IU receives CIO reward

International Data Group’s CIO magazine has bestowed Indiana University with the 25th annual CIO 100 award, an honor that recognizes an organization’s operational and strategic excellence in information technology.

IU is among companies such as IBM and the United States Department of Transportation as honorees.

“For 25 years now, the CIO 100 awards have honored the innovative use of technology to deliver genuine business value,” said Maryfran Johnson, editor in chief of CIO magazine and events, in a press release. “Our 2012 winners are an outstanding example of the transformative power of IT to drive everything from revenue growth to competitive advantage.”

The University was nominated for its e-Text initiative, a program that enables faculty to use digital textbooks s in classrooms. The work was piloted in 2009, and the initiative was passed in spring 2012.

Students can now use tablets, laptops and smartphones, along with Courseload software, to read and annotate  course materials.

On average, these digital textbooks are about 40 percent cheaper than their physical counterparts, according to e-Textbooks.com.
 
E-Text deals are available on all IU campuses, and the initiative is being expanded to other educational institutions.

The award will be published in the August edition of CIO magazine.

— Nona Tepper