Dear York College Community,
I hope you are enjoying a productive and well-deserved spring break. This period is one of our most critical operational windows, as IT takes full advantage of reduced campus activity to perform upgrades, enhancements, and strategic work that strengthen our overall technology environment.
Throughout March, our efforts focused on reinforcing the foundation of York’s digital ecosystem while advancing several key strategic initiatives. These included continued infrastructure modernization, enhancements to student service delivery, expanded campus connectivity, and deeper alignment with AI governance and enterprise security practices.
We also made significant progress in preparing the College for upcoming transitions—particularly in student communications, cloud readiness, and collaboration tools—while maintaining our commitment to a secure, reliable, and student-centered technology experience.
Below is a summary of key activities and accomplishments from the past month:
Student Email Transition
March efforts centered on preparing the campus community for the transition of student email into the faculty/staff Microsoft 365 tenant. This change represents a major step forward in unifying communication across CUNY.
Our focus was on proactive communication and readiness. As students return from spring break, IT will provide high-touch support through Atrium-based pop-up assistance—similar to our Fall semester kickoff model—to ensure a smooth transition experience.
LinkedIn Learning Access Update
All students, faculty, and staff now have full access to LinkedIn Learning’s extensive library of instructional resources.
We communicated an important login change: users must now access the platform using their CUNY Login credentials (replacing prior York-specific credentials).
For more information, please visit the CTLET resource page.
Adobe Express Expansion
Adobe Express is now available to all CUNY students, significantly expanding access to creative tools.
Unlike Adobe Creative Cloud’s limited licensing model, Adobe Express provides a unified platform for:
- Graphic design (flyers, posters, social media)
- Portfolio development
- Light video editing
- AI-assisted content creation
This tool empowers students to easily create professional-quality materials and digital portfolios using their CUNY credentials. Login by visiting Adobe.com
Cardi – YorkGPT Chatbot (In Development)
We have developed an initial version of Cardi, our YorkGPT-powered chatbot for the College website.
Currently in testing, this solution will:
- Provide intelligent, conversational responses
- Leverage institution-specific knowledge
- Enhance the student and visitor web experience
Next steps include knowledge refinement, leadership demonstration, and a phased rollout.
Zoom Interface Enhancements
IT communicated upcoming changes to the Zoom interface scheduled for May. These updates will introduce:
- A more intuitive user experience
- Enhanced meeting management features
- Expanded AI capabilities
- Improved security controls
Additional reminders and guidance will be shared ahead of implementation.
Cloud-Based Software Procurement Process
New governance procedures are now in place for all cloud-based software purchases.
Key updates:
- IT security review and questionnaire are now embedded in the CUNYBuy workflow
- All security vetting must be completed before requisition submission
- Documentation must be included in procurement records
This ensures all technology acquisitions meet security, compliance, and institutional assessment standards aligned with York’s strategic goals.
Computer and Copier Deployments
Campus-wide deployments of computers and copiers continued throughout March.
These upgrades are critical to maintaining a modern and secure computing environment. We appreciate the campus community’s continued flexibility and cooperation as our teams coordinate installations across departments.
Fiber Infrastructure Capital Project
A major milestone was achieved with the approval of capital funding to replace aging fiber infrastructure across campus.
This project will:
- Modernize inter-building connectivity
- Improve reliability and resilience
- Support institutional needs for the next 10–20 years
Planning is now underway in collaboration with Central Office and project vendors.
Network Ring Speed Upgrade
Planning began to significantly increase network backbone capacity across CUNY.
- Upgrade from 20 Gbps to 200 Gbps
- Improved performance for centrally hosted systems
- Enhanced inter-campus connectivity
York’s Network team is actively coordinating with Central Office on required infrastructure updates.
Website Improvements (Digital Front Door Initiative)
In collaboration with Enrollment Management and Institutional Advancement, we continued enhancing student-facing web content by:
- Improving clarity and usability
- Reducing unnecessary complexity
- Streamlining messaging
We encourage all content owners to regularly review and update their pages. The website serves as a critical “front door” to the institution, and its effectiveness depends on collective stewardship.
Closing
We thank the campus community for its continued partnership and engagement as we move forward with the next phase of modernization and innovation at York College.
Together, we are building a more connected, responsive, and future-ready institution.
Interim AVP/CIO
York College Information Technology
718-262-5231