ET Talk at UT Austin

The University of Texas at Austin

Welcome to ET Talk Podcast, we are Enterprise Technology at The University of Texas at Austin. Join in as we listen to our host, Cole Camplese, Vice President of Technology and CIO as he pulls back the curtain on the technology that touches nearly every part of campus life. Each episode will feature honest conversations about what we are building, why we are building it, and how it supports students, faculty, and staff. The goal is simple: transparency, connection, and visibility into the work happening behind the scenes. Subscribe and join the conversation as we explore IT at UT Austin together!

Episodes

  1. Driving UT Forward: Foundational Technologies

    1D AGO

    Driving UT Forward: Foundational Technologies

    In this episode of ET Talk, Cole Camplese is joined by Dave Moss and Vinod Shodavaram, from Enterprise Technology’s Campus Solutions team to explore the foundational technologies that power the University, from identity and access management to cloud platforms and mainframe systems. They discuss the challenge of modernizing at the pace of campus while maintaining the reliability and trust built over decades, and how technical debt often reflects systems that work at massive scale. The conversation also looks ahead to a future shaped by AI and automation, where IT shifts from gatekeeper to enabler, empowering faculty, staff, and students to innovate safely within strong institutional guardrails.

    34 min
  2. Driving UT Forward: Building Enterprise Systems for Change

    APR 16

    Driving UT Forward: Building Enterprise Systems for Change

    In this episode of ET Talk, Cole Camplese is joined by Graham Chapman, who leads Enterprise Platforms at Enterprise Technology at UT Austin and oversees the core systems that keep the business of the University running. Their conversation explores how enterprise technology, organizational design, and human‑centered thinking intersect—balancing legacy systems with modern platforms, embracing discipline over excessive customization, and creating space for experimentation. Cole and Graham also discuss how AI is acting as a multiplier across the enterprise, helping teams reclaim time, rethink documentation and collaboration, and adapt more quickly in an increasingly complex environment.

    34 min
  3. Digital Accessibility: Infrastructure Rather Than Request

    MAR 26

    Digital Accessibility: Infrastructure Rather Than Request

    In Episode 6 of ET Talk, we continue our Digital Accessibility series with a powerful student perspective on accessibility in higher education. Cole Camplese, Vice President and CIO, sits with Jaxsen Day, a PhD student in the School of Information whose research focuses on accessibility and education for students with disabilities. Drawing from both his academic work and lived experience, Jaxsen explores the real barriers students face—from inaccessible academic materials and unstructured digital content to gaps in assistive technology training. He also discusses how he uses AI as an assistive technology to reduce cognitive load and navigate systems not designed with accessibility in mind, underscoring that access should not rely on self‑teaching or advocacy, and that accessibility must be built into institutional infrastructure rather than treated as a request.

    32 min
  4. Digital Accessibility

    MAR 23

    Digital Accessibility

    In this episode of ET Talk, UT Austin Vice President for Technology and CIO Cole Camplese is joined by Vanessa Ayala, Digital Accessibility Manager, and Mario Guerra, Associate Vice President for AI Platforms and Innovation, for a wide‑ranging conversation on digital accessibility and what it truly means across higher education. Together, they unpack why accessibility is not new but increasingly urgent, exploring the evolution of accessibility work at UT, the impact of the DOJ’s Title II ruling, and the creation of the Digital Accessibility Center to centralize support for documents, video, web content, and procured technologies. The discussion highlights the scale of digital content produced at a large, the importance of proactive infrastructure over reactive fixes, and how accessibility is ultimately about civil rights, empathy, and shared responsibility. From faculty course materials to enterprise platforms and vendor accountability, this episode makes clear that accessibility is everyone’s job—and that meaningful progress happens one step at a time. Visit the DAC: https://tech.utexas.edu/dac

    39 min
  5. AI Strategy and Literacy through a Student Lens

    MAR 12

    AI Strategy and Literacy through a Student Lens

    In Episode 4 of ET Talk, the conversation on AI strategy at UT continues with a powerful student perspective. Cole Camplese and Mario Guerra are joined by Nikhil Battapati, a freshman aerospace engineering major and student developer working with UT’s AI Studio, to explore how students are engaging with AI tools today. The discussion dives into AI literacy, choosing the right models for different tasks, and how students and faculty can thoughtfully integrate AI into teaching and learning without losing creativity or critical thinking. From model interoperability and student‑built tools to the future of campus platforms like UT Spark and UT Sage, this episode highlights why AI is quickly becoming a core academic skill and why collaboration between students, faculty, and IT leaders is essential to shaping what comes next.

    30 min
  6. AI Strategy at Scale and What Comes Next

    MAR 5

    AI Strategy at Scale and What Comes Next

    In Episode 3 of ET Talk, the conversation on AI at UT Austin continues with CIO Cole Camplese joined once again by Mario Guerra and Cody Antunez for a deeper look at what comes next. Building on the previous episode, the conversation reflects on recent organizational changes within Enterprise Technology and what they signal about UT’s long-term commitment to responsible AI adoption. The group discusses how rapidly evolving commercial AI tools are shaping higher education, emphasizing the need to protect academic environments while balancing innovation and governance. Looking ahead, the episode touches on productivity, automation, and policy challenges, considering how universities can remain agile while staying true to their mission and values.

    40 min
  7. AI Strategy at Scale

    MAR 5

    AI Strategy at Scale

    In episode 2 of the AI Strategy series, host Cole Camplese is joined by Mario Guerra, Associate Vice President of AI Platforms & Innovation, and Cody Antunez, Senior IT Manager, to talk candidly about UT Austin’s journey toward building AI at scale. The conversation explores how early experimentation, growing demand across campus, and the need for secure, equitable access shaped the University’s approach to AI. Together, they reflect on lessons learned, cultural shifts, and why flexibility, governance, and community engagement were just as important as the technology itself. From teaching and learning to research and operations, this episode offers an inside look at how UT is laying the foundation for a sustainable, campus‑wide AI strategy—and what’s coming next.

    32 min
  8. AI Strategy

    FEB 12

    AI Strategy

    In the first episode of ET Talk, Cole Camplese is joined by Amanda Fratticcioli, Chief of Staff in the Office of the CIO, to explore how artificial intelligence is taking shape at UT Austin. The conversation focuses on why this moment matters, as AI tools move from emerging concepts into everyday use across teaching, research, and operations. Cole shares where the university stands today—from the platforms being developed to early adoption and guiding principles—while offering a candid look at what’s working, what’s still evolving, and where the greatest opportunities lie, setting the stage for deeper conversations in future episodes.

    29 min
  • 8 Episodes

About

Welcome to ET Talk Podcast, we are Enterprise Technology at The University of Texas at Austin. Join in as we listen to our host, Cole Camplese, Vice President of Technology and CIO as he pulls back the curtain on the technology that touches nearly every part of campus life. Each episode will feature honest conversations about what we are building, why we are building it, and how it supports students, faculty, and staff. The goal is simple: transparency, connection, and visibility into the work happening behind the scenes. Subscribe and join the conversation as we explore IT at UT Austin together!

Information