College/School/Unit:

Division of Computing and Information Technology

Departments:

Administrative Information Systems, Academic Computing Services CIT Client Services Computer Operations & Technical Support Microcomputer Services Telecommunications & Network Services

Mission:

To support the mission and goals of the University through the deployment and effective support of modern information technology.

Vision:

Information technology supports the University mission and strategic goals by: Being so ubiquitous and reliable that people take technology for granted as a fundamental institutional utility; Enhancing information access, teaching and learning, and research and scholarship;; Automating workflow to improve efficiency and customer service; Attracting prospective students and employees; Garnering respect among our peer institutions and the press.

Description of Unit (Identify major programs, strengths, opportunities, and challenges)

Working together, CIT's departments provide the institutional information technology infrastructure and support. Some 80-90% of CIT's efforts are devoted to the 7X24 operation and support of information technology infrastructure and its use. Though we routinely strive to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of these activities, those activities are not directly represented in the strategic action items listed below. Also, many of CIT's efforts are driven by customer demand and priorities, which sometimes preempt CIT-planned initiatives. Strengths "Talented, energetic, creative and dedicated staff" A highly talented, energetic, creative, and dedicated IT staff. Many long-term employees. A collaborative approach to meeting UVM's IT needs (e.g. standards development). Institutional and departmental IT staff work together towards common goals. Well-developed and designed systems and procedures for delivering IT services. A consistent ranking among the nation's top 100 "connected" universities. Opportunities "Technology cannot replace skilled humans... but it can help!" Information technology has the potential to improve operational efficiency and service through additional process redesign and IT infrastructure. The Maguire study shows that, in addition to our Vermont environment, advanced technology attracts the students UVM seeks. While UVM has a good reputation for delivering a modern IT infrastructure, a credibility gap between our reputation and what we can deliver is beginning to develop. Investment is needed to assure that this gap does not continue to expand. While UVM does not need to compete directly with MIT, for example, the availability of competitive information technology is especially important in our fairly remote and "idyllic" setting. Current Challenges The "expectation gap" Expectation gap: rising student and faculty technology expectations and declining financial support for institutional technology deployment and support. UVM is no longer able to keep up with student (and faculty) expectations of network capacity, classroom technology, and desktop computing support. Network security: though CIT has taken steps to protect the UVM network, vulnerabilities remain. Research community is particularly vulnerable. Campus network infrastructure deferred maintenance: much building wiring, installed 19 years ago, cannot carry modern high-speed network traffic. It is not competitive with our peer institutions and is not suitable for many research applications. Legacy systems for financial records and human resource management will require replacement soon. An RFP for replacement with modern enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems is currently being developed under the leadership of Michael Gower. Increasing demand for classroom technology, with insufficient life-cycle funding and the same staffing levels as when classroom technology meant an overhead projector. Decentralized budgeting for technology makes technology coherence an ongoing issue (though this is much improved).

Plan

1. Create a diverse community

Develop and implement plans throughout the institution to recruit and retain faculty, staff and students from under-represented groups. Strengthen international and multicultural curricular opportunities. Ensure that institutional policies and expectations are consistent with and promote the climate and community enshrined in "Our Common Ground". Develop institutional practices and policies that foster a culture of inclusion, openness, and collaboration among administrators, faculty, staff, and students.

Action Step	Person Responsible	Timeframe	Resource Issues and Plan	Indicators of Success as Related to Strategy	Strategies for Evaluation and Assessment	Year End Progress Report - Outcomes
Each CIT employee will complete one or more professional development classes related to multicultural awareness.	Roger Lawson, administered by Business Office	FY04-05	Available professional development opportunities; funding limits.	100% participation
Collaborate with academic units, ALANA Student Center, and Student Life to provide additional or updated computing facilities for students.	Dean Williams	FY04-05	CIT & hosting unit funding are required. Staffing for planning & support.	Student use of labs	Feedback from unit about student satisfaction.
CIT & Student Life: Enhance means of electronic communication among students, diverse and interest-focused groups alike.	Dean Williams, Keith Kennedy, Roger Lawson	FY04	Organize, create & automate info/discussion group signup.	Number of interest /communications groups, subscribers and postings.	Assess usage and trends.
IT Roundtable: Information Technology and Cultural Diversity; publish findings and recommendations.	Steve Cavrak	Nov. 2004	participation	Attendance, conversation, development of applications of IT to support diversity	Feedback from findings & recommendations.

