Phillips named Director of Technology at CSU

CHARLESTON, SC – February 18, 2012 – Shannon Phillips has been named Executive Director of Technology at Charleston Southern University. 

Phillips, who earned his bachelor’s degree at CSU in 1994, he has spent the last 22 years as a student and/or employee and now has secured his footing at CSU for possibly another 22. With a self-proclaimed “Peter Pan syndrome,” Phillips says that working with students keeps him youthful. The irony in it is that he is only 39 years old.
 
His journey began in the fall of 1990, his first semester at then Baptist College at Charleston. His music/youth minister (a CSU graduate and Board of Trustees member) in his home town of Pickens, S.C., encouraged him to tour the school. Along with several other students from Pickens and after a long weekend here, he said it just felt right. He felt welcomed and remembers the administration being “extremely helpful and nice.” Thus, he moved in on Labor Day weekend of 1990 and never left.
 
He kicked off his career with a work-study position in the admissions office. Before his official graduation in the spring of 1994, he landed a job as an official paid employee as full-time manager of the computer lab – a newly created position. He went on to earn his master’s degree at Webster University. One thing led to another and now here he is- Executive Director of Technology, having worked his way up the ladder the old-fashioned way.
 
He still finds it odd walking into his office and writing policy or working with the vice president of business affairs. He takes his new responsibilities seriously, though, and has a distinct vision for CSU technology-wise. We sat down to discuss the past, present and future of CSU:
 
From then until now, (there obviously was no Internet, no Google, no email) what has that evolution been like for you?
 
“It’s been pretty exciting for me. As a student, my first and only undergraduate computer class was on an Apple IIe. I passed by the skin of my teeth because I had never used an Apple before; I had never really used a computer before. The class was taught by Dr. S.M. Mayo, the head of the religion department, so it was very odd to have that class. We had one computer lab on campus at the time, or two. There was one in the library upstairs and the second one was in Norris. And, when you printed we had the print switch boxes. So you had one printer plugged into a box that had four or five computers plugged into it, and you actually turned the knob to switch to your computer to print. So that was the extent of computers on campus back when we were Baptist College.”
 
What are the benefits or drawbacks of students having the access to the Internet and the computers like we do versus when you were in college?
 
“It’s very interesting because there’s a whole debate in the technology world between the haves and the have-nots. The ‘digital divide’ is what they call it. From my perspective, it’s good. I mean, it does cause some problem-solving skills because students don’t have those as well as they did from my generation, which sounds odd because I’m only 39. But, then the other side of it is that they have access to the entire world. You have everything at your fingertips without leaving your dorm room or your chair or your bed. It’s good and it’s bad. It just depends on how you look at it.”
 
What are your specific responsibilities as the new Executive Director of Technology?
 
“Policy writing. Pointing the school in the right direction for technology in the future. There is all this stuff on the horizon, technology-wise. We are keeping an eye out for new technology. In our department, we like to say, ‘We’re not the bleeding edge; we’re the cutting edge.’ The bleeding edge is a little dangerous and can get you in trouble. But, we’re always looking for new ways to further the campus technology-wise to make things easier for the campus and make things better for the campus.”
 
What ideas do you have for where you want to see the school go technology-wise?
 
“We’re actually in kind of a nice position, being a private school, where we can test and try new things. We’ll continue to provide wireless to students throughout the campus. I’d like to see that expanded; making sure that whatever building we have will have wireless for the students. Being able to provide more labs for students. Have them have better faster access. Students are always saying they need faster access. We continually add to the network speeds, so they can get faster downloads and more access and be able to handle more students. So I think we do a pretty good job. In the future just being able to look at new technologies, try out new technology. There are always new things coming out. iPads are the big thing now. Everybody wants an iPad. Education, COINS and biology are actually using iPads in their classes and in teaching because that’s what kids are using in elementary and high schools. So, it’s kind of an exciting time for them to be able to do that. The COINS department is trying to get a grant so that they can do “app” development and are starting an app development program within the COINS department.”
 
Is there an app associated with CSU?
 
“There is a CSU app. It’s for iPhone and Android.”
 
Do you think at some point iPads will replace textbooks?
 
“That’s a big debate right now. At the last developer’s convention, that’s what Apple wants to do. That’s what they would like to see. They’re making a big push with textbook publishers to have all their textbooks available in e-format for Apple, for the iPad. If that’s going to be a buy-in, I don’t know. We’ve tried it before here at CSU a few years ago when the e-books were just kind of starting to run and there wasn’t a big buy-in. But at that point, tablets and stuff were still new. They weren’t even tablets; they were just e-readers. They were still expensive. We’re a completely different generation of students now so that may possibly be where things are going.”
 
Is it something that’s actually being considered as we speak? Or, is it something that’s maybe on the horizon?
 
“It might be on the horizon; there’s always discussion. At the moment the bookstore offers Nooks, and there are textbooks out that do have the e-version of the textbook. You can purchase those in the bookstore. So, in one aspect we already are doing some of that. We just haven’t made the push to iPads yet.”
 
What is the one piece of technology you are really wanting on campus?
 
“Academic-wise, our new graphic design program and app development I think are going to be a big thing for our students. That’s where the industry is leading. Look at all the people who have become instant millionaires because they wrote a cool app. Campuswide, online education is huge. Not just in the CAPS program but in every aspect of the university. Because you have students now who may work at the Gap, and they’re paying their way through college, so they want to have that traditional experience but can’t take a full load on campus. We really want to keep traditional students on campus, but we want to give traditional students more options.”
 
With a move toward technology and online learning, why is it an important part of CSU to keep traditional students on campus?
 
“It’s that college experience. We want to be able to promote our vision and keep students on campus so we can expand our vision. It’s that personal relationship, making those bonds.”
 
From a workforce perspective, do you feel like an online degree is
just as valuable as a traditional degree? Does it matter how/where you get your degree?
 
“If you go somewhere that’s unaccredited, then you’re going to have problems. But, I think they’re [online degrees] just as valuable. The curriculum for online classes, if done correctly (like we’re doing here at CSU), is up to par with your face-to-face. Online education isn’t easy. It’s just as difficult as going to class every day. You still have the same amount of work to do.”