Existing research demonstrates the value of technology innovation in current and future organizational performance, strategy and competitive advantage across many corporate environments. Available research, however, fails to address the value of Chief Information Officers (CIOs), as drivers and leaders of technology innovation within higher education. Universities need to be able to innovate, improve and even challenge existing operating models and their CIOs are uniquely positioned to drive such technology innovation forward. My research is focused on assessing which factors positively contribute to the role of CIOs in leading technology innovation within higher education. This dissertation aims to address this issue by analyzing data gathered from 166 CIOs from colleges and universities across the United States. Findings indicate that CIO's ability to drive innovation within higher education is significantly influenced by their authority to make strategic decisions, and by the Top Management Team (TMT) support of information technology (IT). Furthermore, while important, organizational culture and board of trustees' involvement in strategy are of lesser impact on the overall performance and progress than expected. Additionally, there's a misalignment between current and expected reporting structures for CIOs as well as their attendance and contributions across the Boards of Trustees. Finally, broader implications of this study for both researchers and CIOs will be discussed and suggestions for future research will be offered. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]