutes. The study found that students who enrolled in at least one 2000-level course during their first semester of college were more likely to graduate than those who did not take a 2000-level course. This finding, among others, empowers advisors and administrators to make data-informed decisions that directly support student success.
The recognition from Gartner not only validates ITS’s strategic vision but also positions the university as a leader in leveraging AI to drive institutional excellence. Through tools like the AI Accelerator, ITS is redefining how technology can be used to create meaningful, measurable impact in higher education.
ITS promotes AI Literacy Day
On March 28, National AI Literacy Day was celebrated as a nationwide initiative to promote awareness, understanding and thoughtful engagement with artificial intelligence. Here at ITS, we marked the occasion with a week-long series of activities designed to spark curiosity, encourage responsible AI use and inspire staff to explore how AI can enhance their work.
2
Two unique events were organized to engage students in AI literacy conversations: a campus tabling session and a coffee hour for ITS interns.
166
Over the course of five days, a new question was posed each day to ITS staff to spark thoughtful conversations around AI, generating a total of 166 interactions.
441
Daily AI tips were shared to ITS social media channels during the week to support learning and engagement, receiving 441 reactions, comments, shares and other interactions.
Self-service analytics enhance campus decision making
FSU adopted Snowflake in 2019, expanding its use rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The platform played a crucial role in monitoring student engagement, tracking infection trends and guiding classroom usage decisions during a critical period.
Today, Snowflake is central to FSU’s data strategy, supporting analytics and AI-driven initiatives across campus. Recently, ITS used Snowflake to complete the first phase of our data vault build. With most university data now stored on the platform, faculty and staff can request access through a simple form and receive customized data within five days. This is a dramatic improvement from the previous 90-day process.
This shift has enabled self-service analytics and significantly enhanced data discovery, decision-making and innovation across departments. Departments are using the platform to extract and analyze unstructured data in documents and media recordings. Since its implementation, Snowflake has expanded to connect over 47 campus systems, an 11x increase from the university’s former data platform.
As AI penetrates not just our work but also our lives, it’s important to have data available. We’re building on Snowflake as our data foundation to help us succeed in this evolving AI-centric world.
Snowflake’s built-in capabilities for AI, machine learning and natural language processing power a range of projects, from evaluating mental health services to driving 3D printing innovations.
By streamlining access and enabling advanced data use, Snowflake is helping FSU move faster, think smarter and innovate across every corner of campus.
NWRDC Annual Report
The Northwest Regional Data Center provides software, infrastructure, storage and other data center capabilities to Florida's higher education institutions, K-12 school districts and state and local government agencies. More than a traditional data center, NWRDC manages and optimizes cloud services at a significant savings for Florida public and non-profit organizations, saving customers $3.8 million annually. Find out more about the state of Florida's cloud broker.
ITS is aligning resources and new tools to boost campus security.
ITS awarded 2025 Foundry’s CSO Award for excellence in risk management
ITS continues to earn national recognition for its commitment to technology and cybersecurity excellence. Recently, the Information Security and Privacy Office (ISPO) was honored with the prestigious 2025 Foundry CSO Award for excellence in risk management.
The award recognizes FSU’s Third-Party Risk Management Program, which was developed to enhance vendor security practices following a 2021 audit finding. The program ensures all third-party vendors undergo independent security audits and are assessed using a comprehensive, risk-based framework.
By combining independent security audit reviews and attack surface management scans of vendors who provide mission critical business services to FSU, the team has done a stellar job and is able to identify risk within our third parties, proactively assist them with remediation, and better protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of FSU systems and data.
This initiative has significantly strengthened the university’s ability to identify, assess and mitigate risks associated with external service providers, and has since become a cornerstone of FSU’s vendor security strategy.
Hackathon grooms future cybersecurity professionals
In February 2025, the ITS Information Security and Privacy Office (ISPO) hosted Florida State University’s Cybersecurity Club during their participation in the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Southeast Regionals Competition. The ISPO team collaborated with several club members in multiple preparatory sessions prior to the event, providing training and strategic guidance for the competition. ISPO organized practice sessions and supplied valuable resources and expertise that enhanced the team's readiness. Alex Morales and the Computing Technology Services team delivered essential technical support and workstations for both the practice sessions and the competition itself. Overall, ITS played a critical role in supporting the Cybersecurity Club throughout their preparation and participation in this year’s competition.
