Executive Summary
New and converging technologies have created an Information Age economy and altered the way people obtain, use, and share information. It is clear that the primary driver of the Information Age transformation is the integration of historically disparate concepts and approaches into an interrelated environment that offers more value than the sum of its parts. Institutions must provide their students, employees, and entire organization with the environment, experiences, and skills for success in a transformed economy and culture. Information Technology (IT) planning and management have moved from an independent tactical activity to an essential part of an organization's strategic processes.
In response to this changing environment, Chancellor John T. Montford began a strategic initiative to ensure that Texas Tech is positioned to take advantage of the opportunities and meet the challenges of the Information Age. He charged a CIO Design Team with the responsibility of leading a study and producing a report addressing the role, organization, direction, governance and financing of information technology at Texas Tech. The team's external efforts included analyzing models from other universities, reviewing related public policy issues, discussing partnerships with the private sector, and reviewing how new and emerging technologies have impacted expectations for information services. The team broadly engaged students, faculty and staff, within the Texas Tech community. A wealth of information was obtained from over 500 people, whose thematically consistent responses form the foundation of this report.
During the environmental assessment of Texas Tech's IT operations, it became obvious that significant improvements in the scope and quality of information technology services are needed. Numerous symptoms emerged as evidence, pointing to the need for strategic leadership and vision, for strategic technology planning and governance, and for strategic investment.
To meet these basic needs, Texas Tech must implement a new IT governance structure, develop a comprehensive technology planning process that strategically aligns IT with our organizational mission and goals, and shift the orientation of its financing approach from a series of ad hoc expenses to a coordinated investment strategy. In order for Texas Tech to be successful in the Information Age, organizational allocation of resources for IT at Texas Tech will need to grow both in absolute dollars and as a percentage of the total budget.
The strategic integration of information and technology is fundamental to our mission and the achievement of our goals. It is necessary to prepare our students for the world in which they will live and work. It is necessary to empower our faculty and employees to be successful and effective in the work they do. It is necessary to keep Texas Tech current with the rest of the world. Information technology can be a foundation for Texas Tech to move forward--attracting high quality students, faculty, and staff, responding to the opportunities and challenges of the Information Age and creating an environment for excellence.