Collegis Rpt

Truman’s information technology infrastructure has grown substantially
over the recent past. The University has expended considerable dollars
and increased staff nearly 50% over the past several years. Currently,
Truman budgets nearly $4.2 million dollars in capital and operating funds
in support of information technology.

Overall Effectiveness:

Despite this considerable resource allocation, the Truman community
is not well satisfied with the services provided by information technology.
Faculty and administrators point to poor reliability, an inadequate student
information system, poor response to service requests and apparent inappropriate
staff allocations as problems with information technology. These community
perceptions are universal and persist within a context of praise for the
efforts of many individual information technology staff.

Areas of Success:

COLLEGIS identified a number of areas of successful implementation
of information technology. Network tactical design and implementation to
date is quite good. Network infrastructure is well planned and well executed;
where there are deficiencies, plans exist for corrective action. Similarly,
telephone infrastructure is at a high standard from both a design and execution
perspective. Desktop and general-purpose laboratory workstations are generally
at industry standard levels and well configured. Again, where deficiencies
exist, there are tactical plans for corrective actions.

Areas in Need of Improvement:

The most glaring deficiencies are the Student Information System (SIS)
and security practices and procedures. Current administrative systems are
less than satisfactory. Truman uses an industry standard, proprietary financial
system (including payroll support) which is generally satisfactory. Truman
recently acquired an industry standard alumni/development system. There
are however major problems with the in-house developed SIS. This system
is based on older technology, is missing critical functions (e.g. Degree
Audit and other student advising tools) and requires considerable overhead
to support operations and data access. Moving current administrative systems
to WEB-enabled operation is in the earliest planning stages and may be
difficult to implement.

Our team determined a number of practices that create security and service
disruption risks for the University. A year ago, Truman acquired a firewall,
a hardware/software device, to prevent unauthorized INTERNET intrusions
into the Truman computer network. This firewall has yet to be installed.

Truman’s network access and administrative systems are password protected.
This protection is in line with industry standards but procedures for controlling
the allocation of access and the level of access are informal. In many
instances, access to administrative systems appears to be under the control
of Information Technology Services staff rather than under the control
of the operating unit responsible for the administrative system. Off-site
data storage, regular back-ups, and security monitoring are practices more
honored in the breach than in the observance. The lack of a formal Y2K
compliance test and formal plans for the roll over to the new millennium
pose another threat to the disruption of operations. Finally, deficient
documentation for in-house developed administrative systems creates additional
risks of operational interruptions.

Management, Organization and Staff Issues:

Were the above areas the only difficulties, rapid improvement to information
technology services would be relatively straightforward. Unfortunately,
Truman’s information technology apparatus has significant personnel, organization
and management problems that make improvement difficult and complicated.
These “people” problems are at the root of the dissatisfaction with information
technology that permeates the University. This is not to imply that all
staff are non-performers and not well thought of. In fact, several of the
staff were highly praised for their support and knowledge of their areas.

For nearly five years Truman’s information technology has been managed
on an interim basis and in the context of a search for a permanent director.
During much of this time Information Services has been loosely organized,
with minimal middle managers and only rudimentary staff direction and guidance.
Significant dependence on informally trained and directed student assistants
for front line customer services has contributed further to a non-professional
work environment. This sense of informality contributes significantly to
perceived and real customer service problems.

Information Technology Services personnel themselves expressed their
displeasure with the lack of leadership due to interim management. They
also expressed concern about the way in which the coordinator positions
were developed and structured, feeling that they should be manager positions
and have the full authority and compensation associated with the positions.

During this period of interim management, the ad hoc Advisory
Committee for Computing has functioned as an auxiliary management resource
rather than as an advisory and planning body. The Committee has devoted
considerable energy to management issues in computing services and has
met with frequency indicative of an all too direct involvement in the management
of computing services. This direct involvement while necessary has not
been conducive to good employee morale within the computer services organization.

Information Technology Services staff are paid at rates significantly
less than national norms for similar positions in higher education information
technology. However, Truman’s Information Technology Services staff operates
at skill levels less than industry standards and in a more informal and
less demanding work environment.