Cloud-based tool enables efficient remote management of university devices
This year, ITS took a major step forward in modernizing endpoint management by adopting Microsoft Intune, a cloud-based solution that simplifies the management and security of devices across campus and in a hybrid work environment.
The ITS Computing Technology Services team manages over 1,500 devices across two distinct Intune tenants. One tenant supports a K–12 implementation in Panama City with approximately 400 devices, while the other serves 1,100 devices across 30 different areas on the Tallahassee campus. This setup reflects the growing need for flexible solutions that can support a diverse and distributed user base. As hybrid and remote work continue to shape how the university operates, having a cloud-based endpoint management tool like Intune is essential. Updates, security policies and support can all be delivered remotely, ensuring devices remain compliant and protected whether on campus or not.
For end users, this shift brings tangible benefits as well. New devices can be onboarded quickly and easily, and the majority of users have easy access to the software and updates they need to stay productive. The result is a smoother, safer more efficient experience that supports both the technical and practical needs of the FSU workforce.
Security platform built to stop breaches
Keeping tens of thousands of university machines secure creates a massive amount of data, and most of it is white noise. So, what is a well-intentioned information security professional to do? Enter Next-Gen security information and event management (SIEM) from CrowdStrike. This new tool is a force multiplier for the ITS Information Security and Privacy Office team. The tool simplifies the process of log parsing, aggregating mountains of raw security data into a single pane of glass. This approach streamlines cybersecurity event troubleshooting and incident prevention. On top of this, the tool allows more granular logging while proactively creating next steps for securing university systems. The bad guys never rest—but neither does the Next-Gen SIEM.
Updates to licensure program tool support federal compliance
In July 2024, ITS deployed important updates to the university’s licensure program management tool. The updates help the university comply with the latest federal regulations governing degree programs that lead to a professional license, such as nursing, teaching and civil engineering, and allow FSU to enroll out-of-state students.
Intended to strengthen financial protections for students, the regulations prevent institutions from enrolling a distance learning student in a program that does not meet the educational requirements for licensing in the student’s home state. The licensure program tool can now identify out-of-state applicants who are ineligible for enrollment based on federal regulations and notify the appropriate enrollment personnel.
The updates were the result of a collaboration between the Office of Digital Learning and Academic Technology, the Office of Compliance and Ethics, academic departments and enrollment personnel.
FSU aligns university IT resources
In 2024, Provost and Executive Vice President Jim Clark announced that IT units from across the university would join ITS to align critical technology resources and support. This decision was centered on enhancing the university’s cybersecurity posture and increasing efficiency in a rapidly changing digital world.
The alignment brings together units to more closely collaborate on important initiatives, such as security and compliance. This move has transformed fragmented systems into a unified powerhouse, streamlining operations, amplifying innovation and empowering teams to deliver scalable solutions while still providing localized support and expertise for specialized needs.
Since that announcement, more than two dozen university IT groups aligned with central ITS, growing the organization by more than 30% since 2023. Colleges and departments from as far and wide as The Ringling campus in Sarasota joined the team. With a combined 1,000+ employees, the expanded ITS is poised to better support the university’s strategic goals and pursuit of institutional excellence throughout the state of Florida. Thus far, the alignment has facilitated greater collaboration on university technological priorities, including piloting immersive technologies and advancing data sharing.
“ITS is thrilled to take on an expanding role in the advancement of technology resources and integrations at FSU,” says Fozard. “We look forward to continuing to collaborate with the broader university community to keep FSU at the forefront of innovation as we define the future of technology in higher education.”
ITS launches annual cybersecurity awareness training program
In response to rising cyberattacks, ITS introduced an annual cybersecurity awareness training program for all university employees in Spring 2025. The interactive training covers essential cybersecurity topics, including phishing, malware and identity theft. The training is designed to equip employees with essential knowledge and skills to recognize and respond to common cyberthreats and safeguard sensitive information. In alignment with the university’s IT Security and Privacy Training Standard, all faculty and staff are required to complete the training each year. Cybersecurity is a constantly evolving threat, and everyone must do their part to keep FSU safe. Together, we can ensure a safer digital environment for FSU.
