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Ohio State Names Michael Hofherr CIO

• By Rhea Kelly
• 03/17/14

Michael Hofherr has been named vice president and chief information officer at The Ohio State University, effective March 1.

Hofherr joined Ohio State in 2011 as director of learning technology, and became associate vice president for distance education and e-learning in 2013. He has served as interim CIO since June 2013.

"I am pleased that Mike Hofherr has agreed to serve as vice president and CIO," said Joseph Steinmetz, executive vice president and provost at the university, in a press release. "He has successfully moved the university's learning technology initiatives forward, and provided extraordinary leadership as interim CIO. I look forward to continuing our work together."

As CIO, Hofherr will be responsible for coordinating information technology across the university, which includes a medical center and five regional campuses with about 35 IT organizations and 1,200 IT staff. His duties include supporting and enhancing the university's academic computing needs as well as distance education and e-learning initiatives.

In Hofherr's three years at Ohio State, he has helped transform educational technology at the university. As associate vice president for distance education and e-learning, he was responsible for distance education initiatives and learning technology in the classroom. As senior director for learning technology, he spearheaded the Digital First initiative, an effort to optimize wireless and classroom technology and introduce more digital learning content, and expanded the Impact Grant program, which supports faculty using technology to increase student engagement. He also led a classroom technology transformation that resulted in more than $2 million in savings while improving services.

"I'm excited and grateful for the opportunity to lead the university's information technology enterprise," said Hofherr in a prepared statement. "Ohio State is on a remarkable path in integrating learning with technology and I look forward to continuing our progress."'

Hofherr earned his Bachelor of Science degree in communications media from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Master of Science degree in instructional systems from Pennsylvania State University.