Photo by Russell Bailey
November 17, 2022
Wil Clark named SIU’s chief information officer
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Wil Clark, who has served as Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s chief information officer on an interim basis since December 2021, has been named to the permanent position, effective, November 4.
Clark came to SIU as the technology services director within the Office of Information Technology (OIT) in September 2017 and has been interim chief information officer and interim director of Institutional Effectiveness, Planning and Research since last December. Clark was hired following a nationwide search.
The CIO serves as the chief fiscal and administrative officer of the OIT and participates as a member of Chancellor Austin A. Lane’s executive cabinet.
“We are excited for Wil to lead the many facets of our technology and information department,” Lane said. “He has demonstrated an ability to work with all departments to help enable their success through better and different use of technology. He will play a key role as we continue to implement Imagine 2030.”
The CIO also provides leadership in IT and information security, including strategic planning, managing the Office of Information Technology, project management, purchasing and vendor relations. The CIO also works collaboratively with administrators, deans, directors, faculty, academic and administrative staff and students in identifying and implementing effective uses of technology and in enhancing information security.
“The opportunity to make an impact at SIU Carbondale was the most attractive aspect of this position,” Clark said. “As with many public institutions, SIU must leverage its resources, centers of excellence, reputation and skills to bring its best product in teaching, learning, research and service. My personal values align greatly with the mission of higher education.”
Clark oversees more than 80 full-time employees in the OIT in addition to 60 student employees. He has more than 25 years of experience in public sector education “aligning technology to facilitate university goals and outcomes.”
Clark noted his experience in IT service management and said over the next several months he will meet with many constituents to listen to their priorities and expects that will “confirm input we have already gathered as well as expand our understanding of constituent needs and opportunities.”
Clark’s goals include:
- Gathering input for and producing an IT strategic plan.
- Establishing an IT governance structure that represents the voices of IT customers throughout campus and increasing transparency for constituents.
- Developing a sustainable IT infrastructure funding model that is responsive to the current realities of SIU Carbondale’s technology needs and prepares for the future as articulated in the university’s Imagine 2030 strategic plan.
- Laying out an achievable roadmap from the university’s most critical IT system investments that improve student information systems and brings true digital transformation to SIU’s business processes.
Prior to coming to SIU Carbondale, Clark spent the bulk of his academic and professional career at the University of North Texas, where he served as director of IT Service Management for the University of North Texas System from November 2011 to November 2016, and as information technology director at the University of North Texas Dallas from December 1999 to November 2011. He also worked as a student computing services manager and general access lab manager at the university. Clark also served as information technology director at Jarvis Christian College.
Clark earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of North Texas and has graduate coursework in learning technologies also from the University of North Texas.