Agentic AI platform accelerates threat detection and response time
Additional university funding for cybersecurity enabled ITS to deploy Charlotte AI, a generative AI security analyst developed by CrowdStrike. The platform is designed to enhance cybersecurity operations by automating detection, triage and response tasks and empowering users—regardless of technical background—to interact with complex security data through intuitive, natural language prompts.
>98%
The tool uses agentic AI to triage security detections with over 98% accuracy, eliminating false positives and escalating only confirmed, critical threats.
<60 minutes
Charlotte AI acts as a force multiplier, streamlining workflows and accelerating response times and triage to occur within one hour.
20 minutes
Since its implementation, Charlotte AI has cut workload in half, saving nearly 20 minutes on each positive detection and demonstrating measurable impact on operational efficiency and team performance.
Network upgrade strengthens campus cybersecurity
In June 2025, ITS performed a major network upgrade to enhance the university’s cybersecurity protection.
The upgrade replaced the university's firewall and intrusion prevention system—enhancing threat detection, streamlining security operations and enabling faster, more intelligent responses to evolving cyber risks.
No small feat, the upgrade required extensive reconfiguration of the FSU network, requiring ITS to map a new network architecture and work with Florida LambdaRail to reconfigure internet connections to the Northwest Regional Data Center and Robert Shaw Building.
The end result? Network connections at the NWRDC were upgraded to 100 gigabits, allowing for significantly faster data transfer speeds and improved performance for processing large volumes of data and supporting advanced technologies.
The upgrade also increased network redundancy by dividing internet traffic between two complexes, thus reducing the risk of losing internet access on campus.
This critical upgrade not only protects sensitive data and academic resources but also empowers ITS to build a more resilient, future-ready campus infrastructure.
ITS is making a name for itself on campus and across the nation.
RISE Together Showcase promotes innovation and professional development
In April 2025, ITS hosted the second annual RISE Together Showcase, a half-day technology conference designed to foster collaboration and professional growth across the newly expanded ITS and broader FSU campus community.
The event featured a dynamic lineup of professional development sessions covering a wide range of topics, including an introduction to Microsoft Mesh, designing for accessibility and implementing agentic AI workflows. The afternoon was divided into three time blocks, each offering five concurrent sessions—for a total of 15 unique learning opportunities. Attendees could choose sessions based on their interests or follow one of four thematic tracks: AI and Automation, Emerging Tech at FSU, Professional Development and ITS Highlights.
As part of the event, participants enjoyed a dedicated break for networking and continuing conversations sparked during the sessions. This intermission also offered a chance to explore the Intern Showcase, where interns presented their hard work over the semester.
ITS receives global recognition for investing in employee growth
For the second year in a row, ITS took center stage at the annual EDUCAUSE conference, recognized for its bold strategies and unwavering commitment to “Putting People First.” Featured during the keynote on the top 10 issues facing higher education, ITS was lauded for our comprehensive framework designed to prepare staff for leadership in innovation and excellence—efforts that have resulted in employee retention being at an all-time high.
Through initiatives like the ITS Internship Cohort program and a renewed focus on continuous learning, the team is building a resilient talent pipeline and adapting to the fast-paced digital landscape.
“We launched a new IT strategy to rethink our investments by creating a professional development and retention plan for each employee. This effort went beyond the traditional IT and focused on how we invest in one of our most valuable assets—our people,” explained Jonathan Fozard, FSU associate vice president and chief information officer.
Microsoft spotlights ITS for transforming education with AI
In early 2025, Microsoft visited FSU and interviewed faculty and staff who are revolutionizing AI on campus.
Rebekah Dorn, senior director for strategy and outreach, recalled how ITS chose Microsoft 365 Copilot to lead the effort to launch an AI pilot. As part of the pilot, several faculty members fed course content into Microsoft Copilot and made the resulting AI available to faculty and students to experiment with in classes.
FSU is leading its peers by applying AI in real-world, use-case-driven scenarios—moving beyond flashy demos to deliver meaningful, measurable impact in the classroom and beyond.
“We need to figure out how to engage our faculty as active participants in ... piloting testing technologies and evaluating technologies—seeing what works, seeing what doesn’t,” explained Paul Marty, professor and associate vice provost for academic innovation. “That’s how educational technology is going to succeed.”
Chief Information Officer Jonathan Fozard summarized how rapid the change of technology is in higher education and how ITS is working to ensure AI tools are available to students with every interaction.