The informal, ad hoc style of computing manifests itself in other
ways. Despite Truman’s growing WEB presence and dependence, there is no
effective, formal organization and practice for controlling and maintaining
the University’s face on the INTERNET. This is a major issue. Despite the
University’s growing dependence on information technology, there is no
strategic plan for information technology. Information technology lurches
forward based on a series of tactical plans with little connection between
plans developed by different staff within computer services and only haphazard
connection to the University’s carefully crafted overall strategic plan.
There is no public strategic plan for information technology by which information
technology might be measured.

 

COLLEGIS recommends Truman embark on a strategy to renovate its information
technology management, organization and staff, to focus information technology
explicitly on University goals and integrate technology into core University
processes.

Truman must acquire stable, professional and practical management resources
for its information technology operation. Truman requires more than a single
director of computing. The University requires several senior managers
able to improve internal, tactical operations and to initiate strategic
use of information technology on behalf of University goals. In addition
to senior management, Truman requires several skilled working managers
to direct staff in effective service and support of University operating
units. Ultimately, this management team must forge a professional, results
oriented information technology organization performing to national standards
and paid accordingly.

Truman must develop a strategic plan for information technology tied
to the University’s strategic plan and consistent with the habit and climate
of assessment now prevalent at Truman. The University’s information technology
resources must act in direct support of University strategic goals. Truman
has generally recreated itself in the image and substance of a high quality
liberal arts college. What it has not done is tap the power of technology
to support this mission.

Finally, the University must use information technology to further the
goal of a student centered learning environment. WEB-enabled administrative
processes that allow students time and location independent access to University
administrative processes and support are of major importance. WEB-complemented
instructional support that enhances the learning process is key to continued
efforts to create an effective learning environment for the ever growing
number of WEB-knowledgeable students.

 

Truman must quickly acquire permanent seasoned managers to direct and
re-engineer its information technology organization. Information technology
requires senior, professional managers with substantial technical background
and experience to provide internal direction and external communication
with the University’s academic and administrative communities.

Truman’s re-invented information technology leadership must look internally
to direct improvements to management and performance and look externally
to create a strategic role for information technology. Truman’s new managers
must organize Information Technology Services staff into coherent, focused
tactical units. The current, informally “coordinated” organization has
the potential to be a model for the furore. We recommend formalizing the
current organization and the appointment of working managers to head each
unit. These working managers should direct and mentor staff in a customer
service environment with emphasis on formal performance reviews, explicit
career development programs and more formal project planning and follow-up.
Concurrent with (and as a result of) improvements in staff organization
and performance, the University should take steps to reward improvements
with professional development programs and salary adjustments based on
skills, to move salaries closer to national norms.

The new, re-engineered Information Technology Services organization
should work with the University community to create a strategic plan for
information technology. This strategic planning effort is likely to require
considerable time (perhaps 6 months to a year) and should involve the University
community as a whole. The resulting plan becomes a tool for directing and
assessing information technology organization performance and for obtaining
and allocating the required resources.

Information Technology Services staff should continue the migration
of the current version of SIS to the new hardware/software platform. This
migration will permit increased numbers of workstations to access SIS and
ameliorate some complaints about access to student information. This migration
is not, however, a cure for the fundamental problems with SIS. Ultimately,
Truman must replace SIS with a modem, full function, student information
system able to support WEB based administrative processes. We further recommend
that any new SIS be purchased rather than developed in-house.

COLLEGIS strongly recommends immediate action to formally test the University’s
Y2K readiness. While there are good indications the University is in compliance,
there is no substitute for a formal test of that assumption. Furthermore,
we recommend Truman prepare contingency plans for the roll over to the
new millennium.

We propose quick action to improve security and back-up procedures for
Truman systems and data files. Truman should establish formal procedures
for operating unit oversight of access to administrative systems. Network
staff should take immediate action to implement the network firewall to
protect against physical intrusion into the University network. Finally,
Information Technology Services staff should create and implement recurring
processes to back-up critical systems and data and to store such back-ups
off-site.

