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Digital Layers and Human Ties: Navigating the CIO's Dilemma in Higher Education

As technology permeates every aspect of life on campus, efficiency and convenience may come at the cost of human connection and professional identity.

• By Steven D'Agustino, Ph.D., Timothy Winders, Ph.D.
• 09/20/24

In the digital age, the chief information officer (CIO) of a university faces a unique paradox: the very tools they implement to enhance efficiency, communication, and learning also risk eroding the human connections that are foundational to campus life. This dilemma — navigating a physical campus in an increasingly digital world — lies at the heart of the challenges facing higher education today. This tension echoes Adrienne Rich: "This is the oppressor's language yet I need it to talk to you." The very tools that empower faculty and staff to fulfill their roles also impose structures that can limit and shape their professional experiences in ways that are not always conducive to their well-being.

Consider a simple moment at a supermarket, where the line for the self-checkout snakes along, each person absorbed in the task of swiping items across the scanner and bagging their groceries with mechanical precision. The rhythm of this scene is only interrupted when a person, struggling to navigate the automated system, reaches out to a nearby employee for help. Their request, a simple plea for assistance, disrupts the flow. The collective discomfort among those waiting in line is palpable — muted sighs of impatience, narrowed eyes, and muttered comments. In this space, designed for efficiency and self-reliance, seeking human connection feels almost like a violation of the unspoken rules. The person's embarrassment as they apologize reflects a deeper truth: The technological layer that was supposed to simplify our lives has, in some ways, made us more isolated, more rigid, and less forgiving.

This supermarket scene, seemingly mundane, mirrors the broader challenges faced by university CIOs. As campuses become more digitally interconnected, this "technological layer" mediates almost every interaction between university personnel — staff, instructors, and administrators — and the broader academic institution. While this layer brings undeniable benefits, such as increased efficiency in administrative processes and enhanced communication tools, it also introduces new challenges, particularly in the realms of attention, professional identity, and well-being among university staff and instructors.

The Technological Layer and Its Impact on University Personnel

In this increasingly digital environment, where the traditional sense of community or shared purpose may be weakened, helping people feel like they are part of something becomes a significant challenge. When there is "no something" — no clear, cohesive community or shared mission — how do we help university personnel feel connected and engaged?

The technological layer permeates nearly every aspect of professional life on campus. Administrative tasks such as managing class schedules, tracking student progress, and communicating with colleagues are now primarily handled through online portals. While these systems offer convenience, they reduce face-to-face interactions, making these processes feel more mechanical and less personal. This shift from personal interaction to digital transaction can lead to a sense of disconnection among staff and instructors, who may feel isolated from their colleagues and students.

Imagine the experience of a university staff member who used to eagerly prepare for an annual professional development conference. The process began with a visit to their supervisor's office, where they would discuss the conference details and outline what they hoped to learn. This conversation often expanded into broader discussions about career goals and the evolving needs of their department. Upon returning from the conference, the staff member would share their insights with their supervisor, further deepening their connection to their work and their team.

However, with the shift to a more automated system, this interaction has been reduced to a mere transaction. Now, the staff member fills out an online form, detailing the conference and justification for attendance. The supervisor simply clicks a button — approve or deny — without any conversation or exchange of ideas. The efficiency of the process has stripped away the meaningful dialogue that once enriched the staff member's experience, leaving them feeling like a cog in a machine rather than a valued member of the team.

Impact on Professional Identity

This erosion of meaningful interactions is not just a logistical concern; it strikes at the heart of how university personnel, including both staff and CIOs, perceive and construct their professional identities. The technological layer, by mediating and often minimizing face-to-face interactions, creates an environment where performativity — the need to project a curated, idealized version of oneself — becomes increasingly pervasive.

The constant pressure to maintain a digital presence on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, or institutional websites can lead to a fragmented professional self. Judith Butler's concept of performativity, though originally focused on gender, is applicable here as it highlights how identity is constructed through repeated actions within a given cultural context. In the digital age, these actions are often mediated by technology, creating a tension between online personas and authentic professional expression.

For university staff, this digital performativity often leads to inauthentic professional expression. Staff members may feel compelled to maintain a curated online persona that aligns with perceived norms or expectations, which can create a disconnection between their true selves and the identities they project. This pressure to conform can result in increased stress and anxiety, as staff constantly manage their public image, fearing judgment or criticism from colleagues, students, and external audiences.

The consequences of this performative culture extend to the quality of professional relationships. Interactions become more superficial, as they are filtered through a lens of image maintenance rather than genuine connection. This can lead to feelings of alienation and isolation, as staff struggle to form meaningful bonds with colleagues when their interactions are driven by performative goals. Additionally, the fragmented sense of self that arises from balancing multiple online identities can impede professional growth, as staff may prioritize maintaining their image over pursuing opportunities for authentic development and learning.

