May 2014

SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 19, 2014 - Santa Clara University announced today that Robert C. Owen has been named chief information officer (CIO) and vice provost for technology and information services.

As CIO, Owen will be the principal member of the University’s executive team responsible for strategizing and implementing innovative uses of technology to strengthen the University’s position as a leading institution of higher education.

Working in collaboration with faculty, key administrators and staff, the CIO will develop a vision for leveraging technology to support student learning, enhance faculty teaching and research, and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the University’s operations.

The CIO and vice provost reports to the Provost, serves as a member of the University Planning Action Council, and actively works with the Trustee Technology Committee.

“I am delighted to bring Dr. Owen to the Santa Clara campus,” said University Provost Dennis Jacobs. “Bob’s extensive experience with technology spans many fields, and his strong background in strategic planning will be a great asset moving forward. His understanding of the various ways in which technology can be deployed to advance the university’s mission, makes him a great fit for Santa Clara University.”

In this position, Owen will lead University efforts to leverage ties to Silicon Valley, to bring appropriate technologies to SCU, and to develop multifaceted partnerships with technology companies to create educational, research, and career opportunities for students and faculty.

Owen will oversee a staff of 107 and manage an annual budget of $20 million. As part of Santa Clara University’s strategic plan, he will help the University attain national prominence by 2020 by cultivating an organizational capacity supportive of change which enables faster and more extensive adoption of technology.

Owen comes to Santa Clara University from Western Kentucky University (WKU) where he is currently vice president for information technology leading a staff of 155 and supporting 21,000 students in multiple locations. Prior to that Owen was associate VP for information technology at Cabrillo College, in Aptos, Calif.

“It is a great privilege to join Santa Clara and have the opportunity to work in Silicon Valley at a university committed to Jesuit ideals,” Owen said. “I look forward to working with the campus community to improve and enhance technology services for students, faculty, and staff and move Santa Clara to the forefront. It is an exciting time to be at Santa Clara and I am energized by the possibilities ahead,” said Owen.

“I have been impressed by the caliber of the leadership I met through the search process and look forward to becoming part of the Santa Clara community,” Owen added.

Owen received his doctorate in public administration from the University of La Verne; his master’s of science in education from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater; and his bachelor of business administration degree from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.

About Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university located 40 miles south of San Francisco in California’s Silicon Valley, offers its more than 8,800 students rigorous undergraduate curricula in arts and sciences, business, theology, and engineering, plus master’s and law degrees and engineering Ph.D.s. Distinguished nationally by one of the highest graduation rates among all U.S. master’s universities, California’s oldest operating higher-education institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. For more information, see www.scu.edu.

Media Contact
Deepa Arora | SCU Communications Director | darora@scu.edu | 408-554-5125