ITS hosts CIOs from ACC schools
In Fall 2024, ITS hosted CIOs from 11 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) schools in Tallahassee to discuss the future of technology in higher education. During their visit, the group toured the FSU campus, the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and the Technology Services Building. These tours showcased the university’s strong commitment to advancing technology initiatives.
During the meeting, the CIOs exchanged ideas to enhance technology across higher education, addressed shared challenges and explored collaborative solutions. The CIOs also heard from Provost Jim Clark, who emphasized the vital role of technology in FSU’s continued growth and innovation.
It was an honor for FSU to host this distinguished group.
FSU leadership attends ITS town hall
On April 8, more than 400 ITS staff members turned out for the ITS Spring 2025 Town Hall.
Staff filled the seats at the FSU Civic Center to attend a panel with university leaders, President Richard McCullough and Provost and Executive Vice President James Clark, moderated by CIO Jonathan Fozard. Both distinguished guests shared their backgrounds and pathways to their current leadership positions before discussing their views on emerging technologies. The discussion portrayed a strong commitment to technical innovation at FSU and support of the technology professionals leading the work across campus.
Following the inspirational panel with university leadership, CIO Jonathan Fozard shared his vision for the year ahead, focusing on embracing emerging technologies and establishing communities of practice to rise to new heights.
More than just a meeting, the town hall was a catalyst for connection, collaboration and innovation. It brought together teams to celebrate progress, spark new ideas and visualize the future of IT on campus.
New tool modernizes student degree planning and enrollment
ITS launched Stellic, a new degree management tool, in February 2025 to enhance the academic planning and registration experience for undergraduates. The new platform consolidates legacy tools and PeopleSoft functionality into a unified, student-centered system to offer a modern, intuitive interface that clearly presents degree requirements.
11,000
Within the first two weeks of opening, over 11,000 undergraduate students accessed the platform, including nearly 5,000 students on the first day enrollment appointments opened.
450
The platform has also been accessed by 450 staff members to support undergraduate student degree progression, improving communication between students and advisors.
183,000
To date, 74% of active undergraduate students have accessed the platform, planning over 183,000 courses for Fall 2025, laying the groundwork for future onboarding of graduate, law and medical students to advance degree progression and planning for all.
ITS honors veterans with plaque dedication ceremony
In May 2025, Information Technology Services (ITS) honored our 56 veteran employees with a ceremony unveiling a bronze veterans plaque outside the Technology Services Building in Tallahassee. The event included remarks from CIO Jonathan Fozard and ITS veterans Andy Zimmerman and Tom Morgan and concluded with an official ribbon cutting for the plaque. Following the ribbon-cutting, guests gathered for refreshments and a special presentation highlighting the branch, length of service and a brief bio of each ITS veteran. The event was well attended, with ITS veterans representing nearly all U.S. armed forces.
“After serving 23 years in the Navy and retiring as a senior chief, I’ve come to deeply understand the dedication, the sacrifices and the unwavering sense of duty that defines our armed forces,” said ITS employee Andy Zimmerman. “It’s a commitment that never really ends, an oath that we continue to uphold, and it deserves lasting recognition.”
To all veterans—your sacrifice, dedication and courage inspire us all.
ITS internship app connects managers with student talent
The new ITS Intern Connect app, co-developed by two of our own student interns, launched in Spring 2025 with great success. This launch marked a major milestone in ITS supporting the Intern Cohort program, providing a centralized platform for ITS staff and campus technology partners to request interns for the upcoming Fall 2025 semester. With over 60 new submissions and continued interest from returning managers, ITS will host more than 125 student interns in the Fall 2025 semester. Excitingly, the app also successfully matched 10 internship scholarship slots, after receiving an overwhelming 24 requests from campus partners. “Intern Connect has transformed how we support and scale our intern program,” says Sara Mischler, ITS outreach coordinator and intern director. “Built by interns for interns, it’s streamlined our hiring process and deepened engagement across ITS and campus partners.” The volume of requested positions and staff engagement with the app exhibit the high demand for FSU student interns.
ITS Automates Immunization Compliance
ITS collaborated with University Health Services to automate the retrieval of immunization records from the Florida SHOTS system. This secure, API-based integration replaced a previously manual and time-consuming process, accelerating both compliance verification and registration clearance and supporting student success from day one.
