IT will not provide updates/Need Adobe update schedule

Our IT department retains sole administrative rights to manage our university CC license pool, and thus the ability to create and disseminate CC packages with the packaging tool [which does not install the Desktop app].  My lab is currently running CC 2015, but asking for 2017 and being told to wait until August.  Two other departments on campus (Arts & Journalism) manage their own license pool and update when Adobe rolls them out, resulting in software version incompatibility for my users.  And let's face it: I don't like being told to wait 3 months.  The way our finances work there's no hope in breaking away from IT and managing our own license pool.  Im at wits end and need advice or information on the following:

What is Adobe's update frequency?  Is there a blog that tracks current versions?  Does Adobe release updates regularly on schedule (e.g., like every three months), or do they roll out updates at random? 

Is there a method I can use to update from 2015 to 2017 that does not involve creating a package in the name of the IT admin?  I do have the ability to deploy a license file (because our license pool was mismanaged, resulting in all of my workstations turning into TRIALS), so I toyed with the idea of buying my own copy of Adobe CC, making myself a package to deploy to my lab, then install the university license file.