To close out the 2021 fall semester, the University of Arkansas announced that the mainframe that powered Business and Administrative Strategic Information System (BASIS) was powered off after 25 years. Decommissioning the mainframe will save the university approximately $1 million per year in service and licensing fees while ensuring the integrity of institutional data.

In 2021, the residents of New York City relied on technology unlike ever before to ensure equitable access to work, school, and daily life, according to a year-end compilation released by the Mayor’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer (CTO).

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) and the City of Los Angeles announced they have launched “LA Secure,” a free mobile application that will improve the cybersecurity of Metro riders and city residents, keeping them safe online.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) said in its annual report on governmentwide improper payments – defined as payments that shouldn’t have been made or were made for  incorrect amounts – jumped to 7.2 percent in Fiscal Year 2021 with the increase driven in part by soaring rates of unemployment insurance fraud during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has updated its Vax Verify immunization portal to include the use of the SMART Health Card.

Following the state releasing its final biennial budget, North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) announced funding wins for the state’s community colleges, and noted that the $1.46 billion  investment in the community college system is the largest received over the past decade.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that President Biden signed last November represented a win for state and local governments (SLG), with the inclusion of a $1 billion cybersecurity grant program targeted at improving SLGs’ cybersecurity posture.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has launched the Affordable Connectivity Program, which is the successor to the agency’s Emergency Broadband Benefit program.

Adrian Perkins, the mayor of Shreveport, La., is turning ideas into action to fulfill his vision for a smart city.

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the state’s Cradle-to-Career Data System is now entering its next phase of development, marked by the hiring of Mary Ann Bates as its first director.