On June 29, 2011, Harold Schomaker stepped down as chairman of the College of Computer & Information Technology (CCIT) advisory committee. Chris Paul was elected as the new advisory committee Chairman. Paul, who began his term on July 1, has worked in the IT industry for the past 24 years and is currently the manager of the IS department at Melitta USA, Inc. Paul described his role as pivotal in the department since it is his job to ensure that things run efficiently and meets the needs of businesses in the community.

Paul said that his primary objective is to “produce college grads that are able to compete with the growth of the technical sector in the area.” He further stated that he strives to “make sure that the curriculum meets the needs of what the industry needs and helps foster the growth of businesses in the community.” With the flexibility afforded to him in this position, he is able to manage his time well to accomplish the objectives at hand.

Since assuming this new role as chairman, Paul has adjusted well. He is currently in the process of implementing strategies to improve the flow of the committee. By next year, he hopes to achieve more continuity between meetings and heighten communication between committee members to ensure that they always keep in mind the objectives and the charter.