80-85%
Up to 85% of new FSU students are Florida residents eligible for automated immunization data retrieval, ultimately leading to an enhanced student experience through reduced delays in processing student onboarding paperwork.
50%
By May 2025, half of all students met all immunization compliance and verification requirements, eliminating the need to submit additional documentation.
>1,000
This reduction in paper submissions of immunization data not only saves FSU staff more than 1,000 hours annually from manual data entry but also improves data accuracy and compliance with state immunization records standards.
ITS powers launch of StarRez housing portal
ITS played a pivotal role in the successful implementation of StarRez, the university’s new centralized housing portal for on-campus students. Designed to streamline the student housing experience, StarRez allows students to manage contracts, roommate preferences, assignments and payments through a single, user-friendly interface.
The 2025-2026 University Housing contract for the newly admitted class of 2029 launched in StarRez in February 2025. This marked the first major student-facing process conducted through the new software. The rollout was highly successful, with University Housing receiving over 5,500 contracts in just one week. This strong response highlights the system's effective configuration and its ability to efficiently manage high-volume activity.
ITS collaborated closely with University Housing to ensure the platform’s secure integration with FSU’s systems. From infrastructure readiness to data migration and user authentication, ITS teams provided the technical backbone that made the transition smooth and reliable. As the StarRez portal becomes the standard for housing operations, ITS continues to support its evolution—ensuring FSU students have the tools they need to thrive on campus.
An inside look at the culture of ITS
"It's not just a workplace. It can be something more. It's a community." - Marcelina Nagales, Scientific Applications Manager
ITS is home to a diverse group of more than 850 professionals who all bring unique strengths and valuable perspectives to the table.
Our team is talented, driven and passionate about what we do.
By changing the paradigm from basic technical support to an involved campus partner, ITS is a dynamic team dedicated to innovation, collaboration and excellence.
"ITS is constantly finding ways to elevate each other and finding ways for us to grow and rise a little bit higher each and every time," says Rachel Stys, College of Law IT manager.
To showcase the synergy and camaraderie of ITS, we created a feature video that takes an inside look at the heart of our team and culture that drives us forward. "WE are ITS" takes viewers behind the scenes of ITS, showcasing the people, partnerships and passion that powers the technology behind FSU. Produced by ITS interns, the video shares the experiences and insights of ITS staff members and features footage from ITS networking and team-building events.
In addition to the video, ITS features monthly staff spotlights in our PursuITS newsletter. These features deep dive into the work, lives and journeys of our brilliant staff—helping paint the picture of the diverse people who make up our organization.
ITS is converging technology and teamwork to shape the future.
Reimagined apps and systems take customer interactions one step further
ITS is exploring new systems and solutions that cater to the needs of the FSU community.
In the year ahead, myFSU Portal will undergo a transformative redesign aimed at delivering highly personalized user experiences. The updated portal will feature a dynamic mix of widgets and customizable quick links, enabling users to tailor their interface to meet individual needs and preferences. System integrations will enable users to surface personalized content, including grades, assignments, timesheets and more directly in the portal. By prioritizing accessibility and customization, the new Portal will serve as a strategic hub for meaningful digital interactions across the university community.
ITS is also collaborating with the Division of University Advancement to create and implement a custom customer relationship management system for the FSU Foundation, Alumni Association, Boosters and all FSU colleges and departments. The new system will incorporate custom workstreams for managing events, campaigns, gift processing and memberships. The overall goal is to ensure a thoughtful yet efficient transition to a new way of doing business with modern technology and simplified business processes and usher in new ways of sharing data and donor insights. Additionally, ITS and Advancement are conducting discovery workshops and planning sessions for a new donor portal that will enhance the overall donor experience.
In the year ahead, personalized content and intentional connections will drive the success of digital interactions.
Popular products and pastimes guide technology service offerings
Current trends and campus feedback are shaping the future of technology at FSU.
ITS is partnering with Google to launch Google Workspace for Education at FSU. Through this collaboration, students, faculty and staff will receive access to a suite of Google tools, including Docs, Drive, Gemini and NotebookLM. This offering is designed to foster easier collaboration, streamline communications and support academic and professional success in a secure, cloud-based environment.
