Wilfrid Laurier University | Information and Communication Technologies
Laurier’s ICT department continues to advance its digital infrastructure in response to the evolving needs of the academic and administrative community. In 2025, ICT made improvements in efficiency, cybersecurity awareness training, and instructional technologies. ICT remains focused on aligning technological initiatives with institutional priorities, particularly in areas such as collaboration, data-informed decision-making, artificial intelligence, and the modernization of teaching and learning environments.
This report outlines the department’s efforts over the past year to support Laurier’s Digital Strategy and ICT’s Strategic Objectives through reliable, secure, and forward-looking digital solutions.
“ICT is confidently navigating the rapidly evolving landscapes of AI, cybersecurity and data governance, to name just a few, ensuring that Laurier is prepared for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. With our ICT strategy and roadmap, we are not only responding to today’s needs, but also advancing the digital infrastructure that will enable teaching, learning, research, and administrative excellence at Laurier.”
Deborah MacLatchy, president and vice-chancellor
Laurier is committed to providing accessible and equitable access to technology and digital tools. ICT is dedicated to removing obstacles and fostering a welcoming space where everyone has the opportunity to connect, engage, and succeed.
In 2025, ICT implemented significant Wi-Fi upgrades across several campus buildings and common spaces, improving connectivity for students in classrooms, residences, and study areas. In total, 301 access points were added to Waterloo College Hall, 63 to the Waterloo campus Library, and 33 to the Athletic Complex. These upgrades support both academic and administrative functions and enhance network reliability for the entire Laurier community.
Early in the academic term, an unexpected authentication issue required users to reconfigure their connection to eduroam and reauthenticate their devices. ICT communicated this issue promptly, provided clear step-by-step guidance, and worked with campus partners to support students, faculty, and staff through the transition. The team resolved the issue quickly and used the incident as an opportunity to strengthen internal processes and improve communication pathways. This responsiveness highlights ICT’s commitment to accountability, transparency, and delivering a dependable network experience.
Names are deeply personal and central to our identities and mispronouncing someone’s name can feel dismissive, whether it is intentional or not. Namecoach helps eliminate this barrier by allowing individuals to record the correct pronunciation of their names and share it across platforms such as Outlook and Teams, and Convocation. The solution supports the promotion of respectful and inclusive communication by helping everyone pronounce names correctly and supports our ongoing commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), Internationalization, and Accessibility. In 2025, 1,801 individuals recorded their names with over 3,782 playbacks of names from various users. 70% of graduates who attended Convocation this fall provided their name pronunciation through Namecoach.
Following up on the development of the Digital Accessibility Report, funding for a resource, co-op students and development of initial training materials has been dedicated, and ICT has hired a Digital Accessibility Coordinator to tackle this multi-year initiative that ensures and audits digital access for all students, faculty and staff. This staff member will coordinate improvements to digital platforms, targeted accessibility training, and address institutional challenges around digital access.
The Training Equipment and Renewal Fund (TERF) resulted in high-use classroom upgrades that further support hybrid learning and accessibility. In early 2025, Teaching and Learning and faculty consultations took place to ensure faculty and student needs would be met. Over $760k was dedicated to updating 24 classrooms with infrared wireless microphones, dual displays, and USB-C charging capabilities. 80 classrooms were upgraded with wireless microphones, and 62 classrooms were upgraded to feature web conference and dual display capabilities. These upgrades took place over the summer to ensure that classrooms were ready for the fall term.
"As educators, we value the work of the ICT team in facilitating innovative pedagogical strategies such as Hyflex teaching. Active Learning Classrooms and wireless video presentations are especially appreciated by our instructors and students."
Maria Cantalini-Williams, dean of the Faculty of Education
Modern collaboration depends on agile communication tools. ICT are implementing scalable platforms to support efficient teamwork and real-time for all members of the community, driving engagement across our campuses.
The Telephony Renewal Project was officially completed in June, 2025. 2,300+ users have been transitioned to a modern telephony system utilizing the Microsoft Teams environment. The project enhances communication reliability and emergency response capabilities across 70 departments. Fax lines have also been transitioned to Ricoh, a new digital technology solution.
