Zareh Marselian was appointed the first chief information officer at California Lutheran University. He will be the first person in Cal Lutheran history to hold this position.

“A CIO is an executive who sets the strategic direction of technology in partnership with all campus constituencies. The growing importance of IT and the growing complex choices have made such positions a requirement,” Marselian said.

Marselian earned an MBA in information technology management from Cal Lutheran.

Marselian will lead Information Systems and Services after approximately 21 years with the university. He was director of technical services for three years, and has helped Cal Lutheran install a campus-wide network, a system for managing student data and email access to faculty, staff and students.

“Zareh has been contributing to CLU since 1994. Beginning with the first network, early adoption of our ERP system continuing through with the wireless and the new VOIP phone system,” Director and Administrator of ISS Michael Graham, said.

Marselian served as the senior director of information technology in 1998 and interim associate provost for information technology since 2014. He has been involved in the expansion of the new Westlake Village center, Ullman Commons and the active learning classroom located in the Pearson Library. His changes demonstrate the increasing significance of technology at Cal Lutheran.

“I have been involved in the planning process of every construction project and campus expansion at Cal Lutheran over the last 20 years. At Ullman Commons, my team worked with Facilities and Auxiliary services to propose, plan and implement all the technologies that have gone into ordering a hamburger, the cashiering system and food ordering systems, WiFi, TVs and other technology and projection systems,” Marselian said.

“The Active Learning Classroom was proposed by Julius Bianchi who retired last year. I picked up the project from the proposal phase and secured funding for the various pieces of the project. Working with Facilities, we determined which technologies would fit in the floor, down the walls and through desks to support all the technology and flexibility you see in the room down to the USB charging ports in the walls,” Marselian said.

Marselian’s colleagues, both those who had longer and shorter term relationships with him had positive opinions of his work and contributions to the university.

“We’ve become a more cohesive team once the decision was made to promote Zareh [Marselian] to the new CIO position,” Graham said.

System Administrator Albert Almeda has been working with Marselian for a relatively short amount of time.

“[Marselian] is a great leader and nobody else but him, deserves that CIO position,” Almeda said.

Marselian’s job also offers rewarding retribution.

“Students gain real-world experience providing IT support to offices, residence halls and computer labs,” Marselian said. “The most rewarding aspect of my job is seeing our students get their first job, in great part because of their own initiative and education, but also because of the work experience gained at Cal Lutheran. I still keep in touch with student workers as far back as 20 years ago, sharing in their successes along the way.”

Marselian may be new to the position of CIO, but he is in no way new to Cal Lutheran. For the past two decades, his contributions have significantly improved the experiences of both students, staff and faculty.

“Technology can be the great equalizer. It helps create opportunities for so many around the world,” Marselian said. “That today a child in a poor country can have the same access to information as you or I is a game changer. As a first generation college graduate who was born in a developing country, I can identify with that.”

America Rojas
Staff Writer
Published November 4th, 2015