Over the last decade, eSports at FSU has flourished as a student-driven initiative across campus. To support this momentum, ITS partnered with the Division of Student Affairs and Facilities to launch the Garnet Gaming Lounge—an exclusive space for individual and competitive play. The lounge will house 30 high-performance gaming stations complete with PCs, monitors and peripherals. A dedicated shoutcaster station will allow for live commentary and match analysis, amplifying the competitive energy. The lounge will serve as the home of the FSU eSports team, which participates in competitions across more than 15 games each year, and the grand opening is scheduled for Fall 2025. This lounge aims to foster a dynamic, tech-forward community that enhances student engagement and learning through innovation.
These initiatives reflect ITS’s ongoing commitment to provide technology solutions and spaces that meet the FSU community where they are.
AI pilots and tools fuel digital transformation at FSU
ITS is helping shape a culture focused on continued AI innovation and ethical use.
Early adopters’ groups will offer virtual environments where faculty and staff can share their AI discoveries and practices—from insights on generative AI prompt writing to example use cases. AI is being integrated into university instruction and operations, with focused efforts on training and customer service.
Ruby v2 will make its debut throughout 2025. While the original AI-driven, rules-based chatbot will still serve as an intake mechanism for the ITS Service Desk, it will also work as a customer-facing virtual agent, surfacing myFSU Service Center FAQs that help customers find resolutions faster. Ruby is also being extended to other units on campus, enabling departments like The Graduate School and Procurement Services to integrate the chatbot into their websites and help customers find answers to specific questions. As Ruby ingests more articles, its reach and issue resolution ability will grow, empowering the FSU community to self-serve a wide range of needs and allowing support staff to get to the bottom of more complex issues.
To promote responsible use of AI, ITS will continue to collaborate with representatives across the university to develop AI policy and guidelines, establishing the Artificial Intelligence in Education Advisory Committee and AI Policy Working Group.
These initiatives will spark a wave of bold—and responsible—innovation at FSU.
Intentional forums curate a culture of collaboration
“If you build it, they will come.”
ITS staff are highly skilled professionals with a wealth of experience and knowledge to share. As the organization continues to grow and welcome new talent, it is important to provide an outlet to allow staff to connect with their peers and share new insights. Recognizing this need, ITS will launch a new Communities of Practice program in the year ahead. This initiative aims to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing and professional growth by connecting staff members with shared interests and expertise. These networks provide a platform for meaningful discussions, innovative ideas and collective problem-solving.
In conjunction, a renovated lobby and next-gen welcome experience will greet visitors to the Technology Services Building, setting the tone for the tech-forward gatherings the building will host. The progressive design will feature a smart check-in and nametag kiosk, lighted signage and a futuristic video wall. In addition, the Vires Conference Room will undergo major renovations, reconfiguring the room orientation to accommodate a large LED screen wall and speaking platform and flexible conference and workspace seating.
By encouraging a culture of collaboration and the space to do so, ITS is transforming our workplace into a modern gathering space and hub for visionary thinking.
ITS employees are recognized for their expertise within the field.
Presentations, Publications and Awards
Over the past year, ITS has elevated FSU's national profile by showcasing the depth and breadth of our team’s expertise. We proudly recognize the exceptional contributions of ITS staff who have shared their knowledge through high-impact presentations, scholarly publications and instructional leadership, positioning FSU as a leader in the field of technology.
