enhance learning and operations. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital transformation across institutions, and NCMC has embraced these changes to provide greater flexibility and connectivity. “COVID forced institutions to rethink how they use technology,” says Chief Information Officer Jennifer Triplett, referring to the pandemic as the primary trigger for NCMC’s current perspectives on technology usage. “We realized that we could think outside the box and operate and use technology in a way that gives people the flexibility they need to still be engaged on both the employment and student side,” Triplett says To ensure that it can provide such support, NCMC has leveraged both federal and state funding to modernize its data centers, networks, and cybersecurity measures. This helps students and faculty work efficiently both on and off campus. NCMC has also upgraded its learning management system, partnering with Brightspace by D2L to provide 24/7 support for students and faculty. “We are partners with Desire 2 Learn’s Brightspace tool… They provide an end-user support service. They help us extend the hours of our help desk and provide a direct connection between students and faculty with experts on their learning management system,” Triplett says. NCMC is also a member of some larger organizations, such as the state-based technology organization Morenet, which it subscribes to and collaborates with. That partnership provides everything from valueadded services, networking, and cybersecurity to training and other collaborations.The college is also a member of Educause, a global higher education institution specifically focused on technology and higher education. Educause is known for developing reliable standards 78 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 04
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx