Volume 26.9 | September 10, 2026
September Technology News at UGA TOP NEWS New Chief Institutional Research and Data Officer Appointed Kelly Slaton has been appointed Chief Institutional Research and Data Officer after serving in the position on an interim basis since December 2025. Slaton brings more than 14 years of experience in higher education analytics, compliance reporting, strategic planning, and organizational leadership. She previously served as Assistant Director for Institutional Reporting and Institutional Research Analyst in UGA’s Office of Institutional Research. In her new role, she will provide strategic leadership for institutional reporting, analytics, data strategy, and executive decision support. Her recent work includes leading the migration of institutional reporting from Tableau to Power BI, transitioning on-premises data resources to Microsoft Fabric, redesigning the Office of Institutional Research website, and overseeing UGA’s inaugural IPEDS ACTS reporting process. Slaton holds a doctorate in higher education and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from UGA, as well as a Master of Public Administration from Georgia State University.
Preparing for TouchNet MFA Beginning October 2026, TouchNet, the online payment system used by the University of Georgia for services such as tuition and fee payments, will introduce its own multi-factor authentication (MFA) process for users logging in to the TouchNet application. This new security step will be required in addition to the existing Duo verification that students complete through UGA's single sign-on system. To help ensure uninterrupted access, students should be prepared to enroll in TouchNet MFA when prompted and are encouraged to use an authenticator app or a personal (non-UGA) email address as their preferred verification method. Additional communications, including step-by-step instructions and key deadlines, will be shared before the October implementation date. For more information, contact Kristi Wall.