Introducing CIONIQ: Where Strategy Meets IT IQ

Higher education is under pressure.

Budgets are flat or declining, expectations are rising, and IT has become the wiring behind every enrollment, retention, teaching, and student success outcome. Yet many institutions feel like passengers in their own technology agenda — locked into vendors, overloaded with projects, and still not getting the results they need.

CIONIQ exists to change that.

Why “CIONIQ”? The Story Behind the Name

Our name says exactly what we stand for:

CIONIQ is pronounced “Sonic” – signaling the speed and urgency we bring to untangling complex IT portfolios and making decisions that move the institution forward.

CIONIQ = CIO + IQ – combining executive-level technology leadership with the intelligence, independence, and discipline needed when you’re modernizing under pressure and can’t afford to lose control to vendors.

It’s also a deliberate play on the word “Iconic” – reflecting our focus on building standout, future-ready IT organizations in higher education.

In short, CIONIQ represents fast, intelligent, unbiased technology leadership for institutions that want to stay in the driver’s seat.

What We Do (and What We Don’t)

CIONIQ is a strategic IT advisory firm for higher education. We sit on the institution’s side of the table as an independent CIO partner, aligning technology, data, security, and operations with academic and financial strategy.

Deliberately, we do not sell infrastructure, helpdesk, or staffing. We’re not trying to fill your data center or your ticket queue.

Instead, we focus on:

IT strategy and roadmaps that are realistic, sequenced, and tied to institutional outcomes
Target operating models and governance that clarify decision rights and reduce surprises
Vendor and sourcing models that keep you in control, not your contracts
Oversight and accountability so partners deliver what they promise

Many institutions choose to separate the CIO function (CIONIQ) from their IT operations vendor. That split removes conflicts of interest and ensures decisions are made for the long-term benefit of the institution, not short-term revenue targets.

Who We Serve

We work with Presidents, CFOs, CIOs, and Boards who recognize that:

IT spend is high, but value isn’t clear
Complexity, risk, and vendor sprawl are increasing
Critical initiatives like ERP/SIS/Security modernization keep slipping or under-delivering

Typical CIONIQ engagements include:

Fractional or interim CIO
60–90 day IT diagnostics and health checks
ERP/SIS roadmap, vendor selection, and implementation oversight
IT governance reboot and operating model redesign

The CIONIQ Promise

If you believe your institution should be getting more from the dollars you already spend on IT, you’re our target audience.

CIONIQ brings Sonic-level speed to understanding your environment, CIO-level IQ to shaping the strategy, and unbiased oversight to make sure execution stays aligned with your mission.

This is where strategy meets IT IQ — and where Higher-ed leaders regain strategic control of their technology future.