From upgrading the email system to helping install fiber cables, Associate Provost of Information Resources and Technology Chuck Ruch has pushed Bradley into the future during his time at the university. Now, after 10 years, he is saying goodbye to the Hilltop.
Ruch received his bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in animal science and a master’s degree in math from Indiana State University.
He originally wanted to own and operate a livestock farm, but as the market changed, so did Ruch’s life choices.
“You graduate from college, you get that first job, and then you look very hard at the realities,” Ruch said. “You look at the capital that is required to actually own and run a farm, you discover that’s a real long shot, and you start looking for other ways to earn a living.”
Prior to joining the Hilltop, Ruch worked for Creighton University for 24 years, where he started as a programmer and ended his career there as the associate vice president of technical services and communications.
When Ruch came to Bradley in 2004, he was placed in charge of improving connectivity and watching over every aspect of technology and online functions.
“When I started here 10 years ago, the resources we had, particularly from network support, were extremely limited,” Ruch said. “We’ve done some things to really turn that around. From a networking standpoint, we now have gigabyte speeds connecting us to the outside world.”
When Ruch first became a faculty member, student and faculty emails were stored on a Unix Machine in computer services.
Since then, Ruch helped Bradley’s network move from a DS3 with 135 megabits, which cost more than $100,000, to a system of fibers costing in the lower five-figure range. The change not only saved the school money but increased capacity as well.
But Ruch made sure the improvements won’t stop after he retires.
“We have a plan for my [successor] to upgrade that network to 10 [gigabytes],” Ruch said. “That’s just something that 10 years ago, we couldn’t imagine.”
Ruch said his fondest memories at Bradley come from interactions with individual people, but he is excited to move back to Omaha, Nebraska and spend time with his daughters and grandchildren.
“I definitely won’t be sitting in a rocking chair,” he said. “I have one daughter who needs help with home improvement, so that’s something I will do.”
