Jonathan Lewit, SUNY New Paltz’s chief information officer and assistant vice president for Information Technology, has announced his plans to retire at the end of the spring 2016 semester.
Lewit has overseen information technology at the College since 1980, when he was hired as Director of Computer Services after working up through the ranks for six years at Broome County Community College in Binghamton, N.Y.
His career has overlapped with much of the history of the computer and of modern information technology, placing him at the center of the general effort to digitize processes and expand technological literacy and access at New Paltz over the past 36 years.
“When I got here the computer facility was one big, hulking mainframe, with three time-sharing terminals and two or three little Apple II computers in the adjoining room,” Lewit said. “We ran records through on punch cards, primarily, and we had regular periods of preventative maintenance when we would shut down the mainframe for hours at a time. Suffice it to say, things were really different then.”
The role of Computer Services evolved quickly, and greater technological capabilities went hand in hand with new challenges and greater demands from users.
“The ease with which people are able to do things today via the web often translates to expectations for the kinds of services you should be getting anywhere and everywhere,” Lewit said. “One of the greatest challenges I think this office has faced, and will continue to face, is integrating technology across the board and keeping pace with what users on campus are looking for.”
Lewit touted his staff’s ability to continue pushing that effort forward over the years. “When everything works, it may not get noticed, but that means you’re doing a good job,” he said. “We have a very good crew of people working here, who care about their jobs, do a good job, and are competent and creative. The IT department and the different departments under Computer Services – IMS, Telecommunications, Academic Computing, Administrative Computing, Systems and Networks – are, I believe, fairly well regarded around campus, and that’s something I’m proud of.”
Lewit now prepares to pass on responsibility to his colleagues, and says he’s looking forward to having some free time to set his own schedule.
“I enjoy gardening and sailing, so I’m looking forward to doing those things in greater quantities,” he said. “Maybe reenact ‘All Is Lost’ with myself in the title role. The biggest thing is getting to Sunday night and being able to say, ‘It’s not a school night, I can do whatever I want.’ I’m looking forward to having no more school nights, or hearing ‘the network is down’ one more time.”