2. Create an outstanding student experience that promotes personal and intellectual development

Increase residential life housing capacity, renovate existing facilities, enhance physical attractiveness, and create living/learning communities. Assess the quality of the traditional and non-traditional student experience and take appropriate action assuring accountability of faculty, staff, and students. Foster positive changes in student culture and behavioral norms. Provide undergraduate students with opportunities for rigorous and challenging experiential learning including research, volunteerism, and service-learning from the outset of their academic programs.

Action Step	Person Responsible	Timeframe	Resource Issues and Plan	Indicators of Success as Related to Strategy	Strategies for Evaluation and Assessment	Year End Progress Report - Outcomes
Add & upgrade classroom technology, focusing on general purpose, centrally scheduled classrooms and Trinity	Dean Williams, Jim Whitby, and classroom priorities committee.	FY04-05	Availability of classroom improvement, CIT and project funds.	Availability of suitable, reliable classroom technology	Assess faculty & student satisfaction.
Build a strong partnership with SGA through regularly scheduled meetings to increase awareness of students' technology needs.	Pat Ainsworth, Roger Lawson, Dean Williams	FY04-05	Staff time & SGA interest	Seek opportunities to speak at SGA session.	Assess service enhancements based upon student input.
Educate and enforce legal and ethical use of computers and networks; coordinate with General Counsel to plan response to expected subpoenas from copyright holders	Dean Williams	FY04-05	Publications, direct contact; advice of General Counsel	Number of subpoenas, copyright complaints, internal security incidents	Count cases to Judicial Affairs, measure other indicators such as student awareness of copyright law.
Publish IT information relevant to students. Increase student awareness of UVM information technology facilities, events and current issues.	Dean Williams and Roger Lawson	FY04-05	IT Newsletter & other new avenues for information flow. Staff resources.	Increased IT Newsletter readership; feedback from students	Measure change in IT Newsletter Web hits, count new pubs & venues
Deploy wireless data in all UVM buildings where technically and economically feasible. Upgrade wireless access to 802.11g when standards based equipment is available.	Pat Ainsworth, Randy Spooner	FY04-05	Identify specific deployment sites. Seek funding for Phase III deployment.	Wireless exists in all UVM buildings and in outside areas where appropriate.	Measure and document increased wireless coverage
Support for wireless networking - from pilot to production	Dean Williams Pat Ainsworth	FY04-05	Equipment, human resources for testing documentation & support, software quality and usability	Average daily use of Cat's PAWS network, feedback from students	Monitor usage & measure student, faculty and staff satisfaction.
In collaboration with Financial Aid and Student Financial Services, publish new web tools to enable students to review their entire financial record including loans offered, loan history, previous bills, federal 1098 forms.	Keith Kennedy	Phase 1 March 2004, Phase 2 March 2005	Staffing resources, competing priorities.	Students are accepting awards online.	Number of awards accepted online
Evaluate usage patterns in the CIT Waterman, consider alternative designs and use of facilities, refresh technology on 3-year life-cycle.	Dean Williams, David Houston	For fall 2004 & fall 2005	Staffing resources, funding, faculty & student input	Computer labs meet faculty and student needs	Feed back from faculty & students
Collaborate with Arts & Sciences to refresh their teaching lab technology on a 3-year life-cycle	Dean Williams, David Houston,Andrew Hendrickson	For fall 2004 & fall 2005	Staffing resources, funding, & CAS participation	Computer labs meet faculty and student needs. Facilities attract perspective students.	Feed back from faculty & students
Investigate the feasibility of offering a software service support contract as a means of balancing client needs, expectations and support resources. Define what services are entitlements (free) and what services must be charged.	Andy Gingras, Dean Williams	Summer 2004		A feasibility report and, optionally, a plan for deployment.	Feedback from survey and marketing study.

