Campus IT Review

Information Technology
Consulting Service Request

UW-River Falls would like to conduct an on campus review/assessment of our current information technology (IT) environment. The consultants will be asked to evaluate the operations and structure of IT services and support and to make recommendations as to organizational and/or operational or strategic changes needed to improve our overall IT environment on campus.

Background Information: (web sites listed when available)

Video Introduction to ITS – http://its.uwrf.edu/info-news/video/
Director’s Message – http://its.uwrf.edu/info-news/about/
IT Services team information – http://its.uwrf.edu/info-news/staff/teams.php
Administration – http://its.uwrf.edu/info-news/staff.admin.php
IT Department Policies and Procedures – http://its.uwrf.edu/info-news/policies
The State of Information Technology Services @ UW-RF Fall 2005 – http://www.uwrf.edu/cio/

ITS Staff Working Groups:

Computer Lab Management – http://its.uwrf.edu/info-news/staff/clm.php
Computer Support Services – http://its.uwrf.edu/info-news/staff/css.php
Information Systems – http://its.uwrf.edu/info-news/staff/is.php
Network Services – http://its.uwrf.edu/info-news/staff/ns.php
TelecommunicationServices/Electronic Repair – http://its.uwrf.edu/info-news/staff/ts.php

We would like to have a number of specific questions addressed.

Are instructional staff and student learning technology on campus being supported appropriately?
Can the organization and/or structure of the ITS department be enhanced in any ways that would better enable the department to perform its service mission to the University?
Are there changes in procedures or work flow that would improve the services provided?
Are there different choices in hardware or software tools that would improve the services provided? (e.g. network operating systems, desktop management tools, etc) Should more open-source software be introduced to the campus?
Are the staffing and budgetary resources available to the ITS department at the appropriate levels to properly enable the department to fulfill its service mission to the University? If not, what levels would be appropriate in light of both our current service offering as well as any additional services we should be moving into?
Have we fully leveraged the dollars we have expended for technology? Are we spending wisely and getting the greatest possible return on the dollars spent?
There are a number of services that the ITS department does not currently offer and support. Of those, which new services would be of the most benefit to the University and what, if any, additional resources would be required to offer these services in a quality fashion?
Are there any existing services that the ITS department offers and supports that should be given serious consideration of being eliminated or outsourced so that our resources may be more strategically redirected?
What is the proper balance between a centralized IT service and decentralization with the academic departments, specifically those with strong technological needs (i.e., CS/IS, Geography)? Are curriculum and faculty research needs served well by the current structure?
What are your general impressions of the University website?
Are we providing adequate training for staff for D2L? How can we maximize our utilization of D2L?
Where should the service and support offerings of ITS be directed to in the near (2-3 years) future and in the longer term (3+ years)?
Identify key performance measures for IT (i.e., customer service, general service levels in addressing issues/problems; leadership and strategic planning).
Are there issues that we have not addressed? Are there any “gaps,” shortcomings, or security measures in our structure that need to be addressed?
How can ITS better communicate and collaborate with its constituents?

Consultants will meet with the following groups and individuals:

Chancellor Don Betz
Provost Ginny Coombs
Vice Chancellor for Administration & Finance Mary Halada
Gary Smith, Chief Information Officer

IT Staff Working Groups
IT Network Services Staff
IT Computer Support Services Staff
IT Computer Lab Management Staff
IT Information Systems Staff
IT Telecommunications Services Staff

Mary Alice Muraski (Common Systems Coordinator) & eSIS “Functional” Team

Student Services/Fred Net Staff
Jason Winget; and Student Services & Programs IT staff

Academic Deans (Business & Economics, Agriculture, Education & Arts & Sciences), Katrina Larson (Outreach) & Doug Johnson (Graduate Studies)

Academic Department Chairs

Department of Computer Science & Information Systems Faculty

Directors of Administrative & Student Services

Faculty Senate Committees
Instructional and Learning Technology Committee
Technology Planning and Policy Committee
TLC Steering Committee
Computer Lab Council

Webmaster Mike Woolsey & Director of Print & Design Kevin Bertelsen

Davee Library Staff

Student Technology Committee/Student Senate/TLCadre

Technology Access for Students w/Disabilities – Blake Fry, Suzanne Hagen & Mark Johnson

Open meeting for Faculty, Academic Staff & Classified Personnel – Invitations extended through Falcon Daily and to governance groups

Desire To Learn (D2L) Users – Faculty & Instructional Staff, Mary Alice Muraski and Dan Semi

Expectations:

The Consultants will review documentation and meet with key stakeholders (over a 3-day period) to provide a written analysis and opinion addressing the above issues. The Vice Chancellor would like this report within 30 days of the campus visit. This report will be addressed “confidentially” to the Chancellor and the Vice Chancellor for Administration & Finance. Portions of this report will then be shared with the campus community.