Information technology (IT) is more prevalent than ever, and its management is critical to the University’s mission. To get a handle on all things IT, UNC Charlotte is doing what relatively few institutions have done – a complete analysis of all information technology resources on campus.
“This stem-to-stern evaluation of how UNC Charlotte uses IT resources, services and funding is extremely important for the institution,” said Beth Hardin, vice chancellor for business affairs and an executive cosponsor of the IT Master Plan project along with Provost Joan Lorden.
“The goal of the IT master plan is to develop a five-year strategy around all IT components to achieve maximum efficiency,” Lorden explained. “Working in conjunction with the consulting firm BerryDunn, we want to assess our current campus services and their cost along with the satisfaction of our stakeholders. Developing and executing a five-year plan will ensure we’re meeting the needs of the entire University community with respect to information technology.”
C.E. Pierce from the Information and Technology Services Office is project manager for the IT master plan; he noted the consultants have been meeting with members of the campus community since late January to gather information about IT operations, services and resources.
“We are being very thoughtful and organized about the needs assessment phase,” said Pierce. “The consultants are meeting one-on-one and one-on-many to gather as much information as possible during the assessment phase in order to establish a trustworthy, reliable picture of our current IT foundation, which can then be used to facilitate us toward developing our five-year strategy.”
An IT Master Plan website has been created to share information about project timeline, progress of the process and contact details for project staff. Pierce noted all comments regarding current IT services are welcome.
“We are taking the broadest look possible when it comes to IT,” Pierce stated. “For example, staff members may view IT as it relates to their role on campus – do they use email? Do they utilize a University-owned desktop or laptop computer? What operating system is provided? Do they need specialized software to conduct their job? Is the equipment networked to other computers and printers? If they happen to be adjunct faculty members, then there are different needs related to the classroom – such as Moodle, the learning management system, or the smart podiums maintained by academic support services.”
In undertaking this project, Hardin stated, “We believe this is a prudent time to identify where we are and where we are going with respect to technology. We’ve survived the Great Recession, but there is no expectation that we will receive funding to have more or better information technology. To the extent that we want more and better IT, we will have to move resources from other areas. Engaging in this process to develop a five-year IT strategy will better prepare UNC Charlotte to align operations, services, resources and organization to create a more efficient IT environment.”