Current plans to complete and enhance the University computer network
should go forward without delay. Continuing review of these plans in the
context of the recommended strategic planning effort and efforts to make
tactical improvements to information technology should be sufficient to
avoid any implementation mishaps.

We recommend a major focus on the staff, practices and procedures associated
with client services. More formal training, more explicit direction and
better measurement of performance are immediate needs. We suggest much
increased supervision, training and mentoring of students acting in support
of the University community.

COLLEGIS recommends a thorough review of the multiple organizations
that support instructional technology. At present there are two operating
units and more than one committee supporting instructional technology.
Goals, tactics and staff in this key area are splintered and less than
effective. It is suggested that instructional support tasks be housed within
a single, technical organization. Additionally, we recommend increased
focus on this critical area and a planned approach which will adhere to
emerging industry standards.

 

II. Suggested Actions

Deploy senior managers:

Complex information technology acting in support of a complex university
demands more than a single manager. Truman’s rapid information technology
growth and ambitious plans for its use reinforce the need for a management
team.

COLLEGIS urges Truman to appoint a senior executive with experience
in higher education and able to operate at a cabinet level as its director
of information technology operations. Charge this senior executive with
strategic direction of University information technology; focus this executive
on strategic direction and liaison with other University operating units.

In addition to this senior executive, we suggest Truman appoint an additional
executive with specific experience in higher education to direct the tactical
operations of the information technology unit. This working manager should
have specific, specialized knowledge in either instructional technology
or administrative systems to provide specialized support for anticipated
major efforts in both these areas.

Continue governance structure:

Truman has been well served by the ad hoc Advisory Committee
for Information Technology Services. Over the past several years the Committee
has worked diligently to improve information technology and has often served
as a “management consultant” to Information Technology Services. We urge
Truman to continue the tradition of an external Advisory Committee but
with a modified charge.

We suggest creation of a senior level Advisory Group able to function
as a “board of directors” for information technology. This Group should
meet regularly (perhaps every other month) to provide ongoing strategic
direction to Information Technology Services and to provide a communications
link to University constituencies.

Re-engineered computer services:

We urge Truman to ratify and formalize the current information technology
organization. We suggest the following units within information technology:

· Administrative Applications;

· Network and Systems;

· Telephony;

· Client Services;

· Academic and Instructional Support.
We recommend Truman appoint a working manager for each of these units with
the experience and authority to direct tactical operations of each unit.
Each working manager would also be responsible for mentoring staff within
the unit and for counseling employees to improve performance and advance
job skills.

We suggest Truman clarify the roles of the Academic and Instructional
Support unit and distinguish the specific roles of the Faculty Development
unit (within the Office of the Vice President) and Instructional Services
Committee of the Faculty Senate.

COLLEGIS suggests the following role for each organization:

• 
  Academic and Instructional Support:
  acquire, maintain and distribute
  audio visual equipment throughout the University; provide technical support
  for the use of information technology in support of instruction; provide
  technical consulting in the use of instructional technology to the University
  in general; implement information technology programs in support of instruction.




• 
  Faculty Development: general support to faculty development with
  an emphasis on instructional techniques and strategies; orientation for
  new faculty; continuing support for benefits related issues for faculty;
  policy and strategy for instructional technology.




• 
  Instructional Services Committee:
  general policy for University
  instructional resources.

Improve staff work quality and salaries and skills:

Much has been said about information salary disparities at Truman.
In fact, a motivation for inviting a COLLEGIS assessment was a widely held
belief that information technology staff at Truman were inadequately paid.
We did indeed note a substantial difference between information technology
salary at Truman and national salary norms. We also noted other work environment
factors that must be taken into account in any attempt to reconcile Truman
information technology compensation with national norms.

Truman’s Information Technology Services operates in an informal environment
with minimal employee oversight, direction and accountability. Most Information
Technology Services employees generally provide good effort in pursuit
of appropriate work goals. The informal management structure within Truman’s
information technology organization however detracts from staff efforts.
Self-directed work allocations do not always produce strategic results.
Informal management often leads to poor staff use and uneven workloads.

