Funding Strategic Initiatives in Academic Technology

A Process for Identifying, A Process for Identifying, Cataloging, and Categorizing IT Cataloging, and Categorizing IT

Needs CampuswideNeeds CampuswideCopyright©Copyright© D. Tebbetts, T. Winters, 2002.. This work is the intellectual property of the authors. Permission is D. Tebbetts, T. Winters, 2002.. This work is the intellectual property of the authors. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the

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University of New Hampshire

Diane R. Tebbetts, Associate University Librarian Diane R. Tebbetts, Associate University Librarian ((diane.tebbetts@unh.edu))Terri S. Winters, Director, Academic Technology (Terri S. Winters, Director, Academic Technology (terri.winters@unh.edu))

Statement of Problem

Budgets shrinking while IT needs Budgets shrinking while IT needs increasingincreasing

Instructional technologies and demand for Instructional technologies and demand for services in this area are growingservices in this area are growing

Needs can be discipline-specific and not Needs can be discipline-specific and not known or understood by central IT known or understood by central IT organizationorganization

Need to understand these new needs in Need to understand these new needs in relation to other needsrelation to other needs

Background on Technology Funding

Lack of long-term funding strategiesLack of long-term funding strategiesNo attempt to categorize IT needsNo attempt to categorize IT needsAppropriate funding sources unidentifiedAppropriate funding sources unidentifiedNo matching of funding sources with No matching of funding sources with

needsneeds

Categories of IT Needs

Initial expendituresInitial expendituresRecurring costsRecurring costs

IT Needs Linked to Funding Streams

HardwareHardwareSoftwareSoftware Infrastructure (wiring, facilities upgrades, Infrastructure (wiring, facilities upgrades,

electrical outlets, etc.)electrical outlets, etc.)Telecommunications (networks, data Telecommunications (networks, data

connections, etc.)connections, etc.)PersonnelPersonnel

Funding Strategies

Revenue generationRevenue generation User feesUser fees FundraisingFundraising

Purchasing optionsPurchasing options Vendor arrangementsVendor arrangements Leasing/rentalLeasing/rental Consortia agreementsConsortia agreements

Other creative approachesOther creative approaches

IT Development at UNH

Background on UNHBackground on UNH IT InitiativesIT Initiatives

Electronic campus initiative (1997)Electronic campus initiative (1997) Instituted student technology fee (1999)Instituted student technology fee (1999) Created “Academic Technology Liaisons” (2000)Created “Academic Technology Liaisons” (2000) Instituted 4-year faculty desktop replacement program Instituted 4-year faculty desktop replacement program

(2001)(2001) Began Faculty Instructional Technology Development Began Faculty Instructional Technology Development

Grant program (2001)Grant program (2001)

Library and IT/CIS Collaboration

Studio 521Studio 521Library Student Computing ClusterLibrary Student Computing ClusterBlackboard ProjectBlackboard ProjectTheme-based conferencesTheme-based conferencesZeke’s WorldZeke’s World

Capital Campaign: Learning Tools/Technology

Instructional TechnologyInstructional TechnologyUniversity Librarian and AVP for University Librarian and AVP for

Computing & Information Services Computing & Information Services charged to identify appropriate projects for charged to identify appropriate projects for the campaignthe campaign

Project expanded to identification of all Project expanded to identification of all academic technological needs across academic technological needs across campuscampus

Process

Goal:Goal: To identify technology-based projects or To identify technology-based projects or

needs intended to enrich students’ needs intended to enrich students’ educational experienceseducational experiences

Planning sessionPlanning session Develop guidelines for appropriate initiativesDevelop guidelines for appropriate initiatives Develop process for identifying initiativesDevelop process for identifying initiatives Develop survey instrument for collecting dataDevelop survey instrument for collecting data Develop plan for communicationDevelop plan for communication

