Gaskins named UHCL's inaugural AVP for Info Tech, CIO

February 11, 2020 | UHCL Staff

LeeBrian E. Gaskins joined the University of Houston-Clear Lake as its inaugural Assistant Vice President for Information Technology/Chief Information Officer on Feb. 3. Gaskins will lead the University Computing and Telecommunications or UCT office, which manages all aspects of campus technology including the development and implementation of new technologies.

“Elevating the leader of UCT to a Chief Information Officer, recognizes the increasing importance that information technology plays in higher education,” said Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Steven J. Berberich. “UH-Clear Lake is fortunate to have recruited Dr. Gaskins, who is a seasoned CIO, and I am confident he will help UCT meet the needs of faculty, staff, and students.”

Gaskins, who has his doctorate in international business from Texas A&M International University in Laredo, Texas, served 15 years at TAMIU in the same capacity. “As UHCL continues developing into a premier regional institution, its information technology resources will become ever more critical to its growth,” he said. “A main responsibility of the CIO role is to ensure the technology and information resources strategically align with the university’s missions and goals.”

“Looking forward,” Gaskins said, “instead of being solely a computing or telecommunications office, UCT will become a broader information technology office. We will transformationally impact all areas of the university, from teaching to pedagogy to how students register,” he said. “The best way the faculty, staff, and students will feel my presence is that campus technology will be more fluid, seamless, and transparent.”

He said he anticipates the university community will soon experience an increase in technological innovations throughout the university. “I hope that students and faculty uncover the technology that will be available to them and be pleasantly surprised and become even more engaged,” he said. “They should be saying, ‘Wow! I didn’t know we could do that!’ We want more innovation and less frustration with our technology.”

Gaskins said that he was interested in coming to UHCL because he wanted a challenge. “This is a growing university in the country’s most diverse city, and there is an opportunity to do great new things here,” he said. “We built something great at my previous university, and I want to do it again. UHCL is a unique opportunity, and to be the first person in the CIO position is an honor and a great responsibility. It’s a chance to set the foundations in place so that even after my tenure is over, UHCL will stay prepared for the future.”

Learn more about UCT online.