Leading without a Playbook: High-Stakes Decisions in AI and Resource-Constrained Times

Friday, October 02, 2026 | 8:00AM–8:45AM MT
Session Type: Breakout Session
Delivery Format: Panel Session
Higher education leaders are being asked to make high-stakes decisions in an environment defined by ambiguity, urgency, and competing priorities. AI is accelerating expectations, budgets are tightening, and institutions are being pushed to transform faster than their structures allow. This session moves beyond leadership theory to examine what decision-making looks like under these conditions. Through real scenarios, we explore how IT and institutional leaders navigate unclear direction, conflicting stakeholder demands, and the absence of established playbooks. Attendees will leave with practical approaches for making defensible decisions, building alignment without consensus, and leading meaningful change in environments where certainty is no longer possible.

Presenters

  • Michael Cato

    Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Bowdoin College

  • Tara Hughes

    Chief Information Officer, California State University, Monterey Bay

  • Asha Ramachandra

    Director of IT Strategy, California State University, Channel Islands

  • David Seidl

    Vice President for Information Technology and CIO, Miami University