Implementation Steps
The following outlines an action plan for the proposed new IT structure and organizations for Texas Tech. Each activity has been assigned a target deadline. Each deadline is expressed as an elapsed time from the start of the project, i.e., from the time Texas Tech approves the plan, funds the plan, and authorizes its initiation. The targets are estimates that may change as more detailed plans are made subject to the availability of adequate funding. Almost all of the items depend on one or more of the others. Changes to the target date of any item can influence the target time for several others.
- Financial
- At the start--Transfer budget authority for IT fund balances and accounts to the CIOs.
- Within one month--Develop the policies and methodologies for the general IT procurement review.
- Within two months--Implement IT procurement review at $25,000 level to each institution's CIO.
- Within six months--The CIO Council will develop policies and methodologies to coordinate and manage site licenses for IT products for Texas Tech.
- Ongoing--Each institution will prepare revisions to the FY 2001 budgets as needed for IT departments and areas.
- Ongoing--Begin IT budget planning for FY 2002 and later, based on the strategic planning process.
- By the FY 2002 budget deadlines--Complete coordinated budgets for IT at Texas Tech.
- Organization and Structure
- At the start--Each institution will fill its CIO position.
- At the start--Each institution will fill the Technology Services, and Information Services positions at the institutions.
- At the start--Texas Tech will transfer AIS and Institutional Research to the Information Services area at TTU.
- At the start--Texas Tech will transfer Communications Services to the Technology Services area at TTU.
- At the start--Texas Tech will transfer UCS and ACS to the Technology Services area at TTU.
- Within two months--Texas Tech will transfer the System office's microcomputing administration to the Technology Services area at TTU.
- Within two months--The CIO Council will obtain an external consultant for Telecommunication Design and Strategic Planning for Texas Tech.
- Within three months--Each institution will fill the Technology Planning and Policy position at the institutions.
- Within twelve months--Each institution will have completed the reorganization of existing staff at each institution into areas as defined by the organization charts.
- Throughout the year--Texas Tech will add staff and capabilities in IT as listed in the organization charts to the extent budgets and funding permit.
- Governance Councils
- At the start--Texas Tech will create the CIO Council.
- Within two months--Texas Tech will create the Strategic Planning Council.
- Within four months--Texas Tech will create the Technical Advisory Council.
- Within four months--Texas Tech will create the Private Industry Council.
- Within six months--Each institution will create IT Councils at the institutions.
- Planning and Policy
- Within eight months--Texas Tech will implement a policy for technology review of construction and renovation projects at Texas Tech.
- Within eight months--Texas Tech will implement initial technology assessment and review activities at both institutions.
- Within twelve months--Texas Tech will complete an initial recommendation on IT performance measures and accountability.
- Within twelve months--Texas Tech will complete an initial analysis and recommendation on career ladders and pay plans for Texas Tech.
- Within twelve months--Texas Tech will complete an initial, functional, strategic plan for IT at Texas Tech.
- Within twelve months--Texas Tech will complete the initial plan for integrated networks.
- Within twelve months--Each institution will complete an initial strategic plan for high-performance computing and research support in IT.
- Within twelve months--Texas Tech will complete an initial analysis and make recommendations for digital libraries.
- Within twelve months--Texas Tech will complete the first iteration of IT standards and policies.
- Within twelve months--Texas Tech will complete an initial IT retention and recruitment plan for Texas Tech.
- As funding permits--Texas Tech will begin implementing the IT career ladder and pay plan revisions in accordance with the policy recommendations.
- Services to Students
- As soon as possible--Texas Tech will complete a campus agreement with Microsoft.
- Within nine months--Each institution will assign each student a free, official Texas Tech e-mail address and account, provide increased Web space for each student, and provide each student Web-portal-type capabilities.
- Within twelve months, as funding permits--Each institution will increase and upgrade student computer labs and open-access areas.
- Within twelve months, as funding permits--Each institution will increase the number of technologically supported classrooms and investigate classroom wireless access.
- Within twelve months--Texas Tech will complete an initial tactical plan for increasing desktop support for students.
- Within fifteen months--Texas Tech will expand the student's access to student information via the Web in terms of both quantity and scope of information and in terms of quality of service and ease of use.
- Within fifteen months--Texas Tech will be in a position to assign each admitted prospective student a free, official Texas Tech e-mail address and account.
