Information Technology has a university-wide role to provide technology infrastructure and to support use of technology in instruction, research, and administration. Over time, the number of IT staff has actually fallen although the number and scope of projects and activities has grown significantly.

The IT organization must be on a sound financial footing if it is to continue to provide these services and to meet the challenges of the future. Likewise, costs for services must be structured so that departments and units can take full advantage of the services. A subcommittee of STEC is developing recommendations to improve IT funding—these recommendations will be included as part of this plan when they are finalized.

IT Goal XIII: Realign IT funding and improve allocation of technology resources

a. Resolve structural imbalances in the IT budget. Funding for IT is not aligned properly to address the university’s long-term needs. The structural imbalance, caused by use of one-time funding for continuing requirements of enterprise applications, must be addressed so that focus can be turned to new initiatives.

b. Restructure IT budget to reduce reliance on revenue and charge-backs. The IT budget is supported almost 60% through revenue and charge-back mechanisms, which is a cause of great dissatisfaction across the university. Jointly with the VP of Finance, a strategy needs to be implemented to move IT to a model with more centralized funding for core services, possibly based on a “utility” concept.

c. Restructure resource quotas and allocations to better meet user needs. Departments, staff, and students operate under resource allocation limits and quotas that are sometimes inconsistent and do not meet expectations. A new strategy needs to be developed to support appropriate allocation of resources while maintaining accountability and the principles of good stewardship.

d. Explore funding by donors for renovations of public centers. Information Technology is seeking to provide a better student learning environment in the public centers. Because of the increasingly visible and innovative nature of these centers, it may be possible to secure donor funding for renovations and updates to the public facilities.

e. Lease EBS (Educational Broadband Service) spectrum. The EBS spectrum will be leased to carriers for use in delivery of WiMax services. The university needs to structure this lease so that resources from this lease can support ongoing communications needs, and to allow the university to meet the FCC requirements for ongoing university use.