Rapid changes in education have required institutions to develop new ways to support and meet the demands of a more technologically advanced 21st century learner. This increase in technology is forcing a change in pedagogy within higher education. Learners today require new delivery modes and new ways of interacting with the learning materials. With this, educators are being pushed out of their comfort zone and as such their information technology needs are increasing.

To address this new learning environment and the varied and unique learning needs of today’s student, faculty members are working with technology in new and exciting ways. With this new technology comes frustration; often this frustration is directed at IT departments. Faculty often lack understanding of the IT department’s role leading to frustration and lack of understanding that often manifest as resentment of the IT department. What seems like a simple task from the educator’s point of view can involve numerous steps and challenges for the IT department. To transform the relationship, there must be mutual understanding of each other’s roles, and both faculty and IT must be valued to allow the institutions strategic goals to be met. In this presentation, we will articulate the identified gap between how faculty perceive the work of IT and how IT perceives the work of faculty. We will recommend ways IT strategic plans can bridge this gap and increase student success.