With the downturn in law school applications, funding challenges, staffing changes/reductions and the upswing in ancillary programs to make up for lost revenue, law schools and law school technology departments have new challenges and new goals to address on top of those associated with their well established JD programs.
Whether it's a reduction in staff, reduction in faculty, addition of new programs, new marketing challenges, and more focus on assessment -- we've all seen changes in the past ten years that can test the mettle of those tasked with providing technology support and services to a law school. Professional technology folks, law librarians, and law school administrators must be strategic in allocating resources and setting priorities to best serve the goals of the institution in this time of change.
How does a technology department go from serving one or two programs to a multitude of programs (JD, LLMs, Masters, Certificates, Online) with the same or fewer resources? How does one stay motivated in the midst of these challenges? How do you encourage and motivate your team/yourself to stay innovative, sharp, and relevant to the changing needs of the institution?
Two long-time law school technology managers discuss their personal experiences and how they have stayed in the game and worked to stay relevant in a changing environment in spite of thinning hair and other challenges that come with stress and age.
