Effective January 1, 2021, UVM moved to a formal Information Technology (IT) Shared Services Model. This model brings together IT services from across the institution ensuring faculty, staff, and students better access to the technology services they need to be successful, regardless of college, school, or administrative affiliation. It also creates a vibrant IT ecosystem with support, mentorship, and professional growth opportunities for those who provide these vital technology services. The Chief Information Officer leads the IT Shared Services operation.
Background
UVM conducted a number of assessments focused on enhancing the institution's IT operation. These assessments produced consistent themes, including the need for enterprise-level IT Governance. The new Shared Services Model builds on the results of previous assessments and is informed by conversations with UVM's school and college deans, as well as a joint meeting between IT professionals and associate deans.
What is the purpose of the IT shared services model?
The purpose of the IT Shared Services Model is to fundamentally transform access to IT services across all of UVM. To that end, the model is guided by three overarching goals:
- Realign IT resources to better respond to the rapidly changing landscape of higher education, where flexible scheduling and multi-modality instruction and research have become the norm.
- Increase efficiency through greater standardization of the use of technology at UVM.
- Promote innovation through the expansion, adoption, and use of modern centralized enterprise technology tools and procedures.
How will the shared services model affect users?
The Shared Services Model is expected to ensure that all faculty, staff, and students have access to the technology services they need to be successful, regardless of college, school, or administrative affiliation. This will include increased access to technology tools, support, procedures, and continuity of operations during vacations and absences.
What would the service model look like in a centralized structure?
In the shared services model, all IT services and functions are provided centrally based on a common Service Catalog.
How might IT services become more efficient and effective in a centralized model?
The model will:
- Promote standards around the use of technology at UVM, and will make remote support a higher priority as much as possible.
- Promote institutionally sanctioned cloud services (public or private) to increase users' access to software and other technologies remotely (UVM Software Portal).
- Reallocate personnel to engineer systems to deliver services to the broader community.
- Maintain a physical presence in one or more buildings on campus to facilitate the dispatch of tech support more quickly.
How will shared services be funded?
The Provost and the CFO will be meeting with the deans to discuss the best way to handle the funding associated with the reorganization, including opportunities for modifying the IBB algorithms to address the needs.
- Cohort 1
- Employees whose job functions, duties, and responsibilities are clearly defined and who are classified as IT professionals within the academic units. CAS, CEMS, CALS, CDE*, CESS, GSB, RSENR. Transition begins January 1, 2021, ends December 31, 2021
- Number of positions 16
- Cohort 2
- Employees whose job functions, duties, and responsibilities are defined and classified as IT professionals within the administrative units. Transition begins January 1, 2022, ends June 30, 2022
- Number of positions is TBD
*Desktop support only
What to expect during the transition
The discovery and design will involve participation both from IT professionals and from all stakeholders. Come January 1, 2021, reporting lines and salary budgets for positions in Cohort 1 will move from the academic units into the shared services. The individuals in these positions will report either to Julia Russell in the ETS Admin Department (which houses the Office of the CIO) or to Andy Gingras in ETS Client Services. The first priority of the shared services will consist of a discovery and design period where the ETS leadership will work with key stakeholders to determine what or whether other services should be considered in the common catalog.
The physical work location, work arrangements, position descriptions, title, and pay for impacted individuals will remain unchanged initially and will be evaluated during the discovery period and adjustments will be made accordingly.
The method of work assignment will also remain unchanged initially but will be evaluated as part of the discovery.
Operating budgets and reserves related to IT functions and services will also be analyzed during the discovery phase in time to make adjustments and or transfers at the beginning of the new fiscal year.
What to expect at the end of the transition
The discovery and design are expected to be completed by December 31, 2021, at which point the new organization, new roles, and new responsibilities will emerge.