- Within fifteen months--Texas Tech will complete the initial pilot implementation to a Web-based, e-commerce functionality offering items such as parking permits, on-line award letters, and on-line applications to the graduate school.
- Within fifteen months--Texas Tech will expand desktop support for students in accordance with the plan to the extent budgets allow.
- E-commerce and Its Prerequisites
- Within six months--Texas Tech will establish a standard naming convention for e-mail.
- Within eight months--Texas Tech will complete an initial plan and set of policies to enable comprehensive data sharing and collaboration.
- Within nine months--Texas Tech will create a comprehensive, on-line directory for communicating with all faculty and staff via e-mail, voice, or fax.
- Within nine months--Texas Tech will integrate the approaches, styles, and directories of the official Web pages of the System and each institution.
- Within twelve months--Texas Tech will define and make an initial plan for providing network access to all employees.
- Within fifteen months--Texas Tech will complete implementation of e-commerce infrastructure including digital signatures, security, transaction tracking and status, and methods of authorization.
- Within fifteen months--Texas Tech will complete an initial implementation of electronic forms and e-commerce in administrative transactions.
- Within fifteen months--Texas Tech will complete the initial implementation of expanded, Web-based access to data for employees.
- Networks and Telecommunications
- At the start--The CIO Council will assume responsibility for the strategic direction of networking at Texas Tech.
- Within six months--Texas Tech will establish a standard naming convention for e-mail.
- Within six months--The temporary consultant for telecommunications will complete the analysis and recommendations for networks at Texas Tech.
- Within eight months--Each institution's CIO will integrate networking operations, security, and planning at the institutions.
- Within nine months--Each institution will assign each student a free, official Texas Tech e-mail address and account and provide increased Web space for each student.
- Within nine months--Texas Tech will create a comprehensive, on-line directory for communicating with all faculty and staff via e-mail, voice, or fax.
- Within eighteen months--Texas Tech will begin implementing the recommended structures for integrated networks.
- Desktop and Customer Support
- Within six months--Texas Tech will create integrated IT desktop support groups at each institution.
- Within nine months--The institutions will create a single customer on-ramp (i.e., a single point of entry and help-desk function for all IT services) for support and problem solving at each institution.
- Within nine months--The CIOs will define the appropriate target level of desktop support and include plans to reach the goal in the IT strategic plans.
- Within eighteen months--The institutions will create formal technical consulting, training, and backstopping support groups for departmental desktop specialists.
- Data Access
- Within six months--The Information Management area at TTU will complete an initial, pilot implementation of Web-enabled data warehouse for TTU.
- Within twelve months--Texas Tech will complete plans for expanded data warehousing, data mining, institutional research, and performance measurement.
- Within twelve months--Each institution and the System, will identify an initial set of information requirements for decision support.
- Within fifteen months--The Information Management area at TTU will complete a second iteration expanding the capabilities of data warehousing at TTU.
- Within fifteen months--Texas Tech will develop a plan for collaborative use of digital libraries across the System.
- Training
- Within nine months--Texas Tech will complete an assessment of current IT training opportunities, resources, and needs.
- Within twelve months--Texas Tech will expand internal training opportunities for IT staff.
- Within twelve months--Texas Tech will include training and staff development in all IT budgets.
- Within twelve months--Texas Tech will complete a plan for using the University's curriculum resources for improved training of IT staff.
- Customer Relationships
- Within two months--The CIOs will complete group and individual meetings with all IT employees on building relationships and cultivating trust with clients.
- Within four months--Texas Tech will provide status reports on the IT initiatives on the Web.
- Ongoing--The CIOs will continue follow-up conversations with participants in CIO design activities.
- Ongoing--Texas Tech will make relationships with clients a key component of IT performance reviews.
- Ongoing--The CIOs will involve the clients in IT's planning for the next fiscal year and involve IT in client's planning for the next year.
- General Operations
- Within six months--Each institution will develop a plan for server management and support.
- Within nine months--Each institution will implement a plan for server support, including backup and recovery.
- Distance Education
- Within twelve months--The CIOs will integrate the results of institutional strategic planning for distance education into the IT strategic plans.
- Within twelve months--Texas Tech will develop plans to leverage IT support infrastructure resources for distance education across the System.