Goals and Priorities for 2012-2013

Priorities for 2012-2013

  • Strategic Planning: Bring ITSS mission, vision, values, and plans in line with the UMD strategic plan and the EVCAA Mission. Items below will be marked UMD-SP X.Y, where X is the goal and Y is the action step in the UMD strategic plan.
  • Academic Support : Support development of a center of teaching and learning and library commons area, and continue support for online and hybrid learning environments. Implement centralized control of classroom technology, universal design, and active learning classrooms. [UMD-SP 1.5, 1.6, and 1.7]
  • Infrastructure: Establish UMD as an anchor tenant for a regional fiber optic hub, and promote expansion of regional networks that serve our students, faculty, and staff who live or work off campus. Expand conversion of physical servers to virtual server infrastructure. Adapt Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) processes for use at UMD ITSS to improve response to incidents and problems and manage change more effectively.  [UMD-SP 6.2 and 6.6]
  • Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): Expand services to users with mobile devices, including smart phones, iPads, and evolving solutions. Provide access to UMD web sites for smaller form factors. [UMD-SP 6.6]
  • Inclusiveness: Continue to improve the ITSS physical environment, policies, and services to better demonstrate our commitment to inclusiveness and social justice. Emphasize the value of information technology to all people. [UMD-SP 2.1, 2.2, 2.6]

Goals for 2012-2013

The goals below are not listed in order of importance. The projects listed under each goal are a subset of all we will do. We encourage each ITSS team to determine how their projects will help to support our goals.

Improve Classroom and Learning Technology

  • Apply learning-space theory to improve learning spaces, including classrooms, computer laboratories, informal spaces, and online environments. 
  • Expand centralized control of classroom technology, and establish several active learning classrooms on campus. [UMD-SP 1.5]
  • Support the comprehensive plan for learning and teaching support that includes a center of teaching and learning, a writing center, tutoring services, and a library commons area. [UMD-SP 1.7]
  • Expand support for class-capture and other video technologies, using the new Kaltura solution.
  • Assist faculty with applications of Google Apps.
  • Encourage and support course redesign projects to include active learning strategies, best practices, and alternate modes of delivery. Continue support for online and hybrid learning environments. [UMD-SP 1.5]
  • Determine the future of ePortfolio.

Improve Services and Support for Students, Faculty, Staff, and the Wider Community

  • Participate in Bulldog Welcome Week by providing workshops as well as support for student computers and networking.
  • Establish virtual desktop solution for basic-access computers. Consider expansion to full-access computers and student-owned computers.
  • Improve customer service by setting clear priorities, focusing on fewer projects at one time, and meeting deadlines.
  • Improve the ITSS physical environment, policies, and procedures to demonstrate inclusiveness. Emphasize the value of information technology to all people. [UMD-SP 2.6 and 6.3]
  • Expand use of t-coil and captioning technology to support those with hearing disabilities.
  • Promote the effective use of technology and information resources in teaching and learning, research and creative endeavors, outreach activities, and support of University business. [UMD-SP 6.5]
  • Expand services to users with mobile devices, including smart phones, iPads, and evolving solutions. Provide access to UMD web sites for smaller form factors. [UMD-SP 6.6]
  • Support the development of technology resources that serve the wider community. [UMD-SP 5.3]
  • Support the development of a strong and consistent brand and visual identity for UMD. [UMD-SP 5.6]
  • Support the restructuring of the UMD web site.
  • Upgrade the campus cash-to-card system that enables customers to purchase campus services with their UCards.
  • Review the IT landscape for useful emerging technologies.

Provide Effective Application Development Support and Services

  • Continue to provide consulting and programming services to campus units, and transform their needs into project and program support.
  • Participate in the University-wide constituent relationship management system implementation. Provide local support for UMD campus units.
  • Expand support for database-driven web applications.
  • Established formal process for application development.
  • Continue to provide timely, consistent management reporting from University data assets and transition into using enterprise business intelligence reporting tools.
  • Research new programming development technologies, and implement them as support solutions.
  • Utilize change and project management processes to improve customer application development and project support. 
  • Develop and maintain a comprehensive list of applications.

Improve Computer, Network, and Physical Security

  • Expand use of encryption and secure wireless on campus laptops and other devices that require additional security.
  • Completed campus assessment and penetration testing to meet PCI (credit card) compliance standards. 
  • Encourage migration of department-owned servers to secure ITSS virtual server space.
  • Exercise and update operational continuity plan.
  • Complete annual security review of critical applications.
  • Complete audit reports on network, research data, and databases.

Improve Campus Infrastructure

  • Establish UMD as an anchor tenant for a regional fiber optic hub, and use this network to expand connectivity to remote campus locations. Promote expansion of regional networks that serve our students. [UMD-SP 6.2]
  • Lead the campus to more efficient use of server equipment and facilities. Encourage the use of virtual servers, energy-saving solutions, and shared data center and server rooms. 
  • Adapt Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) processes for use at UMD ITSS to improve response to incidents and problems and manage change more effectively. 
  • Participate in all campus renovation and building projects.
  • Invest in UMD infrastructure and communication upgrades to more actively promote the athletic, recreational, and cultural opportunities available on and off campus. [UMD-SP 6.6]

Improve Fiscal Management

  • Revise our rates for FY2014 based on ISO principles and regulations.
  • Complete audit and review business processes for compliance and efficiency improvement.
  • Improve ISO inventory compliance and reporting for resale materials.

Improve Working Environment for ITSS Staff

  • Continually review and revise ITSS staff handbook. Regularly review all ITSS policies.
  • Hire replacement staff.
  • Emphasize social justice to support recruitment, retention, and support of ITSS staff and student employees. [UMD-SP 2.2]
  • Build community and respect within the ITSS staff.
  • Encourage staff training and professional development. Provide leadership training program.
  • Provide a working environment for staff that encourages them to remain employed at ITSS.
  • Continue to emphasize importance of a healthy and safe working environment for staff.

Participate in Campus Life and Community Outreach

  • Guide and enhance the use of technology across the UMD community.
  • Maintain strong collaboration and coordination between IT staff within UMD units, ITSS, and University of Minnesota technology units.
  • Meet and coordinate activities with our campus partners.
  • Participate in national, state, and local technology organizations that serve our profession and our region.
  • Contribute to campus governance and activities by serving on committees, task forces, commissions, etc.
  • Contribute to campus sustainability efforts. [UMD-SP 6.8 and 6.9]