Dr. Paul Gandel is Vice Provost for Information Services and Dean of University Libraries at the University of Rhode Island and is a full professor in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science. As Chief Information Officer (CIO), Gandel is responsible for all aspects of information technology and information services -- library services, computer services, voice and data networking, instructional technology services, and distance learning technology. His work at Rhode Island includes the development and management of a $29 million initiative to upgrade the campus technology infrastructure. As part of this initiative, Gandel has overseen the upgrade of Rhode Island's entire communications network and the replacement of its administrative computing systems.

Before coming to the University of Rhode Island, Gandel was Associate Provost and Chief Information Officer at the Ohio University. Before Ohio, Gandel was Senior Director of Academic Computing and Associate Professor of Library Science at the University of North Texas, Supervisor of the Computing Technology Group at Bell Laboratories, Head of Media Services at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh, and Director of the Research Library at the Visual Studies Workshop in Rochester, New York. Gandel has made presentations and published on topics related to the management of information systems, library administration and services, software engineering, and visualization of information.

Dr. Gandel has a Ph.D. in Information Studies from Syracuse University, an M.A. in Library Science from the University of Wisconsin, and an M.F.A. in Photography and B.A. in History from the State University of New York at Buffalo.