Date: Jun 02, 2009

Hofstra Honored by CIO Magazine with CIO 100 Award for Innovative Technology

Virtual lab and mobile computing capabilities cited

Robert Juckiewicz, Vice President for Information Technology is pictured with Maryfran Johnson, Editor-In-Chief, CIO Magazine

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY – A project giving Hofstra students virtual lab and mobile computing capabilities to access academic software from any location on campus earned the University a spot on CIO magazine’s list of the top 100 companies that are creating new business value through technological innovations.

"This prestigious award is quite an honor and it recognizes our innovative work in testing and implementing our Virtual Lab system for students to access their academic software from anywhere," said Robert W. Juckiewicz, Hofstra's Vice President for Information Technology. "This is just one component of an ongoing strategy to support students who use technology ubiquitously and constantly for academic, social and work needs. Over 90% of incoming freshmen come to campus with a laptop; almost all carry a mobile phone. Recognizing this, Hofstra is working to create a fully mobile learning environment for students, so that all services are available to our students wherever they are in the world.":

"Being honored by CIO magazine along with some of the nation’s most innovative and tech-savvy companies and not-for-profits demonstrates Hofstra's ongoing commitment to providing our students with cutting edge technology and state-of-the-art learning facilities,"said Hofstra President Stuart Rabinowitz.

The top CIO 100 list includes AT&T, Dell, GE Energy, Infosys Technologies, JetBlue, Raytheon, T-Mobile, UPS, the U.S. Army Armament Research Development and Engineering Center, and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Hofstra is one of only seven colleges and universities listed. A full list is available at: http://www.cio.com.

The creation of Hofstra’s Virtual Computer Lab provides mobile access to software from any device running a browser. In this manner academic software can be served to the entire student body of more than 12,000, where before they were limited to 1,600 fixed seats in computer labs.

Whether students are in class, in the library, in a dorm room, or at home the software is available. In addition, high speed wireless technology is available on campus. Through the campus portal, students seamlessly gain access to all the information resources important to them, including all library resources. Cloud computing, the idea of using available internet resources, is emerging as a cost effective means to fuel the mobile computing demand.

In partnership with Google, Hofstra provides students access to email, calendars and Google Apps where they can create documents and invite others to work collaboratively from any location. Further, the University has created ‘collaboratories”, innovative workspaces that utilize the latest software along with a physical environment to foster collaborative work among students. Hofstra utilizes the best technology from all major providers such as Microsoft, Cisco, Google and IBM. Local vendors such as Delta Computer, Blue Water and ComBell provide invaluable support of these cutting edge technologies as well.

Each year CIO magazine identifies and honors 100 organizations that have distinguished themselves by creating business value through the effective and innovative use of IT. These honorees were announced today at the CIO 100 Symposium and Awards Ceremony. The names of the 2009 CIO 100 honorees will be included in the June 1, 2009 issue of CIO magazine and honorees will also be featured in the August 1, 2009 issue of CIO magazine. Launched in 1987, CIO magazine addresses issues vital to the success of the Chief Information Officers worldwide. The magazine is published 18 times a year and distributed to 140,000 IT executives.

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from about 150 undergraduate and more than 160 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business; engineering; communication; education, health and human services; and honors studies, as well as a School of Law. With a student-faculty ratio of 14-to-1, our professors teach small classes averaging 22 students that emphasize interaction, critical thinking and analysis. Hofstra offers a faculty whose highest priority is teaching excellence. The University also provides excellent facilities with state-of-the-art technology, extensive library resources and internship programs that match students’ interests and abilities with appropriate companies and organizations. The Hofstra community is driven, dynamic and energetic, helping students find and focus their strengths to prepare them for a successful future.

Related Link: CIO 100 Winners: