Governance and Goals

Governance 

DoIT works closely with the campus, especially our stakeholders, to ensure that the IT project portfolio adequately meets the campus’s needs. We work closely with UMBC’s Shared Governance process to ensure broad participation and discussion in decision-making. In addition to IT shared governance, we participate in a number of other committees to provide leadership and expertise on how technology can support those initiatives.

  • Academic Leadership Council – This group oversees the strategic, policy, and operational objectives for UMBC and is chaired by the Provost, Dr. Manfred H. van Dulmen.
  • IT Steering Committee – The Associate Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and VP of IT co-chair this committee. This committee is part of the university’s plan of organization, which focuses on how technology can be used to achieve our overarching university goals.  This committee oversees policy and strategic direction of IT, especially as it pertains to the academic enterprise. This committee has representatives from the senates, stakeholders from each division, and representatives from departments that are large consumers of IT services.
  • Campus Systems Executive Committee – This committee is co-chaired by the VP of IT and Associate Provost for Enrollment Management and is focused on using technology to support administrative systems and business processes at UMBC. For policy or strategic direction, it reports through the IT Steering Committee. Members include leaders from Enrollment Management, Financial Services, Human Resources, Institutional Research, Graduate School, Continuing and Professional Studies, Division of Undergraduate Education, and Information Technology.
  • Faculty Senate Computer Policy Committee – This standing committee of the Faculty Senate is charged with reporting to the Senate on IT issues of interest to the faculty. Members are identified by the faculty senate.
  • Data Management Committee – This committee oversees the data warehouse and campus reporting infrastructure to ensure data security, access, and quality. It reports to the Campus Systems Executive Committee for operational planning and the IT Steering Committee for policy. This committee is chaired by the Vice Provost for Institutional Research and Decision Support (IRADS) and the Vice President of IT.
  • Campus Classroom Committee – this committee oversees classroom management, including instructional technology. This committee is chaired by the Associate Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. DoIT is a participant.
  • Blackboard Advisory Committee – this committee focuses on operational and policy decisions regarding the timing of upgrades or other proposed changes to the Blackboard Learning Management System. This committee is chaired by the Associate Vice President for Instructional Technology
  • Information Security Council – This committee meets monthly and is chaired by the CISO and reviews technical architecture as it pertains to following the USM Security Policy. As such, it reviews and approves firewall punches; develops a cloud software approval process and reviews the approval of cloud security that has level 2 or 3 data; and monitors audits and internal compliance reviews of quarterly requirements.

Goals and Planning

Planning has been driven by four major efforts over the last decade. The 2000 IT Strategic plan laid the framework and vision for UMBC IT services, especially administrative services, leading to the implementation of PeopleSoft for HR, Finance, and Student Administration. The Richness & Reach plan focused on creating a technology-enriched learning environment in support of teaching and learning. The IT Restructuring report (and the 2010 and 2011 DoIT responses) focused on the question of centralized vs. decentralized and identified opportunities to leverage IT to improve UMBC and save money. Finally, the FY2022-FY2024 Digital Strategy document focused on how digital technology can enhance and support broad campus goals.

Recent past strategic planning documents:

Customer Satisfaction Survey

Your feedback matters! Our voluntary survey helps us continuously improve service quality. 97.97% of customers rate our support as excellent or confident. After each completed ticket, community members receive a short 4-question survey to provide feedback on their experience.

Over the years, we consistently track how we have done, we are pleased to say that on what we consider an important customer metric, “How do you feel we are doing?”, we consistently score 97 to 98 percent with excellent or somewhat confident. Across more than 10,000 feedback forms, we average 97.97% for excellent or somewhat confident (see the historical results).

Finally, as an overall assessment of customer support, our Technology Support Center conducts an annual review of support.