CIT Strategic Plan

Three Year Technology Strategic Plan
BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY
(2006 – 2009)

CENTER FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (CIT)

VISION

  • Becoming the information technology service consultants of choice for Bethune-Cookman University
  • Delivering quality services and products
  • Providing quality support
  • Engaging  with clients in the articulation of IT needs and assessments
    Adding value to the work of faculty, staff, and students through the use of IT services and products

Collaborate and partner with ourselves, clients, and venders to serve the IT needs of the University
Organize new ways of working together

Essential Orientations:
Focusing on the total organization and not on a few special interests
Creating a foundational set of IT related products and services rather than the special high profile IT projects and solutions
Seeking innovation rather than supporting traditional IT solutions
Providing equity in the delivery of IT products and services rather than maintaining or increasing inequity
Allowing uncertainty during innovation and change rather than seeking safety, stagnation and ineffectiveness

 
What is needed to achieve this vision:
Create satisfaction for ourselves and our clients
Eliminate processes that are dependent on one person to fulfill
Anticipate the future through planning
Develop systems and processes that work for ourselves and our clients
Extend  the boundary of our professionalism through innovation, learning, and assessment

  •  
    •  
      • The need for a stable infrastructure vs. the latest and leading-edge product
      • State of the art products and services in the context of limited resources
      • Low threshold applications vs. the more complete and feature laden
        Providing common University-wide standards vs. optimized local, diverse or limited coverage solutions

        VALUES

    • Collaborating and teaming rather than relying on self-serving independence

      Challenges:

      Client and Customer Focused IT Practices
      IT Professional Services Orientation
      Advocating for Client/Customer IT Needs
      Service through effective Processes and Systems
      Work planning through Project Management Methodology

      IT Processes

      MISSION :  Collaborating and partnering with faculty, staff, and students of Bethune-Cookman University in applying Information Technology to achieve their goals.

      STRATEGIC THEMES
      Engaging University community in identifying Information Technology needs, and to use Information technology in a way to add value to their activities
      Delivering IT products and services to support the evolving needs of faculty, staff, and students
      Operate and improve IT environment in order to meet the needs of its customers
      Improving IT through the development of individual and and organizational processes

      STRATEGIES
      Engage customers to understand their IT product and service needs
      Help customers use IT products and services efficiently and effectively
      Measure and track organizational performance, customer satisfaction, and unit accountability
      Continue to define, refine, and build B-CC’s IT architecture and infrastructure
      Leverage teams to respond to customers’ individual and collective needs
      Plan IT work intentionally, practice prioritization, resource management, and work allocation.

      GOALS & OBJECTIVES

      I. Academic Technology
      To increase the use of current and emerging technologies for the purpose of teaching, learning, and research in support of the academic mission of the University.

      a. Provide technology infrastructure, programs, and services to assist the School of Graduate and Professional Studies in meeting their distance learning and off campus Instructional goals. (On-going)

      b. Expand the Academic Computing unit of CIT by hiring an Instructional Designer, e-Learning Administrator, and Academic Trainer to support the growth of technology use in academics (Spring 2007)

      c. Work with faculty and Provost’s office to develop and implement ways to improve teaching through the use and integration of technology. (On-going)

      d. Working with campus technology partners, support and enhance technology-based facilities, such as FDC, classrooms, and labs.  (On-going)

      e. Work with faculty, Faculty Development Center, Library, student groups and other units on campus to develop ways to improve technology among faculty and students. (On-going /All years)

      f. Provide support for off-campus access to library services. (Fall 2006)

      g. Create a plan to upgrade and replace faculty desktops and lab computers (Fall 2007)

      h. Annually review the software available to students to make sure that the software necessary to achieve learning outcomes is installed in the public computer labs. (Continuous / all years)

      i. Increase/Improve training opportunities for faculty and staff (Fall 2006)

      j. Expand the orientation program for the use of technology for all new students, faculty, and staff.  Explore new ways of verifying that the appropriate skills are acquired. (Fall 2006)

      k. Identify and support faculty needs in developing technology-based courses by offering programs, workshops, in-service training, consultation and development support. (2006)

      l. Implement a process to assess, review and revise the effectiveness of technology-based courses. (Spring 2007)

      m. Develop and implement plans for web-enhanced courses including hardware, software, technical support, and faculty training. (Continuous process / all years)

      n. Review video-conferencing infrastructure needed to effectively provide online courses (Fall 2008)

      o. Search and review space for a state-of-the-art Distance Learning/Training facility for faculty and staff (Fall 2009)

      p. Be proactive in support of Increasing the number of on-site distance learning, hybrid, and web-enhanced classes (Continuous / all years)

      q. Establish/reorganize instructional computer labs  in consulation with academic deans as needs arise (On-going / all years)

       

      II. Administrative Technology
      To develop and implement integrated, reliable and appropriate business systems, that enhance and empower administrative users of the University.