3.  Focus the human, fiscal, environmental, technological and physical resources of the University on institutional values and priorities

Develop mechanisms for implementing and documenting differential resource allocations based upon support of institutional priorities and performance.  Create and implement comprehensive master plans for facilities and technology.              Develop and implement a plan for appropriate institutional growth related to student population and the corresponding alignment of faculty and staff.

Action Step	Person Responsible	Timeframe	Resource Issues and Plan	Indicators of Success as Related to Strategy	Strategies for Evaluation and Assessment	Year End Progress Report - Outcomes
Implement technology and an equitable process for requesting and prioritizing classroom technology maintenance and enhancement, coordinated with classroom physical needs, aligned with institutional priorities	Dean Williams, James Whitby & Classroom Priorities Committee	FY04-05	Classroom improvement funding; staffing for Web development, building consensus among diverse parties.	Well understood process, published list of approved projects; dean & faculty satisfaction	Feedback from faculty and deans, students
Transfer scheduling of Waterman computer classrooms from CIT to Registrar or Facilities Scheduling, increasing fairness and easing burden on faculty	Dean Williams, Keith Williams	FY04-05 (target Winter 2004)	Depends on Registrar's ability to schedule specialized resources.	Ability to schedule classes in 113T&Q w/o CIT involvement	Is it feasible?
Work with campus stakeholders to develop an IT Master Plan	Mara Saule, Roger Lawson and other CIT managers	Spring 2004	UVM leadership support	Completion and acceptance of plan	Follow through on recommendations.
Benchmark other peer institutions information technology from a service, financial, technical and organizational perspective.	Roger Lawson,Pat Ainsworth	FY04-05	Staff time and cooperation of peer institutions.	Possibly, improved ways of doing things	Review and brainstorm with campus IT community
Design a new, more effective Depot Web interface to enhance customer communication, marketing and Depot operations. Add "feedback" feature.	Andy Gingras, Joe Parent	For 2004 Back-to-School Promotion.	Staff time.	Redesigned Web site	Customer feedback.
To accommodate the rapidly rising volume of email, seamlessly replace existing email server with a with a scalable cluster of servers	Keith Kennedy, Technical Support	FY04	Staff time, funding for hardware	Scalable email infrastructure, timely email delivery	Monitoring of email delivery timing
Improve security by phasing out non-encrypting data communications protocols.	Dean Williams, Keith Kennedy	FY04-05	Availability of encrypting software, compliance of end users	Improved security, no open text passwords on the net	Ongoing security assessment

4. Recruit and retain excellent students, faculty and staff.

Assure faculty accountability for creating an academically rigorous environment. Reward excellent performance, enhance competitiveness of compensation for faculty and staff, and improve the quality of the professional environment.       Increase the quality and improve the yield of admitted students through effective enrollment management.   Substantially expand merit and need-based financial aid endowments and gifts for the undergraduate and graduate population.         Design and develop first-rate academic advising programs.   Improve career and academic planning services and programs and connect these services more effectively to academic units and programs.

