Simpson College signed a five year contract with a third party vendor, Boldyn Network, to help improve the current information technology services (ITS) system starting Nov. 3. Boldyn Network works with businesses and schools and is a reputable source for achieving better virtual security, workload for staff and better school internet.
Lynne Jensen, Simpson’s Chief Information Officer (CIO), is overseeing the transition to working with Boldyn while also planning to retire at the end of the year. Jensen said she understands the need for third-party help with Simpson’s ITS.
“When I started about 10 years ago, we had about 14 people on our team to support the campus, and then through normal retirements and also some expense reductions that happened in the last few years, we’re down to 7,” Jensen said. “It’s become hard to continue to support everyone in the way that we want and to have the expertise that you need to resolve all the problems.”
With Jensen’s retirement, Boldyn employee David Hinson will be Simpson’s CIO replacement. Hinson is shared amongst other schools as well, since being the CIO for a smaller campus isn’t a full time job.
“Before we signed a contract he has been very helpful to us providing advice,” Jensen said. “He’s also been really good at looking at all of the things that we have on our project list or issues we’re addressing and trying to help us find solutions.”
Jensen is aware of the campus Wi-Fi shortcomings and is hopeful Boldyn will be able to help the college. He hopes to work on the Wi-Fi as soon as winter break.
“That’s a big thing that as we talk to about 14 or 15 other colleges that use Boldyn, all of them raved about it,” Jensen said. “They said the calls that came from students went from a lot to a little.”
The freshman dorms may be the first target for upgrading the campus Wi-Fi. This may take time, though, as transitioning Simpson’s entire ITS system will be a slow transition.
With this transition, Simpson is letting go of the Chief Information Security Officer, Dan Sloan, as his role will be fulfilled by Boldyn. Sloan and the staff have been aware of and working towards partnering with Boldyn since last April, so this did not come as a surprise to the staff.
“Right now, much of what we do is reactive, because we don’t have the time or personnel to be proactive,” Sloan said. “By bringing in this outside entity, we have the potential to have a really expansive force in the background and take a lot of that load off so we can get things done.”
The ITS staff will stay at Simpson going forward, but the school’s services will operate under Boldyn with a new and improved system.
