Tucson Standard

University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella has announced the appointment of Elliott Cheu as interim chief information officer, effective January 6. This decision comes in light of current CIO Barry Brummund's retirement, which is set to take effect on January 17.

President Garimella highlighted Dr. Cheu's qualifications, stating, "As a University Distinguished Professor of Physics, Dr. Cheu is an accomplished scientist and educator, in addition to his well-earned reputation as an exemplary administrative leader." He added that Dr. Cheu's understanding of the university research community and commitment to student success make him the ideal candidate for this transitional period.

Dr. Cheu has previously held several interim leadership roles, most recently serving as interim senior vice president for Research and Innovation. In his new role as interim CIO, he will evaluate the university's IT requirements and oversee collaboration between the central IT division and academic colleges. His priorities include enhancing high-performance computing capabilities, modernizing financial and HR systems, and addressing ongoing centralization needs.

Dr. Cheu expressed his outlook on the role by saying, "The University of Arizona's success as a student-centered research university depends upon a robust and adaptive information technology environment." He looks forward to working with UITS professionals and university leadership to ensure necessary IT infrastructure is in place.

The university will conduct a national search for a permanent chief information officer while Dr. Cheu serves in this interim capacity.