Communication Strategy

Attend Deans’ Council meetingAttend Deans’ Council meetingDistribute guidelines for appropriate Distribute guidelines for appropriate

initiativesinitiatives Enrich students’ educational experience:Enrich students’ educational experience:

one-time projects, start-up proposals, replacement one-time projects, start-up proposals, replacement equipment, software upgrades, facilities equipment, software upgrades, facilities improvements, and/or personnelimprovements, and/or personnel

Get feedbackGet feedback

Feedback

Concerns regarding Concerns regarding comparing apples to orangescomparing apples to oranges how judgments regarding worthiness of how judgments regarding worthiness of

initiatives would be madeinitiatives would be made how initiatives would be prioritizedhow initiatives would be prioritized who would be solicited to put forward who would be solicited to put forward

initiativesinitiatives

How We Met Concerns

Associate Librarian and Director of Associate Librarian and Director of Academic Technology met with each dean Academic Technology met with each dean and vice presidentand vice president

One-on-one we were able to meet One-on-one we were able to meet concerns and give examples of concerns and give examples of appropriate initiatives for that school, appropriate initiatives for that school, college, or divisioncollege, or division

Added “Type” and “Timeframe” as fieldsAdded “Type” and “Timeframe” as fields

Gathering the Data

Participants used a web-based entry formParticipants used a web-based entry formData was then dumped into an Access Data was then dumped into an Access

databasedatabase

Analysis

Received 45 projectsReceived 45 projectsAll Stakeholders participatedAll Stakeholders participatedOne-time requests totalled $4,709,528One-time requests totalled $4,709,528Ongoing annual costs totalled $1,480,344Ongoing annual costs totalled $1,480,344

Analysis

8 Categories identified in data:8 Categories identified in data: Digital Resources (56%)Digital Resources (56%) Clusters & Instructional Facilities (26%)Clusters & Instructional Facilities (26%) Personnel (7%)Personnel (7%) Hardware Upgrades/Replacements (5%)Hardware Upgrades/Replacements (5%) Infrastructure (5%)Infrastructure (5%) Instruction Design/Development (1%)Instruction Design/Development (1%) Education & Training (1%)Education & Training (1%) Web Development (0.3%)Web Development (0.3%)

Analysis

Initiatives by School/College/DivisionInitiatives by School/College/Division Library (61%)Library (61%) Engineering (11%)Engineering (11%) Cooperative Ext (11%)Cooperative Ext (11%) Computing & Info Services (5%)Computing & Info Services (5%) Whittemore School of Business (4%)Whittemore School of Business (4%) Liberal Arts (3%)Liberal Arts (3%) Health & Human Services (3%)Health & Human Services (3%) Life Sciences (1%)Life Sciences (1%) Student Affairs (1%)Student Affairs (1%) UNH-Manchester (1%)UNH-Manchester (1%)

Analysis

Timeframes represented in data:Timeframes represented in data: 6-18 months (77%)6-18 months (77%) 18-36 months (20%)18-36 months (20%) 36+ months (3%)36+ months (3%)

Analysis

Type of impact of technology requested:Type of impact of technology requested: Keep current (79%)Keep current (79%) Transition to enhanced technology (20%)Transition to enhanced technology (20%) Leading edge (0.1%)Leading edge (0.1%)

Conclusion

Most important part – High level supportMost important part – High level supportSome concrete results – projects funded Some concrete results – projects funded

for Summer 2002for Summer 2002Lead to more innovative ideasLead to more innovative ideas

Ongoing event processOngoing event process Request to Provost, Deans, etc. entered into Request to Provost, Deans, etc. entered into

databasedatabaseLead to more long-term, strategic thinkingLead to more long-term, strategic thinking

Next Steps

Develop recommendationsDevelop recommendationsDevelop ongoing process to keep data Develop ongoing process to keep data

updatedupdated Identify cross-college, cross-division Identify cross-college, cross-division

needs and forge partnershipsneeds and forge partnerships