PDF editors are an important tool that allows members of the Laurier Community to edit, share, convert, and meet accessibility standards. In 2025, the Foxit PDF editor was moved to a central university software account. This license was implemented after receiving feedback from various areas about the challenges in supporting these costs at a faculty or department level. All individual Laurier subscriptions to Foxit are now under a university tenant to be covered by the central university software account.
The Lazaridis Lecture Studio, a high-tech faculty recording studio, was completed in July, 2025. AV equipment was installed in LH4095A to create a space that supports flexible teaching by enabling high-quality lecture capture for asynchronous delivery. The studio includes a lectern, camera, microphone, confidence monitor, green screen and connections for a laptop. The room also includes enhanced audio capture and features sound absorbing panels on two walls to allow audio to be heard more clearly.
"We invested in the Lazaridis Studio to provide faculty with a professional space for delivering virtual classes, creating engaging course content, producing podcasts, and preparing for media interviews. As we train our faculty and staff to use this new space, we look forward to seeing all the opportunities it will provide in 2026."
Kyle Murray, dean of the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics
In a time of rapid digital evolution, ICT recognizes that meaningful progress doesn’t happen by chance; it’s driven by purpose. With a clear focus on our community’s needs, we’re thoughtfully integrating emerging technologies to enhance how ICT work and deliver services, ensuring every step forward is intentional and impactful.
With the use of GenAI increasing across academic institutions globally, Laurier has launched M365 Copilot and outlined use guidelines for Copilot Chat. Microsoft 365 Copilot integrates seamlessly with your favorite Microsoft 365 apps, providing AI-powered assistance to help you work smarter and more efficiently. To support the adoption and share information about this tool, information has been shared widely, and a session was held for Staff at Laurier's GenAI Symposium in September 2025. M365 Copilot will be made available to approved staff and faculty beginning in Winter 2026.
ICT is developing a business case focusing on migrating Laurier’s Banner environment to a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model to modernize systems, reduce technical debt, and improve long-term sustainability. Additionally, multiple forms were deployed in July to streamline admissions, course management, and student data processes. These updates improve data accuracy and reduce manual entry for administrative staff.
ICT completed multiple OS upgrades for Windows computers and Apple devices. Windows 10 reached end of life in October 2025, warranting mandatory upgrades for security purposes. ICT tested and documented the Windows 10 to Windows 11 upgrade process and ran a successful pilot program with 30 users. ICT began rolling out the upgrade to general users on May 12, 2025. All new computer deployments standardized Windows 11 as the default operating system as of February 2025. The project reached completion in November, 2025 as upgrades were pushed to all computers if the user had not completed the update themselves. A total of 2,400+ computers were successfully upgraded to Windows 11.
During the rollout, some users experienced longer-than-expected installation times and a small number of related performance issues. ICT investigated these reports promptly, updated deployment processes, and worked directly with affected users to minimize downtime and improve the upgrade experience. The team implemented ongoing adjustments throughout the rollout, resulting in shorter installation times and a smoother transition for the campus. This continuous improvement approach reflects ICT’s commitment to providing secure, reliable technology while supporting users through major system changes.
ICT successfully decommissioned macOS BigSur and Monterey in order to keep MacBook’s up to date with software and security. Additionally, Jamf, the MacBook management system, was upgraded from an on-premises solution, to a cloud-hosted version. This move offers enhanced security, reduced infrastructure and maintenance overhead, and improved reliability.
The Data Warehouse Migration project continued in 2025, with configuration fixes to ensure dashboard accuracy supporting better decision making by providing reliable institutional data. ICT and Institutional Research engaged students within the Laurier Management Analytics (MMA) program to analyze and develop statistics from the Ontario University Application Centre’s (OUAC) historical static (HSTAT) file. This allows Laurier decision makers to better understand the choices and behavior of all Ontario undergraduate applicants to make informed decisions based on reliable data.
"The strong collaboration between ICT and the academic portfolio has been key to developing Laurier's critical and informed approach to the adoption of AI technologies."
Trish McLaren, provost and vice-president: academic
As digital transformation accelerates, protecting our community and upholding regulatory standards remain top priorities. ICT are taking proactive steps to identify and mitigate risks, ensuring a safe, compliant, and trusted environment for all members of the Laurier community.
