Barker named interim VP

For more information, contact Toni Searle, 216-368-4443 or amf2@po.cwru.edu.

Posted 11-22-99

Barker named interim VP for information services

President David Auston has appointed James Barker to serve as interim vice president for information services. The appointment became effective November 8, and will continue until a permanent vice president has been identified through a national search which will begin in the coming weeks.

Barker is president of PerMedia, a University Heights consulting firm which works in software development and integration. He formed the company in October 1998, when he left CWRU after working at the University for 14 years.

Barker had joined CWRU in April 1984 as assistant director of information systems. He became director of administrative information services in 1986-87, and director of the Digital Media Library in 1991. He received his B.S. from Purdue University in computer science.

While at CWRU, Barker was involved with projects such as adopting the student information system (ISIS) system, overseeing the conversion from DEC-20 computers to an IBM mainframe, developing intellectual property management software through a joint study with IBM, co-authoring CWRU's successful grant proposal to the National Science Foundation related for the Internet 2 initiative, and directing digitization of the art collection of artist Andrew Wyeth.

"It's very gratifying to be back. I'm very fond of the institution," Barker said.

Among Barker's early activities will be reviews for Y2K readiness, to ensure that the University's computing equipment and systems will function properly with dates in the 2000s.

He added that he will place a high priority on helping make the president's vision for the Division of Information Services a reality.

"Our principal directive right now is to highlight services and return, to the extent appropriate, operating responsibility and authority to the units," Barker said.

Another key goal is "working more closely with students, administrators, and faculty to define the service role of Information Services," he added. "We really want to make it a collaborative endeavor."

Barker can be contacted at 368-1025 or jab13.

-CWRU-