COLLEGIS suggests Truman implement a new work environment within Information
Technology Services characterized by more specific direction, goal-oriented
actions, and an even allocation of workload. We also urge formal, regular
performance reviews for Information Technology Services staff and if possible,
performance and skill based pay increases.

We suggest Truman rectify salary disparities within the context of the
Information Technology Services Department as the re-engineering project
begins to yield noticeable results. Simply improving salaries will have
little impact on service. Salary disparities and increases must be corrected
as part of an overall Professional Development Program resulting in increased
skills in Information Technology Services.

Develop strategic plan for information technology:

Truman has a carefully crafted, 1 O-Year Master Plan for the University.
Truman has no such strategic plan for information technology. During the
entire period of “interim management” and in the context of much improved
spending on information technology (particularly equipment), Truman’s information
technology effort has proceeded on the basis of tactical plans. Truman
has been fortunate that its network infrastructure and desktop environment
are so well developed.

Truman cannot continue to depend on good fortune for effective outcomes
from its investments in information technology. Truman must develop a five-year
strategy for information technology that advances the University Master
Plan and embodies the ideas and direction of all University constituencies.
The IT Strategic Plan must describe work programs, set schedules, define
budgets and describe work program outcomes. The Strategic Plan provides
a primary means for assessing the performance of the University’s Information
Technology Services organization and is the basis for allocating resources
to information delivery and support.

COLLEGIS urges Truman to develop and ratify a Strategic Plan for Information
Technology Services over the coming academic year. Further, we suggest
Truman revise and update the Strategic Plan each year and to develop annual
work plans for Information Technology Services based on the Information
Technology Strategic Plan.

 

Complete SIS migration:

Truman’s administrative systems group has nearly completed the migration
of the current SIS to operation on new computer hardware and software.
While this migration adds no new capabilities to SIS, it will move SIS
operation to a more modem, more reliable environment. Further the migration
will allow more operating unit workstations to connect to access SIS in
support of their office operations.

COLLEGIS urges Truman complete this effort with all possible speed.
Successful migration to the new environment will provide immediate, if
limited, benefit.

We urge Truman to make modest investments to extending access to additional
workstations and to seek a low-cost, quick to implement tool for improving
SIS ad hoc report writing. We do not recommend substantial or long-term
investments in the current SIS.

Improve and extend student systems support:

Truman now depends on an in-house developed student information system
for the majority of its administrative operations in support of mission
critical operations. SIS is lacking in a number of needed capabilities
most notably degree audit. SIS also lacks flexible class schedule support
consistent with national trends to offer courses through a variety of media
and at highly variable locations and times. SIS is an obsolete system based
on systems development tools that have not been widely accepted in the
market.

We urge a thoughtful review of student-related processes with special
emphasis on how WEB enabled systems might change those processes. In effect,
we suggest Truman reinvent administrative processes to make full use of
WEB based administrative systems. We further recommend Truman seek new
administrative systems that satisfy emerging requirements. We believe that
Truman would be best served by the acquisition of a new SIS rather than
by continued investment in in-house efforts to improve the current SIS
or to create a new in-house SIS. Off the shelf administrative systems are
common practice in higher education today.

COLLEGIS recommends Truman consider an integrated administrative application
suite as part of the acquisition of a new SIS. This total replacement strategy
may be more cost effective in the long run. In any event, we strongly recommend
Truman acquire a new SIS with prudent speed.

This new SIS should provide WEB enabled processes; convenient, direct
student access to SIS processes and information; extensive ad hoc reporting;
automated degree audit; robust class schedule functions; and, automated
review of registration requests based on pre-requisites, co-requisites,
major and degree program restrictions, financial aid and student billing,
etc. Simply stated, Truman requires a full function SIS to support
its ambitious curriculum as it is now and as it will evolve.

 

Complete network infrastructure

Truman’s Network and Systems staff have plans to connect all major
buildings on campus to the computer network and to replace outmoded slow-speed
network components with modem, high-speed network components. We urge these
plans be completed as soon as practical. A complete, reliable network is
the sine qua non of effective information technology. So long as
some University locations are unconnected or poorly served, the University’s
return on its investment in information technology is diminished.