Throughout October, in celebration of Cyber Awareness Month, ICT launched a series of weekly newsletters aimed at strengthening cybersecurity awareness across the campus community. Each edition was carefully crafted to provide students, faculty, and staff with actionable insights and practical advice on how to protect their personal and institutional data. Topics ranged from recognizing social engineering attacks to how to get help if you ever fall victim to a cyber-attack. By delivering timely, relevant, and easy-to-understand content, ICT empowered individuals at all levels of technical expertise to take proactive steps toward safeguarding their digital environments—both on campus and beyond.
In collaboration with Institutional Research and the Privacy Office, in early 2025, ICT organized and ran Laurier’s first Data Privacy Week. This collaboration coincided with our efforts to reduce OneDrive storage and included daily tips and activities to review, remove and organize private and internal information on individuals OneDrive’s. Later as part two of this initiative, ICT collaborated again on a Physical Clean Up initiative to reduce physical data collection in individuals’ workspaces.
In January, ICT launched the recertification process for cybersecurity training hosted in MyLearningSpace. This initiative ensures that all staff are up to date with the latest security protocols, reducing the risk of cyber threats and enhancing overall security posture. All staff and faculty were required to complete mandatory cyber awareness training. 2,055 users completed the training in 2025. All new employees and existing employees completed this training before June 30th, 2025. Student cyber awareness training continued in 2025 for student employee groups with sponsored @wlu.ca accounts. A total of 703 students completed the training in 2025.
Additionally, ICT launched the new Cybersecurity landing page on Connect. It features a variety of security resources, including guidelines, best practices, and links to university information policies and standards. This webpage aims to enhance cybersecurity awareness and compliance across the university community, with an emphasis on staff and faculty. By inviting staff, faculty, and students to complete Cyber Awareness Training, ICT are reinforcing Laurier’s commitment to digital safety and responsible technology use.
Progress in digital transformation is driven by strategic foresight and innovative leadership. By nurturing a mindset of continuous improvement and technological agility, ICT are equipping our community to adapt confidently to emerging challenges and opportunities in our increasingly digital world.
Our Digital Strategy provides a shared vision to enhance teaching, learning, research, administration, and service through sustainable digital innovation for Laurier and for our community of partners. Last year, ICT launched our roadmap and key performance indicators (KPIs) for our digital strategy and throughout 2025, have been working diligently to advance our goals.
As of June 2025, ICT have completed 35% of Digital Strategy projects, up from 20% the previous year. User satisfaction with digital solutions and self-service offerings has shown positive results but continued area for improvements: researchers' satisfaction improved significantly from 1.7/5 to 3.2/5, while staff/faculty satisfaction decreased slightly from 4.8/5 to 4.4/5, and students were surveyed for the first time, rating their satisfaction at 3.9/5.
Our ICT governance committees maintain strong performance in diversity (4.1/5), inclusion mechanisms (4.1/5), and responsiveness to feedback (4.4/5). Our central data warehouse now connects 6 data sources containing 169.59 GB of data, supporting 6,091 report and dashboard views.
Cybersecurity training completion rates were 77% for staff and faculty, and 70% for students, who were included in the training program for the first time this year.
Laurier successfully completed a strategic mobile device transition from Telus to Rogers this year, resulting in $120,000 in annual cost savings. The transition was executed in January and February across both Brantford and Waterloo campuses, with on-site support from Rogers technicians and ICT staff. All Laurier-owned mobile devices were seamlessly converted through scheduled 10-minute appointments, where employees brought their fully charged devices to designated locations to receive new Rogers SIM cards and have their phone numbers ported over.
The transition process was carefully coordinated to minimize disruption, with ICT staff managing device logging and number confirmation, while Rogers technicians handled the technical aspects of SIM card installation and functionality testing. The structured approach, with individual appointments for each device, ensured a smooth migration for all mobile device clients, including those managing multiple devices across departments such as residences and parking services.
Our Milton campus officially opened its doors last year, marking an exciting milestone in our continued growth and commitment to innovation in education. Since then, we’ve been actively enhancing the learning environment with cutting-edge technology designed to support both students and faculty.