Teodora Abrams, Christopher Riley, India Bryant, “Design for All: Making Accessibility a No-Brainer,” FSU RISE Together Showcase
Jonathan Banks, HEUG HCMS Community of Practice Panel, HEUG Alliance 2025
Grace Bayliss, Kyla Cacoilo, Rebekah Dorn, Kathy Wilkes, User Experience Career Panel, UX Collective
Arthur Cooper, Exemplary Service Award in the Technology Services Category, FSU Academic Affairs Employee Awards
John L. Crow, “Integrating AI in Online Humanities Courses: Challenges and Future Directions,” FSU RISE Together Showcase
Amado Cruz, “Sunapsis Database Migration Mistakes to Avoid,” International Office Connection
Rebekah Dorn, “Change Management – The Secret Ingredients to Success,” Common Solutions Group
Rebekah Dorn, “Customer Connection: Navigating GenAI in Higher Education “Microsoft Reimagined,” EDUCAUSE
Rebekah Dorn, LIS5255 IT and the Elderly
Rebekah Dorn, “Turbocharge Your Talent Pipeline: Unleash Success with Innovative Strategies!,” EDUCAUSE
Ronald Fowler, Pramodh Sairam Punjai Venkataraman, Jorge Merlano, “Data Vaults in Higher Education: Bridging Business and IT,” FSU RISE Together Showcase
Mitch Gans, Dina Vyortkina, Daynah Blake, Amy Finley, Mehmet Oztan, Kev Sullivan, 2024 Florida TaxWatch Productivity Award
Chris Hart, “Breaking Away from The "Prison of 2 Ideas" in IT,” FSU RISE Together Showcase
Chris Hart, “Who Is Your ‘Wilson?’: Building an Apple IT Coalition,” MacAdmins Conference 2024
Ken Higgins, All-Star Award, FSU Academic Affairs Employee Awards
Breeze Howard, Nicholas Voran, James Cox, Bret Whissel, Corey Webster, “Unleashing IT Automation Power,” FSU RISE Together Showcase
Bill Hunkapiller, Jeremy Anderson, Keith Bennett, Award for Excellence in Risk Management, Foundry’s CSO
Bill Hunkapiller, LIS3021 Technical Communications for the Information Professions
Rutuja Jagtap, Gavin McDavitt, Jody O'Steen, “Ruby v2: The Next Generation,” FSU RISE Together Showcase
Drew Kocur, “Going Deeper: Immersive Media and Virtual Reality at FSU,” FSU RISE Together Showcase
Derek Kooi, Zachary Greif, Jason Hamilton, “Microsoft Mesh and Immersive Media,” FSU RISE Together Showcase
Casey McLaughlin, Marcelina Nagales, Alex Birkovsky, Paul van der Mark, Alex Townsend, “Research Computing Center 2025 RISE Update,” FSU RISE Together Showcase
Jorge Merlano, “Automate Your Way to Happiness,” FSU RISE Together Showcase
Sara Mischler, Elyse Walcott, Matthew Hummel, “Innovative Interns: Developing the ITS Intern Application,” FSU RISE Together Showcase
Alex Morales, Corey Webster, “Our Approach to Endpoint Security and Central Computer Management,” EDUCAUSE
Amol More, Sridhar Vaggu, “Digital Transformation of Coastal Marine Labs' Reservation System with Salesforce” Higher Ed Dreamin’
Anne Neidhardt, Tom Morgan, “How Can I Request (and Fund) New Technology Project Ideas?” FSU RISE Together Showcase
Matthew Pouliotte, “How I Really Learned Python by Solving Sudoku,” FSU RISE Together Showcase
Bobby Sprinkle, “Better, Faster, Cheaper: How AI and RPA Drive Productivity and Minimize Risks,” Florida Government Finance Officers Association
Bobby Sprinkle, “Information Privacy, Security, Legal and Ethical Concerns,” AIMLx25
Rachel Stys, Dave Borschel, “Best of Both Worlds: A Hybrid Approach to University IT Support,” EDUCAUSE
Sathish Sundaramoorthy, “Bridging AI and ERP: A Deep Dive into LLM Integration with Peoplesoft,” Alliance 2025 & Oracle BLUEPRINT 4D
Sathish Sundaramoorthy, “Building Intelligent Systems: A Deep Dive into Agentic AI Workflows,” FSU RISE Together Showcase
Sathish Sundaramoorthy, “Exploring Generative AI for PeopleSoft: Opportunities and Real-World Use Cases,” Oracle BLUEPRINT 4D
Jen Swain, “Everyone Loves ERP,” Common Solutions Group
Dina Vyortkina, “AI in Education: Good, Bad and Ugly,” FSU RISE Together Showcase
Valeria Zuniga Urcuyo, Jeffrey A. Gabor Superior Accomplishment Award, FSU Academic Affairs Employee Awards
Credits
Writing
Grace Bayliss | ITS
Brandon Casey | ITS
Megan Del Debbio | ITS
Karen Hawkins | ITS
Emily Krna | ITS
Sarah Mahler | ITS
Cory Thorpe | ITS
Design
Derek Kooi | ITS
Gina Miller | ITS
Photography
Athletics Staff | ITS
Samantha Klupchak | ITS
Alexa Lowry | ITS
Clifford Stokes | ITS
