Florida State University’s Information Technology Services highlighted strategy, innovation and partnerships April 7 during the 2026 ITS Spring Town Hall and RISE Together Showcase, a daylong event highlighting how technology is accelerating the university’s academic, research and service missions. 

Hosted at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center and the Augustus B. Turnbull III Florida State Conference Center, the event brought together hundreds of ITS staff, faculty, students and university leadership for institution-wide updates and hands-on demonstrations of emerging technologies. 

During the morning town hall, Jim Clark, FSU provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs; Stacey Patterson, vice president for research; and Jeremy Slaga, FSU’s vice president and chief clinical operations officer, told attendees that Florida State University’s rise into the nation’s top 25 public universities was driven not only by ambition, but also by the people and systems supporting that growth. 

“I am thrilled to be in the top 25 public universities in the United States — it’s an incredible achievement,” Clark said. “But our focus today is to talk about the role you all play in helping us thrive and become even more excellent in the years ahead.” 

Clark said that success became possible only when the pursuit of national prominence evolved into a coordinated effort supported by aligned systems, infrastructure and service. 

“These are the teams that are making that happen,” said Jonathan Fozard, associate vice president and chief information officer. “These are the teams that are helping support the students, faculty and staff achieve our collective goals and aspirations for this amazing university.” 

Slaga highlighted Florida State’s expanding health and research initiatives. 

“FSU Health has an opportunity to serve as a vehicle — a backboard — that allows all of these amazing components to plug in,” Slaga said, emphasizing the need for standardized systems and shared data to support collaboration. 

Patterson provided an update on ASPIRE, or A Strategic Plan to Inspire Research Excellence, emphasizing people, partnerships, infrastructure and excellence as the four pillars of the plan.  

“When we talk about infrastructure, it’s not just buildings,” Patterson said. “It’s the processes and the systems behind the operations. None of us can do what we do without all of you.” 

Patterson noted that Florida State has more than doubled its number of National Academy members in the past year and a half, a key measure of research prominence and that a strong digital infrastructure and service support are essential to recruiting and retaining elite faculty. 

After the conversation with university leadership, Fozard emphasized that ITS’s greatest strength is its people. He outlined plans to invest in skill growth, foster trust and psychological safety to support innovation, and continue the shift from a ticket-based service model to a trusted strategic partner across campus. 

While the morning town hall focused on strategy and alignment, the afternoon RISE Together Showcase was designed to promote collaboration, highlight projects and drive technological innovation across the university. 

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Florida State University Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Jim Clark announced today the appointment of Jonathan Fozard as the university’s chief information officer and associate vice president for Information Technology Services (ITS). 

Fozard, who has served as deputy CIO at FSU since November 2020, starts in the new role April 5. He will oversee the university’s technology services and initiatives with a 400-person team and an annual budget of more than $75 million. Fozard also will be responsible for operations of the Northwest Regional Data Center, the Florida Virtual Campus, and the State Data Center. 

“Jonathan possesses a wealth of expertise and experience that will be essential in guiding the university in this ever-changing technology landscape,” Clark said. “I’m confident his leadership will advance and strengthen our IT operations while supporting the university’s strategic goals.” 

Rick Burnette has served as interim CIO since May 2021 while continuing in his role as associate provost for Strategy and Analytics. 

An accomplished veteran of technology and operations, Fozard has served more than 20 years in higher education in various leadership roles. Prior to joining FSU, he served as the interim chief technology officer and associate vice president at George Washington University. He’s also held IT leadership roles at the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University. 

“I look forward to serving the FSU community in this new role in support of President McCullough’s bold new vision for the future,” Fozard said. “Through a focus on innovation and a commitment to provide successful and sustainable services, we can create an even brighter future for our students, faculty, staff and the larger community.” 

Fozard holds an MBA and bachelor’s degree in management information systems. He also recently completed his Ph.D. coursework in higher education administration at Oklahoma State University.

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