Action Step	Person Responsible	Timeframe	Resource Issues and Plan	Indicators of Success as Related to Strategy	Strategies for Evaluation and Assessment	Year End Progress Report - Outcomes
Develop professional development plan for each CIT employee with special emphasis on relevant training and education.	Each CIT manager.	FY05	Funding for professional development.	Each employee receives relevant training as needed.	Annual review of training and professional development plans.
Develop and propose a plan for one-time financial recognition to recognize exceptional employee performance.	Roger Lawson, Pat Ainsworth	FY05	Institutional approval & funding	Motivated, loyal employees
Use the Web and other techniques to survey students, faculty, and staff concerning IT needs, habits, support experience satisfaction, and other support topics.	Dean Williams	FY04-05	Staffing resources.	Survey participation & constructive criticism/advice.	Monitor trends.
Experiment with in-person computing support processes; increase service without unacceptably diminishing other services	Dean Williams, Andy Gingras	FY04-05 (target Winter 2004)	Staffing resources, funding, physical space; impact on other services	Number of people helped, wait queues, client reports of satisfaction	Compare statistics and provider reports now and after changes
Increase availability and quality of Help Line services	Dean Williams	FY04-05	Staffing resources, training & software	Call and message stats, client reports of satisfaction	Compare statistics and reports before and after changes
Contribute to planning for new student center, focusing on technology features	CIT Managers	Through 2007	Staff time.	Budgeting for and suitable application of contemporary technology	Student and faculty delight with and use of technology in building
In collaboration with Admissions, deploy new web features enabling applicants to track their application status through acceptance.	Keith Kennedy	Jan 2004	Staffing resources	Applicants are using the new web feature.	Monitor number students using feature and their satisfaction.
In collaboration with Admissions, support Royal/FastApp application process through automatic data load of FastApp applications.	Keith Kennedy	Jan 2004	Staffing resources	FastApp applications loaded into BANNER and ready for review and decisions.

5. Strengthen and focus academic programs, emphasizing liberal education, health and the environment

Implement a university-wide honors college emphasizing cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary linkages.   Through faculty processes, create greater cohesion of the undergraduate curriculum.   Strengthen the Academic Program Review process, emphasizing action-oriented outcomes including consolidation/elimination of programs as appropriate.   Continue to improve the academic qualifications of the student body.

Action Step	Person Responsible	Timeframe	Resource Issues and Plan	Indicators of Success as Related to Strategy	Strategies for Evaluation and Assessment	Year End Progress Report - Outcomes
In collaboration with the Registrar, complete Degree Audit (DARS) system.	Keith Kennedy	Ready for Fall 2004	Bulk audits to colleges; student initiated audits to follow.	Tracking progress towards degree is simplified for advisors, deans' offices and students.	Feedback from students and faculty.

6.Strengthen financial resources

Expand fiscal resources consistent with the university mission.   Perform rigorous and ongoing comparisons of our academic, financial, and operational performance against a carefully selected and consistent set of peer and aspirant institutions.   Re-engineer administrative and bureaucratic policies and processes to eliminate waste and duplication.   Develop budget and resource allocation models that are strategic and reward progress towards established goals and priorities.   Successfully implement the comprehensive campaign.

