OFFICE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT PLAN, FY 2001-02

• This is a newly formed office. An assessment plan for the office will be developed and implemented to some extent by the next reporting period.
   

1. Mission Statement
   
   The Office of Information Technology has leadership, advisory, oversight, and coordinating responsibility for information technology services and activities for the University of South Carolina.
   
    
2. Goals
   
    
   1. Develop IT organizational, governance, and communication strategies.
      
      An effective IT strategy will require clearly identifiable leadership, whose authority, accountability, and responsiveness to University needs are well-defined and broadly understood. This leadership will be best informed in its decisions through regular dialogue with students, faculty, and staff who will be affected most directly by evolving IT practices, procedures, and policies. Effective dialogue will require a clear communications strategy.
      
      To accomplish this goal:
      1. A program manager will map and lead assessment of USC's allocation of IT resources, using the data warehouse and SACS reports.
      2. A customer support team will identify best-practice customer service approaches and incorporate them into IT support activities, using customer feedback and feedback from industry and higher education customer support activities.
      3. In conjunction with the Council of Academic Deans and Administrative Council, the Office of IT will create an IT governance structure.
      4. The CIO will create an IT leadership team.
      5. The IT leadership team will identify the means to improve the institutional dialogue about IT, using data from SACS about needed improvements.
      6. A representative subcommittee of the governance structure will assess communications tools and identify priorities for improvement, using data from SACS, customer surveys, and by reviewing industry trends.
      7. Consultants from Computer Services and Publications will redesign and implement an improved web presence and web content management system.
         
          
   2. Develop a coherent IT architecture and a solid foundation of IT infrastructure, informed by sound fiscal planning and practice.
      
      Information technology is now a fundamental of higher education - in classrooms, laboratories, offices, student housing, and remote locations that transcend the University's traditional, physical boundaries. A concise and clear outline of the current University IT architecture, and articulation of standards that inform architectural choices, are essential for defining a baseline that provides a context within which future enhancements in capacity, services, and support can be considered. With this description of standards and architecture as a starting point, USC can begin to articulate new goals and build a solid foundation of IT infrastructure that will help her achieve a position of state and regional leadership in instructional, research, and administrative applications of IT. Sound fiscal planning and practice will permit this infrastructure to be maintained and further developed in concert with the evolving needs of the institution.
      
      To accomplish this goal
      1. The Office of IT will create a master plan for IT using SACS reports, direct customer feedback, capacity planning tools, and industry data about cycles of obsolescence.
      2. Using the data warehouse and other tools, a program manager will gather, analyze, and disseminate University-wide IT budget information.
      3. The Office of IT will work with the Office of Human Resources to identify competitive strategies to improve recruitment and retention of professional staff.
      4. The Office of IT will work with the Office of Business and Finance to ensure optimum prices for hardware and software.
         
          
   3. Articulate clear directions for use of information technology - including Library applications and the development of digital libraries -- in support of teaching, learning, and research - both within and beyond the physical boundaries of campuses.
      
      The core components of the University mission are teaching, learning, and research. USC's current resource allocation model provides highly distributed IT support for these core activities; in many instances, departments, schools, and colleges have locally controlled budgets, personnel, and facilities designed to provide optimum service for specific, targeted populations, or for specialized activities. These locally provided services and facilities are complemented by a set of centralized IT services and facilities.
      
      To accomplish this goal
      1. In concert with Deans' designees, OIT will identify opportunities to deploy IT resources more cost-effectively. Expected outcome: measurable savings.
      2. In concert with University Libraries, OIT will identify options for improved electronic access to resources. Expected outcome: improved patron satisfaction.
      3. In concert with DEIS and CS, OIT will identify options for improved instructional support. Expected outcome: improved instructor satisfaction.
      4. In concert with the Office of Research, OIT will determine to what extent current research computing needs are being met. Expected outcome - recommendations for an improved research computing environment.
         
          
   4. Develop clear priorities for the management and further development of USC's information assets.
      
      Information itself is an irreplaceable strategic asset for the University and must be carefully managed. Good leadership, management, resource allocation, and decision-making in a $500-million per year higher education enterprise is far more difficult in the absence of high-quality information that is the product of reliable, timely, and accurate data, and powerful analytic tools thoughtfully applied to those data. USC must continue to invest in information systems that ensure data integrity, facilitate thorough analysis, and support teaching, learning, research, and community service through enabling efficient and effective business operations.
      
       
      1. OIT will collaborate with business offices to assess major legacy systems. Expected outcome - prioritized plans for upgrades and/or replacement of legacy systems.
      2. CS will replace USC's telephone switch. Expected outcome - new switch and improved telephone service, especially to Regionals, to be verified by customer satisfaction surveys.
      3. CS will assess disaster recovery preparedness and recommend steps for improvement. Expected outcome - improved preparedness as measured by adherence to state and industry standards.
         
          
   5. Review current practice, procedure, and policy regarding issues of security, privacy, and intellectual property and revise as necessary.
      
      USC's policies and procedures must protect the security of the University's information technology resources and institutional data, safeguard personal privacy, and respect intellectual property rights. These policies and procedures must at the same time support two essential University values - access to information and freedom of discourse.
      
       
      1. OIT and CS will review and revise security policies in accordance with industry standards and institutional need. Expected outcome - improved security as measured by a reduction in network downtime resulting from malicious attacks.
      2. OIT and designated members of the USC community will review practice and policy regarding personal privacy in the use of IT resources. Expected outcome - revised policies and practices.
      3. OIT, Office of General Counsel, and members of the USC faculty will identify best practices from other universities regarding incentives for creation of intellectual property. Expected outcome - recommendations to the Provost.
         
          
   6. Develop and incorporate awareness of an e-Agenda in support of the University's mission into all of our IT activities.