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Information Technology Council Charge

Information Technology Advisory Committees at UNT

February, 2008

Approved by the Information Resource Council

May 20, 2008 

Introduction

Information technology (IT) and its uses permeates almost all of the essential functions of the university, from back-office business functions such as human resources and purchasing and payment services, to instructional functions such as web-based learning, and to the use of computer-based technology to conduct research in most fields of study at UNT. The critical role that information technology plays in the functioning of the university as well as the large and growing portion of the university’s budget that IT consumes make it imperative that the organizations on campus that provide IT services function well and that they are fully integrated into the university’s academic, administrative, research, and public service functions.

To help provide the desired integration, an Information Technology Council (ITC) is established The ITC is composed of representatives from academic and administrative units on campus and it reports to the University Information Technology Steering Committee (ITSC) which is also established by this policy. The ITSC is composed of selected senior university administrators and elected representatives from the faculty, students, and staff. 

The Information Technology Steering Committee

The ITSC provides high-level direction to the Associate Vice President for Computing and Chief Technology Officer, including setting overall priorities for computing on campus, weighing alternatives for providing IT services and advising the Associate Vice President on those alternatives, reviewing and approving large IT projects of significant cost or impact to the university, and acting on recommendations emanating from the ITC. The membership of the ITSC is:

  • Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (Chair)
  • Vice President for Finance and Administration
  • Vice President for Research and Economic Development
  • Chair of the Information Technology Council
  • Associate Vice President for Computing and Chief Technology Officer

IRSC meetings are called by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. It meets regularly and generally at least quarterly.

The Information Technology Council

The Information Technology Council advises the ITSC and the Associate Vice President for Computing and Chief Technology Officer on information technology policies, standards, services, strategies, physical facilities, and allocation of resources. It communicates University IT requirements to the University Information Technology Steering Committee. One of its major purposes is to promote cooperation, coordination, and effective use of information technology on campus.

Although the Council is not an administrative or executive decision making group, its input and advice should always reflect a broad, University-wide point of view. The scope of its concerns should include both current IT policy matters and long-range planning. The Council should receive and consider matters referred to it for advisement; it also should initiate recommendations as needed regarding University IT policies, standards, strategies, services, resources, and facilities which are of concern to the University community.

The ITC meets regularly and generally on a monthly schedule. The Chair calls meetings and may call special meetings at his/her discretion.

Duties of the Information Technology Council include:

  1. Providing policy recommendations regarding effective and coordinated use of available IT services and facilities.
  2. Providing advice and assistance for University acquisition of IT equipment and software.
  3. Providing advice and assistance to the Associate Vice President for Computing and Chief Technology Officer for development of services to the University community.
  4. Other duties as assigned by the University Information Technology Steering committee, including selected coordination and oversight responsibilities.

Composition of the Information Technology Council

The Chair of the Information Technology Council is appointed by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Voting membership shall consist of the Chair of the ITC, representatives from each academic college and school, and one representative or ex-officio member from each the following areas:

  • Academic Affairs (Administrative Support)
  • Research and Economic Development
  • Finance and Administration
  • Student Development
  • Enrollment Management
  • Chairs of each of the ITC Groups (see below)
  • Dean of UNT Libraries (ex-officio)
  • Vice Chancellor of the UNT Dallas campus (ex-officio)
  • Faculty Senate
  • Staff Council
  • Graduate Student Council
  • Student Association 
  • UNTHSC Chief Technology Officer (ex-officio)

The college and school representatives shall be appointed by the respective Deans; the representatives from Research and Economic Development, Finance and Administration, Academic Affairs, Student Development, and Enrollment Management shall be appointed by their respective Vice Presidents; the Faculty Senate and Staff Council representatives shall be selected by the Faculty Senate and the Staff Council, respectively; and the representatives from the Student Association and Graduate Student Council shall be selected by their respective organizations. Because the purpose of the ITC is to represent end-user perspectives on information technology, computer support personnel from colleges and schools should not be appointed as representatives.

The following shall serve as non-voting ex-officio members:

  • Vice Provost for Learning Enhancement 
  • Director of the Center for Distributed Learning
  • Associate Vice President for Computing and Chief Technology Officer
  • Director of Communications Services (Computing and Information Technology Center, CITC)
  • Director of Academic Computing and User Services (CITC)
  • Executive Director of Administrative Information Systems (CITC)
  • Director of Administration and Compliance (CITC)
  • Director of Classroom Support Services (CITC)
  • Chair of the Distributed Computing Support Management Team

The ITC has the following Planning Groups which represent the interests of the constituencies indicated:

Planning Group

Constituency

Membership

Instruction

Faculty needing or desiring technical support for their instructional activities both on and off campus
  • Director of the Center for Distributed Learning
  • Faculty representatives from each college or school, appointed by the Dean
  • Director of Classroom Support Services
  • Other members recommended by the Chair of the group and appointed by the Chair of the ITC

Enterprise Information System (EIS) Program Management Planning Group

Users of  EIS including administrative users at all UNT System entities
  • Executive Director, Administrative Information Systems (chair)
  • Representative from the CITC’s Administrative Computing division, appointed by the Director of the division
  • Representative of each EIS product family at each institution –Student Administration, Financials, Contributor Relations, HR/Payroll, Constituent Relationship Management (proposed)
  • Representative of UNT-HSC Information Technology Services
  • Other members recommended by the Chair of the group and appointed by the Chair of the ITC

Communications

Users of university-provided data and voice com­muni­cations technologies
  • Representative from the CITC’s Network and Communications Department, appointed by the Director of the department
  • Representatives from each college or school, appointed by the Dean
  • Telecommunications Director
  • Other members recommended by the Chair of the group and appointed by the Chair of the ITC

Standards & Policy

All users of information technology on campus with interests in issues that cross departmental boundaries or that have a campus-wide perspective and that aren’t addressed by the other program groups
  • Representative from the Computing and Information Technology Center, appointed by the Associate Vice President of Computing and Chief Technology Officer
  • Representatives from each college or school, appointed by the Dean
  • Other members recommended by the Chair of the group and appointed by the Chair of the ITC

Student Computing

Students needing  university-provided computing resources
  • Representatives from the Student Association and the Graduate Student Council, appointed by their respective organizations
  • Representative from the Housing Department, appointed by the Director of Housing
  • Representative from Academic Computing and User Services, appointed by the Director of Academic Computing and User Services
  • The Chair of the General Access Lab Committee
  • The Chair of the General Access Lab Managers Committee
  • Other members recommended by the Chair of the group and appointed by the Chair of the ITC

Each Planning Group except the EIS Program Management Planning Group (whose Chair is the Executive Director of Administrative Services) shall select a Chair who is responsible for convening meetings at least quarterly and ensuring that minutes are taken. The Chair of each Group shall serve as the Group's representative to the ITC. With the exception of the EIS Planning Group, each Group shall take the opportunity each August to re-select or re-affirm the appointment of a Chair.

Related Organizations

The Distributed Computing Support Management Team, formed by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs in 1996, is charged with coordinating the efforts of all central and distributed desktop computer support units on the UNT campus with the goal of increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of computer usage. The Chair of the DCSMT is a non-voting ex-officio member of the ITC.