Specifically, COLLEGIS recommends Truman connect all appropriate campus
locations and replace obsolete token-ringconnections quickly. Further,
we recommend Truman develop a life cycle budget for campus network components.

Test Y2K readiness:

While Information Technology Services have taken a number of steps
to insure information technology is year 2000 (Y2K) compliant, there has
been no formal, overall test of Y2K readiness. Further, there is no explicit
contingency plan for the Y2K roll over period (December 1999, January 2000).

We recommend Information Technology Services staff conduct a formal
test of the Y2K readiness of information technology infrastructure. Information
Technology Services staff should also take an active role in assisting
individual operating units in conducting Y2K readiness tests within their
own sphere of control. Finally, We recommend Information Technology Services
management take a leadership rote in preparing contingency plans for all
University operations during the critical millennium roll over period.

Create comprehensive security environment:

Over the recent past Truman’s information technology infrastructure
has become more critical to day-to-day operations and more open to the
off-campus world. These trends will likely increase as Truman’s administrative
processes become more WEB oriented and Truman’s campus community becomes
more INTERNET connected. Both these trends demand closer, formal, pervasive
security, back up and contingency arrangements.

Generally, Truman’s network has good physical security and most administrative
applications and network access are user id and password protected. (The
uninstalled firewall is notable electronic security failing that should
be corrected immediately.) Other areas of concern are the informal procedures
for back-up and off-site storage of key data files and software, informal
contingency planning for information technology infrastructure disruptions
and informal accountability for access control to sensitive administrative
systems.

COLLEGIS recommends a thorough review of all aspects of information
systems security, back up, access control and contingency planning. Truman
is too dependent on information technology for the operation of mission
critical functions to continue current informal practices.

In addition to immediate firewall implementation, we recommend procedures
to regularly back-up key data files and store those back-ups off-site.
We also recommend procedures for contingency operation in the event of
major service disruption to the University’s information technology infrastructure.

We also recommend formal involvement of operating units in the security
and access oversight for administrative systems under the control of the
various operating units. Specifically, we recommend appropriate area program
managers control access to SIS, Finance executives control access to IFIS
and appropriate non-technical executives control access to other administrative
systems.

Develop formal WEB support environment:

Increasingly the University depends upon WEB based communication to
present itself to the off-campus community and to distribute messages and
information to the campus community. Effective, reliable, consistent and
appropriate use of the WEB is vital to the success of the University now
and is becoming ever more crucial to University communications.

At present, support for University WEB operations is fragmented and
informal. There is neither clear policy nor convenient procedure for supporting
WEB applications. Technical support is scattered over several campus operations
and policy is unclear and poorly publicized.

COLLEGIS recommends the Network and Systems group assume responsibility
for all technical aspects of official University WEB pages published on
a central basis. Further, Network and Systems should set and enforce technical
standards for all WEB pages produced under the control of University affiliates
and “distributed” via University provided servers.

We recommend the University’s public relations organization assume responsibility
for developing all WEB policies, editorial standards and assisting as appropriate
in content creation.

We recommend that Academic and Instructional Support provide the training
in use of WEB tools and WEB page design for all faculty and staff.

 

Restructure:

Many University staff express dissatisfaction with the quality and
timeliness of Information Technology Services client services in support
of desktop and network operations. Unpredictable time to response, apparently
ineffective remedial actions, unplanned and unannounced service “improvements,”
and unprofessional staff demeanor were common complaints during the COLLEGIS
survey. Operating staff, faculty, executives and students were more critical
of desktop and network support than any other aspect of Information Technology
Services activities. Clearly this is an area of concern that demands immediate
attention.

Dissatisfaction with desktop support is all too common in a higher education
setting and in the wider world of computing. As desktop computing and supporting
networks have become rapidly more critical to day-to-day operations, support
for the workstation has become more critical, more expensive and more stressed.
Truman is not alone in its difficulties with desktop support; such difficulty
is all too common.

The causes of Truman’s desktop support difficulties are complex. Over
dependence on unevenly trained and managed students is a major cause of
the problem. Informal management of professional staff and unclear expectations
and guidelines for customer service also contribute to the problem. Resource
allocation and missing follow-up procedures also contribute to both the
perception and reality of a poor customer service environment.