      a. Implement administrative applications  that are responsive to customer needs, reliable in their operation, and effective for administrative needs (Fall 2008)

      b. Assist administrative offices in promoting institutional data as a University asset through effective management, secure access, and efficient sharing. (Beginning Fall 2006)

      c. Enhance administrative decision making processing through the use of web based reporting tools and data integration technologies. (Fall 2009)

      d. Create plan to migrate major administrative systems to a client/server platform. (Spring 2008)

      e. Minimize local modifications to vendor-supplied software. (Complete)

      f. Determine data elements to be stored in a data warehouse and develop a strategy for maintaining appropriate tools to access information. (Spring 2009)

      g. Implement a data imaging software system to reduce hardcopy documentation and storage requirements. (Fall 2007)

      II. Administrative Technology
      To develop and implement integrated, reliable and appropriate business systems, that enhance and empower administrative users of the University.

      a. Implement administrative applications  that are responsive to customer needs, reliable in their operation, and effective for administrative needs (Fall 2008)

      b. Assist administrative offices in promoting institutional data as a University asset through effective management, secure access, and efficient sharing. (Beginning Fall 2006)

      c. Enhance administrative decision making processing through the use of web based reporting tools and data integration technologies. (Fall 2009)

      d. Create plan to migrate major administrative systems to a client/server platform. (Spring 2008)

      e. Minimize local modifications to vendor-supplied software. (Complete)

      f. Determine data elements to be stored in a data warehouse and develop a strategy for maintaining appropriate tools to access information. (Spring 2009)

      g. Implement a data imaging software system to reduce hardcopy documentation and storage requirements. (Fall 2007)

       

      III. Infrastructure
      To provide and maintain a secure and stable infrastructure, utilizing industry best practices, that is both sufficient and appropriate for the University.

      a. Improve vendor relationships (i.e. Microsoft, IBM, Blackboard, CISCO, Jenzabar) (Fall 2006)

      b. Create a distance learning center with video and teleconferencing (Fall 2009)

      c. Upgrade campus network (Complete)

      1. Install next generation of campus-wide backbone
      2. Upgrade internal building infrastructure to 1Gb switch technology in all major buildings
      3. Increase internet connection bandwidth

       

      d. Rewire existing buildings to accommodate network standards (Summer 2007)

      e. Continuously review the data, voice and video backbone infrastructure (Annual)

      f. Create a faculty and staff reserve for checking out technology equipment (Fall 2007)

      g. Schedule the upgrade of network electronics every 5-7 years.  Allocate money annually to fund these future infrastructure upgrades (Ongoing)

      h. Allocate adequate space for technology in new buildings as they are built. (On-going)

      i. Establish a minimum technology standard for all faculty, staff and administrative offices and develop a plan for implementation. (Complete)

      j. Provide security systems and safeguards that allow the appropriate sharing of information, but limit the inappropriate use of information technology resources (Complete)

      k. Revise support services so that they are convenient, easily accessible, and that empower the user through self-help methods. (On-going)

      l. Implement a campus active directory plan (Complete)

      m. Provide necessary resources to the Academic Advisement to put the online advising tool for faculty and students into service. (Complete)

      n. Implement campus OneCard system as a primary means of identification and by which to access University resources such as dining, bookstore, laundry, computer labs, and vending. (Spring 2008)

      o. Convert all cameras to secure digital cameras (Spring 2008)

      p. Establish and maintain data administration standards, protocols, and policies. (Complete)

      q.

      r. Promote standards for computer and network hardware, software, and operating systems. (Complete)

      s. Create a financial plan for technology equipment replacement and improvements. (Fall 2009)

      t. Implement new integrated student telephone system (Complete)

      u. Coordinate the development of the official University web pages and B-CC guidelines, with input from Information-Providers from across the campus (Complete)

      v. Upgrade the CIT data center air handlers, UPS, and generator (Complete)

      w. Expand the wireless network to all academic buildings (Complete)

       

      IV. Governance, Planning, Assessment, and Partnerships
      To establish effective technology practices incorporating a system of planning and assessment that ensure the goals and objectives of the institution are met, which include community linkages and funding resources to support the implementation and maintenance of the University’s technology infrastructure.

       

      a. Research, evaluate, and promote use of state-of-the-art technology tools for data management, access, and reporting. (Fall 2009)

      b. Provide general campus support services in all areas of the campus community (On-going)

      c. Create an advisory committee structure for information technology that is University-wide (Spring 2008)

      d. Solicit planning input from academic and administrative units (Continuous / all years)

      e. Annually review and update plan (Annual)

      f. Sponsor innovative projects in areas of instruction, service, or administrative functions. (Fall 2007)

      g. Collaborate with other organizations on innovative projects (Fall 2007)

      h. Find and fund professional development opportunities for IT staff (Fall 2006 / On-going)

      i. Maintain and enhance partnerships and participation in national and regional consortia for active development of instructional and technology opportunities (Annual)

      j. Participate with ICUF and CIC in collaborative efforts for networking and telecommunications.  Collaborative efforts may include network management, outreach, and delivery, in order to enhance the relationship to include collaborative instructional development using technology. (Continuous)

      k. Investigate partnership and funding arrangements that may be available through federal and/or state agencies, and through private grants, to offset the costs of large technology projects. (Continuous / all years)

HEA Compliance United Methodist Church Affiliated