Performativity also distracts from core job responsibilities. The time and energy spent curating an online presence can detract from the focus needed to excel in one's role, leading to decreased job satisfaction and a sense that one's true contributions are undervalued. Moreover, the pressure to appear flawless can discourage staff from taking risks or admitting mistakes, further stifling innovation and professional growth.

For CIOs, the stakes of performativity are equally high, albeit in different ways. As leaders tasked with steering their institutions through complex technological landscapes, CIOs may feel pressured to make decisions that enhance their public image or align with popular trends, rather than focusing on the institution's specific needs. This can lead to superficial engagement with technology trends, where new tools and systems are adopted more for their perceived cutting-edge appeal than for their actual utility.

The impact of performativity on CIOs extends to their leadership and decision-making processes. The need to maintain an idealized public image can create a disconnect between their authentic leadership style and the persona they project, eroding trust with their team and stakeholders. This focus on image can also drive CIOs to prioritize short-term wins and visible outcomes over long-term strategies that may be less immediately recognized but are crucial for the institution's future.

Furthermore, the performative pressure can compromise communication and collaboration within the organization. When CIOs are more concerned with impressing an audience than with fostering genuine understanding, it can lead to misalignment and reduced effectiveness in team efforts. The emphasis on maintaining a flawless image can also make it difficult for CIOs to acknowledge failures or learn from mistakes, hindering their ability to innovate and grow.

Performativity can create barriers between CIOs and their peers or subordinates, as they may be perceived as being more focused on their image than on the people they lead. This can lead to alienation and a lack of authentic feedback, as team members may hesitate to offer honest input for fear of disrupting the CIO's carefully curated image. Over time, this can undermine the CIO's credibility, as stakeholders begin to see through the performative facade and question the substance behind their leadership.

Mindfulness as a Counterbalance

Given the multifaceted challenges posed by the technological layer, it's clear that a holistic approach is required — one that addresses both the structural and cultural dimensions of university life. While technological solutions and strategic leadership are essential, they are not sufficient on their own. The human element must be carefully nurtured to counterbalance the pressures of performativity and the potential isolation created by digital tools. This is where mindfulness comes into play.

Mindfulness practices can also help university personnel navigate the tension between their online personas and authentic professional expression. Mindfulness, at its core, is the practice of being fully present and engaged in the moment, with an attitude of openness and non-judgmental awareness. It involves paying attention to one's thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations without being overwhelmed by them, allowing individuals to respond to situations with greater clarity and calm.

Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), emphasizes the importance of non-judgmental awareness, which can help individuals resist the pressures of digital conformity and engage more authentically with themselves and others. By fostering a deeper awareness of their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors both online and offline, staff and instructors can develop a more integrated sense of self, less swayed by the performative demands of digital platforms.

In addition to mindfulness, Sherry Turkle's work, particularly in Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age, offers another pathway to mitigating the effects of the technological layer. Turkle examines how technology affects our ability to connect meaningfully with others and advocates for reclaiming the art of face-to-face conversation, which is a form of mindful presence. Although not explicitly focused on mindfulness, Turkle's call to revive meaningful in-person dialogue aligns with mindfulness principles by emphasizing the importance of being fully present in our interactions. Encouraging faculty and staff to engage in more face-to-face conversations can help counteract the alienating effects of digital communication and foster a more connected and authentic campus environment.

Conclusion

Mindfulness is more than just a personal coping mechanism; it is a necessary counterbalance in an educational system increasingly dominated by technology. As the CIO would argue, fostering mindfulness and encouraging physical presence are both essential to preparing university personnel for the realities of a digital world. By integrating these practices into the workplace — not as optional add-ons but as core components of a holistic professional environment — universities can help staff and instructors develop the skills they need to manage the demands of technology while also enhancing their capacity for critical thinking, empathy, and self-awareness.

As university personnel, we have a responsibility to guide each other through the complexities of the digital age, helping to harness the benefits of technology without losing sight of the human connections and intellectual engagement that are at the heart of our professional lives. By embracing both mindfulness and physical presence, we can create academic environments that support not only the intellectual growth of our students but also the emotional and psychological well-being of our staff and instructors.

The integration of technology in higher education is both a gift and a challenge. It might be the oppressor's language, yet it is also a language we must learn to speak more mindfully. By doing so, and by heeding the insights of our CIOs, we can empower university personnel to navigate the digital landscape with greater intention and authenticity, ensuring that their professional experiences are not only enriching but also truly transformative. Incorporating mindfulness into the fabric of higher education, alongside strategic leadership in technology, is not just a strategy for better work; it is a fight for a more human future at the new frontier of power.