What Happened?

About the Company

A premier research university serving a diverse body of motivated students in vibrant Midtown, the cultural center of Detroit. Founded in 1868, Wayne State University is a nationally recognized metropolitan research institution offering more than 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 29,000 students. Wayne State`s main campus in Midtown Detroit comprises 100 buildings over 200 acres; its six extension centers offer higher education to students throughout Southeast Michigan.

About the Person

Joseph F. Sawasky is the CIO and associate VP for computing and IT at Wayne State University. Sawasky is also an active board officer of Michigan's Merit Network, Inc., one of the nation's premier providers of advanced regional optical network services. He and his IT organization are presently helping drive Wayne State forward to support its urban research university mission by working with partners on campus to provide a superior technology experience to students, faculty, researchers, staff and other constituents. Sawasky has broad IT leadership experience in higher education, healthcare and manufacturing. Prior to joining Wayne State, he worked at the University of Toledo and University of Toledo Medical Center as CIO and associate VP for IT. During his nearly 22 years with UT, Sowasky served in a series of increasingly responsible positions, focusing on IT strategic planning, organizational leadership, project portfolio management, and customer satisfaction and quality programs. In a unique and highly-publicized event, the University of Toledo merged with the Medical University of Ohio on July 1, 2006. So, in addition to leading the IT division of a research-extensive institution of higher learning, he was given the opportunity to also lead IT for the University of Toledo Medical Center hospital and clinics. His merger activities involved team integration, ERP integration, infrastructure integration and launching a transformational Digital Hospital initiative.