U. of Arizona CIO celebrates wins, plots changes ahead
According to The University of Arizona’s interim chief information officer, the school has recently launched several major IT initiatives, including an email migration, a digital payment card system and an IT satisfaction survey yielding positive results.
In a question and answer piece published to the university’s website, Elliott Cheu explains how a recent migration project moved the email accounts of some 73,000 students from Google Gmail to Microsoft Outlook.
“Within a year, we will have moved 240,000 accounts,” he said. “These changes will end years of frustration with managing two platforms, and now we’re in a much better situation with a more secure, unified email system.”
He said he was also excited about the launch of Mobile CatCard, noting that 93% of incoming first year students are already using it. Cheu said abandoning physical cards is also better for the environment.
Campus feedback surveys show that the university’s core IT services are strong, he said, but that the university needs to do a better job with communicating. He said the survey also showed that researchers want better support for high-performance computing and clearer guidance on regulated data.
“We took that feedback seriously and have launched a strategy planning process to set clearer priorities and measurable goals that align with the university’s strategic imperatives,” he said. “That work includes simplifying services, strengthening governance and deepening partnerships. We’ll continue this work through the end of the year and plan to share the strategy with campus in February 2026.”
