Dr. Chrystle Ross, Professor of Business Information Technology at Abraham Baldwin College, has been selected to fill a new position as the Interim Executive Director, Office of Information Technology and Services (OITS), effective immediately.
ABAC President Mike Vollmer said the cabinet-level position for technology allows for greater emphasis on technology through increased communication, ensuring that technological needs are being recognized at the highest level within the institution.
"We hope this position will move the institution to the next level of technological advancement, creating a campus that embraces the value of technology, whether in the classroom, in the advising process, in increased offerings via a four-year information technology (IT) degree on campus through Macon State College, or in simply improving communications between student and professor," Vollmer said.
Ross holds an M.Ed degree and a BBA degree from Valdosta State University and an Ed.D. degree from Florida State University. She has completed several computer institutes provided by the University System of Georgia that provided a strong technical background in microcomputer applications. She also received Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) training for Microsoft networking and was among the first faculty members within ABAC's Division of Business Administration to offer web-enhanced course materials and on-line courses.
"This new position is one that I had hoped for because I saw so much capability and desire among the OITS staff to put ABAC in a position that other institutions would envy, knowing that we had been through the tough times but could be in a position to pave some new roads," Ross said.
Ross, who has been at ABAC for 22 years, worked as the college's first full-time Director of Institutional Research, a position that allowed her to learn about the entire college as well as the need for recognizing the relationship between planning and budgeting. She also served as the first Coordinator of Academic Computing. This position provided an opportunity for her to see first-hand what it takes to support the numerous labs on campus with a limited staff. In addition to these positions, Ross has also taught in ABAC's Division of Business Administration since 1981, moving up the ranks from instructor to professor.
Ross said technology on campus now has a stronger voice. She said budgets for new buildings will reflect the technological needs of the classrooms, offices, and residence hall rooms. Processes will be fine-tuned to ensure greater communication regarding requests for services. A recognition of the value of increased technologies in the classroom and web-enhanced learning technologies will be realized.
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