Over the summer of 2025, ICT completed a major upgrade to our audiovisual infrastructure. This included the installation of high-definition cameras to support hybrid and remote learning, smart ceiling microphones that ensure clear audio capture throughout classrooms, and dynamic digital signage to streamline communication across campus. In addition, dual computer monitors were added to teaching stations to improve instructional delivery and multitasking capabilities.
"ICT support has enabled key initiatives such as the Research Data Management (RDM) strategy, while also sustaining essential functions like identity management, public computing and cybersecurity. ICT also plays a critical role in planning for the success of forthcoming library software projects to ensure access to resources that strengthen teaching, learning, and research."
Scott Gillies, university librarian
ICT recognize that innovation lies not just in technology itself, but in its ability to simplify processes, foster engagement, and empower users. Through a commitment to inclusive design and continuous improvement, ICT strive to create digital experiences that are intuitive, responsive, and aligned with the diverse needs of our audiences.
Our Service Desk team proactively prepared to meet the heightened support demands of our university community. ICT delivered quick and effective help to all members of the Laurier community, including staff, students, and faculty, with 26,400+ requests submitted to the Service Desk in 2025. The Service Desk also implemented an integration with our ICT ticketing system so that when students submit a service ticket with their @mylaurier account, these tickets automatically go into the queue for enhanced triaging, follow up and tracking. These initiatives help ensure timely, effective assistance for users across all campuses.
To help reduce the volume of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) reset requests received by the ICT Service Desk, a self-service MFA reset option was introduced in early 2025. This enhancement empowers members of the Laurier community to independently reset their MFA without submitting a service ticket or contacting the Service Desk, significantly improving the overall user experience. Users can now temporarily disable MFA requirements on their accounts when they lose or replace their authentication devices. This streamlined process is estimated to prevent approximately 100 service tickets from being logged each week with an average of 1,522 Self-Service password resets per month in 2025.
To address the need for modernizing our aging print software infrastructure, ICT undertook a comprehensive evaluation of available solutions and selected OnPrintShop as the replacement for the legacy Ricoh WebPrint platform. This decision was driven by the desire to enhance the overall user experience, introduce mobile-friendly functionality, and achieve greater operational efficiency and cost savings. OnPrintShop offers a more intuitive interface, streamlined workflows, and improved accessibility across devices, making it easier for users to submit and manage print jobs from anywhere. These enhancements align with our broader goals of improving service delivery and supporting a more flexible, digital-first work environment. This also has a projected savings moving forward of 30%.
As I reflect on 2025, I'm proud of the meaningful progress we've made across our digital landscape. This year demanded both operational excellence and strategic vision—and our team delivered. We strengthened our technological infrastructure, elevated the quality and accessibility of our services, and aligned our efforts with the university's broader strategic priorities. From modernizing core systems to enhancing user experiences, each initiative has contributed to a more resilient and future-ready environment.
Yet the metrics also tell an important story: while we completed 35% of our Digital Strategy projects and saw researcher satisfaction more than double, staff and faculty satisfaction declined from 4.8 to 4.4. We've listened to this feedback, and it will fundamentally shape how we approach transformation in 2026.
Looking ahead, I see a year focused on balancing innovation with user needs. We're making significant strides in digital accessibility, working closely with the Privacy Office to audit and implement rigorous accessibility standards across all our digital environments. The LORIS redesign represents our flagship initiative—reimagining this critical system to enhance accessibility, streamline navigation, and deliver a truly modern experience for our entire community.
I'm also thrilled that Laurier will co-host CANHEIT 2026 alongside the University of Waterloo this June. Hosting Canada's premier higher education IT conference on our campus is both recognition of our progress and an opportunity to learn from peers across the country. It showcases the strength of our regional partnerships and allows us to contribute meaningfully to the national conversation on technology in higher education.
Our focus remains firmly on advancing Laurier's digital future. Guided by the university's Digital Strategy and our own strategic goals, we're committed to delivering user-centered improvements that elevate the experience for students, faculty, and staff alike. The lessons learned in 2025 have sharpened our vision and strengthened our foundation. With renewed momentum, we're well-positioned to embrace the opportunities that 2026 brings.
Nela Petkovic, Chief Information Officer