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USI's IT Strategy


This IT strategy page provides a holistic view of what IT will do over the next 2-3 years. It demonstrates how we will align our resources, efforts, and investments to support the University’s strategic priorities and top initiatives. It is our roadmap.

To achieve this strategy, our IT department must remain focused on the key IT initiatives outlined on this page. These initiatives will support our stakeholders in achieving their goals.  

This strategy was developed in cooperation with department’s stakeholders, IT management, and the input of IT employees. It is a combined effort we will use to gain alignment and buy-in from our staff. Thank you to all those who have helped assess our current state, envision our future state, and identify the gaps we must fill to achieve those goals.

Our Mission

To provide equitable, secure, and reliable solutions that meet the diverse needs of the community.

Our Vision

To advance digital transformation through collaboration and data driven solutions to achieve operational excellence.


Guiding Principles


Customer Centricity

We deliver best experiences to our customers through services, products and empowerment.

Value Focus

We aim to provide maximum long-term benefits to the organization while optimizing total costs of ownership and risks.

Fit for Purpose

We maintain capability levels and create solutions that are fit for purpose and aim to reduce operational complexity and minimize technical diversity.

Trust

We collaborate with our stakeholders and customers to achieve strategic objectives by delivering best experiences with our services and products.

Foster an effective and productive workforce by focusing on well-being, collaboration and continuous improvement.

Sustainable & Secure

We strive to build scalable, resilient and secure IT solutions.

We aim to support efforts to align our service models to advance equity at USI.

Support Major USI Priorities

USI initiatives requiring IT capabilities are supported by key IT projects

  • Slate CRM advising
  • Self service version 9
  • Pathify portal
  • Blackboard Ultra Upgrade
  • Network refresh
  • Unified Communication Platform as a Service (UCaaS)
  • Raisers Edge CRM
  • Provide professional learning opportunities
  • Vulnerability Management
  • Establish helpdesk presence in the library
  • ITSM implementation (service catalogue, knowledge base)
  • Data warehouse development
  • Back up /recovery maturity
  • Asset inventory management
  • Data Loss Prevention
  • Cloud hardware refresh & migration

Reduce Risk & Improve IT Operational Excellence

These projects will increase IT process maturity and systematically improve IT.

  • IT Reorganization (includes hiring, training, and reclassifications)
  • IT security program maturation
  • Integration Platform as a Service (IPaaS)
  • Service desk standardization (Left Shift)
  • Project intake prioritization and governance
  • Student web modernization
  • Network refresh/modernization
  • Vendor management maturation
  • Formalize process improvement as a service
  • Network modernization/Juniper Mist upgrade
  • Service desk automation (leverage AI)
  • Onboarding/Offboarding Automation
  • Creation of executive dashboards
  • Electronic Forms/Business Process enablement

Drive Technology Innovation

These projects will improve our future innovation capabilities and decrease risk by increasing our technology maturity.

  • Azure DaaS
  • Skill up to meet emerging needs
  • Roll out Copilot for M365 (integrated AI tools)

IT Goals, Metrics & Targets

IT will regularly measure and report stakeholder satisfaction and success metrics for our services and processes

IT Goals Business Facing Metrics

Targets

Enhance Operational Excellence

  • Availability
  • Response Time
  • 99% Uptime
  • Zero changes outside of change management process
  • First call resolution rate of 50%
Technology Partnership
  • Effective intake and prioritization
  • Technology Standardization
  • 75% of projects completed on time and budget
  • 90% of technology purchases meet set standards from catalogue/IT approval
  • Satisfaction score improvement of 3% per year (currently 3%)
IT Security Maturity
  • Cybersecurity improvements
  • Cybersecurity awareness
  • Increase assessed levels in Cybersecurity Program
  • To be at or below industry benchmark of phishing test results
BI & Data Analytics Maturity
  • Reduce integration time and costs
  • Dashboards usage
  • Standardized data warehouse
  • Standardization of data request process
  • 20% reduction in point-to-point integration over 3 years
  • Create 2 new dashboards per year
  • Clearly defined roles and responsibilities by end of 2024
  • By end of 2024
Workforce Empowerment
  • Reduced turnover
  • Staff engagement
  • Retention rate maintained or improved (3 year average)
  • 100% of employees receive regular scheduled 1:1 time with management
  • Establishment of professional review process by April 2025