To remedy the situation, COLLEGIS recommends a restructuring of the
Truman client services organization. We suggest Truman reduce its over
dependence on student assistants for professional services and more formally
train and manage those students employed in front-line customer services
positions. Truman might consider creation of a four-year student intern
program that enrolls students during their freshman year and progressively
advances them through formal training, increasing responsibility and graduated
pay increases through their four-year undergraduate career.

COLLEGIS also recommends formal customer service training for all client
services staff, implementation of a more functional help-desk information
system and regular, more stringent follow-up to customer service requests.

We believe implementing the above recommendations will improve the current
client services environment. We note that University plans to improve student
access will increase support demands. Specifically, Truman’s client services
must be prepared to meet student service demands that occur outside the
confines of the traditional workweek. As Truman students become more information
technology dependent, their service demands will approach a 24×7 workweek.
As Truman moves to a more student centered learning environment, Truman’s
information technology group must be prepared to support a learning environment
that pays little attention to clock or calendar.

 

Increased and improved student access:

Truman has made notable strides to improve student access to computing.
Many modem workstations have been acquired and housed in general-purpose
computing laboratories over the past few years. Truman has been supportive,
albeit in less fruitful ways, in encouraging and supporting individual
student acquisition of computers. Generally, there has been good progress
in making computing resources available to students.

Truman must determine what is “enough access” to computing. We found
no evidence of a comprehensive University-wide estimate of the appropriate
number of computer seat hours required to satisfy legitimate student needs
for access to computing. We firmly believe the University has yet to meet
that goal but cannot adequately judge how far Truman is from the goal of
sufficient student access to computing.

Estimating the unmet demand for student computer seat hours and developing
strategies for fulfilling that unmet need is a key part of the recommended
Strategic Plan for information technology. Measuring unmet need is a “dark
art” but begins with a comprehensive survey of faculty plans for computing
in each course offered by the University. Another measurement of unmet
need is a survey of how students currently use information technology and
how students might use information technology in an “improved environment.”

Truman must also develop plans for maintaining technically current hardware
and software. Information technology does not wear out rather it ceases
to be appropriate to the state of the practice. When no longer able to
operate at the level of the state of the practice, students, faculty and
administrators gradually acquire their own resources and create a “have/have-not”
technical environment that is disruptive to learning. Truman must maintain
its information technology infrastructure at the state of the practice
levels. Life cycle budgeting must be an integral part of Truman’s technology
budgeting procedures.

Finally, Truman should be prepared to make efficient use of computers
on campus to make sure students have sufficient access to its general-purpose
laboratories. Concurrent with longer hours, Truman must take steps to improve
the quality of services provided by laboratory staff. At present Truman
is heavily dependent on student assistants for such support and thus, many
of the comments made in the client services section (above) are relevant
here. Truman cannot make information technology an integral part of the
curriculum without providing reliable, convenient student access to information
technology.

Focus on instructional technology support:

Perhaps most important to achieving Truman’s institutional goals is
the appropriate application of information technology to the instructional
process. Appropriate and beneficial use of information technology is difficult
and requires coalition of interested faculty, reliable information technology
infrastructure, accessible, effective professional technology staff and
a supportive academic administration. Truman has many of these components
but must now focus those components on the goal of improved instruction.

We recommend initial focus be on creating a demonstrably reliable information
technology infrastructure and professional staff acting in support of that
environment. COLLEGIS’ experience has been that faculty is highly motivated
to make appropriate use of information technology if, and only if, such
technology is both reliable and ably supported. We have no doubt that Truman’s
faculty will respond quickly and favorably to efforts to integrate information
technology into the curriculum once a reliable technology resource is available.

 

Truman’s current information technology operations will never deliver
the service levels required to support the University’s academic or administrative
goals. University senior executives must take prompt, decisive and strong
actions in order to improve information technology services. Without dramatic
management changes and without significant investment in new Student Information
Systems, Truman will fall further behind in reaping the strategic benefits
of information technology in both academic and administrative components
of its mission.