Action Step	Person Responsible	Timeframe	Resource Issues and Plan	Indicators of Success as Related to Strategy	Strategies for Evaluation and Assessment	Year End Progress Report - Outcomes
In collaboration with the Administrative VP, Controllers Office, Human Resources, and Sponsored Research, develop and publish an RFP, select replacement products for existing Financial Records, Human Resources, and Sponsored Research ERP components. Negotiate licenses, plan implementation.	Keith Kennedy	Second Quarter 2004	Staffing.	Board of Trustees approval of plan.	Measure success of implementation against similar projects at other institutions.
Construct and issue microcomputer RFP that emphasizes technology coherence, value and vendor support; working with UVM customers, select best solution for UVM.	Andy Gingras, David Martin, Roger Lawson, Advisory Committee	FY04	Staffing, vendor responses, institutional leadership support	Selection of the best solution for UVM, a vendor partner who can best meet UVM's microcomputer technology needs.	Survey of student, faculty and staff customers, assessment of technology coherence.
Research options for consolidating supported server environments; design; implement; lay foundation for greater productivity	Dean Williams, Keith Kennedy	FY04-FY05	Staffing resources, education, funding, transition/ implementation plan	Number of users moved from NetWare to Windows server, uptime, reduction in technology diversity	Measure economy of scale, number of users employing a common solution.
Partner with decentralized IT groups to transfer management of all network components to centralized Network Services to create efficiencies and improve service.	Pat Ainsworth	FY04-FY05	Work collaboratively with departmental IT staff.	All UVM data network infrastructure is centrally supported .	Verify and document network components.
Work with Campus Planning to move from Lockwood land records system to Vermont State Plan GPS mapping for UVM Telecom infrastructure.	Pat Ainsworth	FY04-FY05	Funding	Conversion to new system.	Review Land Records system upon completion.
Develop UVM Policy on licensing space to cellular telephone companies to generate new revenue stream.	Pat Ainsworth	FY04	Funding (?) Work with IBM to investigate cell phone revenue opportunities.	Completed policy.	Approval of legal and executive staff
In collaboration with AFS,replace aging facilities management system (Champs==>FAMIS)	Keith Kennedy	Third quarter, 20004	Competing priorities.	Simplified business processes; better management information	Post installation assessment of workflow, etc.
Replace paper recruiting form and the associated business processes with the RYP application	Keith Kennedy	Phase 1 - spring 2004 Phase 2 - summer 2004	Simplified and automated employee recruitment work flow	Streamlined hiring processes.	Post installation assessment of hiring processes.
Work with prospective computer vendors to investigate outreach resales programs for UVM alumni and students from the local educational community.	Andy Gingras	June 2004	Written analysis of options and business case for or against	A good understanding of options and business models.	Assessment of related risks and opportunities.

7. Strengthen research, scholarship and the creative arts

Create a collaborative environment that supports and rewards faculty achievement in teaching, research/scholarship, and service.   Identify and implement steps to support the development of cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary research and scholarship.   Make appropriate and focused investments in the infrastructure and technology supporting our research mission.   Expand graduate student enrollments emphasizing Ph.D. programs, interdisciplinary study, and the priority themes of the strategic plan.   Create internal incentives to increase substantially the external funds supporting graduate education.   Increase the competitiveness of graduate student support.   Recognize and respect the development of scholarship and curriculum within all disciplines that broadens knowledge about the diversity of the human experience.

Action Step	Person Responsible	Timeframe	Resource Issues and Plan	Indicators of Success as Related to Strategy	Strategies for Evaluation and Assessment	Year End Progress Report - Outcomes
Collaborate with Music and Art departments to provide computing lab and classroom technology for students	Dean Williams	June - August, 2004	CIT funding, hosting unit, and other funding are required. Staffing resources.	Student and faculty use of labs and classrooms	Feedback from host unit management about student use, satisfaction.
Support grant applicants by ensuring that network service levels meet the research requirements.	Pat Ainsworth	FY04	Funding for network infrastructure improvements.	Researchers are satisfied and able to acquire related grant funding.	Assess percentage of researchers with appropriate network capacity.
Construct and issue microcomputer RFP that emphasizes technology coherence, value and vendor support; working with UVM customers, select best solution for UVM.	Andy Gingras, David Martin, Roger Lawson, Advisory Committee	FY04	Staffing, vendor responses, institutional leadership support	Selection of the best solution for UVM, a vendor partner who can best meet UVM's microcomputer technology needs.	Survey of student, faculty and staff customers, assessment of technology coherence.
Research options for decreasing number of supported server operating systems without decreasing services; design; implement; lay foundation for greater productivity	Dean Williams, Keith Kennedy	FY04-FY05	Staffing resources, education, funding, transition/ implementation plan	Number of users moved from NetWare to Windows server, uptime, reduction in technology diversity	Measure economy of scale, number of users employing a common solution.

8.  Other (opportunity for units to include other action steps that may not be related to a specific strategic goal above

Action Step	Person Responsible	Timeframe	Resource Issues and Plan	Indicators of Success as Related to Strategy	Strategies for Evaluation and Assessment	Year End Progress Report - Outcomes