UITAC Home

Meeting Minutes

Meeting Minutes for January 22, 2004

A meeting of the University Information Technology Advisory Committee was called to order at 3:10 p.m. on January 22, 2004, in the Dean’s conference room in the Smith Building. Dr. James Shultz, co-chair, presided. Members present were Dr. Henry Rozycki, Dr. Dianne Simons, Dr. Robert Mattauch, Ms. Veronica Shuford, Mr. John Ulmschneider, and Mr. Mark Willis. Dr. Lynn Nelson, Ms. Fran Smith, Mr. Charles Anderson, Mr. Rahul Khanna, Mr. Carl Gattuso and Dr. Phyllis Self were absent. Ms. Catherine Bruno, Director of Information Systems, VCU Health System, attended for Mr. Gattuso.

I. REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM DECEMBER 16, 2003 MEETING

Minutes were approved as prepared.

Regarding the next to the last paragraph under Item II of the Minutes (Implementation of Wireless Security Measures-VPN), Mr. Willis stated that subsequent action had been taken and unspent project funds will be used to purchase licenses for faculty and staff, as well as students, until the funds run out.

II. IT STRATEGIC PLANNING

- DRAFT IT VISION STATEMENT

A draft Vision Statement was prepared by Mr. Willis and submitted to the members prior to the meeting. Since technology is here to stay and supports the main function of the University, the statement should stress the importance of how resources, solution, support, and management play a part.

The draft statement was discussed at length and several changes and clarifications were suggested.

Mr. Willis will re-work the draft and distribute it to the group before the February meeting.

For information purposes, Ms. Bruno distributed a copy of the Health System Vision.

- PROPOSED STRATEGIC AREAS

Mr. Willis distributed a “draft outline” for the IT Strategic Plan. The outline is a proposed structure for the plan to include a vision statement, guiding principles, strategic areas, goals and tactical strategies.

Mr. Willis invited discussion on the last two pages of the outline which contained examples of guiding principles and a list of proposed strategic areas. There was considerable discussion about the proposed guiding principles. The committee agreed that the plan should have a set of principles to provide boundaries for the strategic goals and tactics. The committee suggested a number of revisions and additions.

Mr. Willis will re-draft the guiding principles based on the discussion and distribute them to the committee for review.

With regard to the “Proposed Strategic Areas,” Mr. Willis looked at several plans to see what they had. He listed some areas we probably would want to include in VCU’s plan. After some discussion, it was suggested that we use the four items in the vision statement as the strategic points and put sub-categories under them. The committee was in agreement and Mr. Willis will re-work the organization of the proposed strategic areas.

At the next meeting, the committee will begin to review proposed goals and tactics. Mr. Willis and Dr. Self will have their staffs start working on proposing various goals and objectives as initial “straw man” proposals.

III. START OF SCHOOL REPORT

From the IT perspective, it was a relatively uneventful start to the spring semester. Pre-registration incurred a few problems. Web registration services are working fine. Webmail problems have been reduced from the fall semester.

IV. OTHER BUSINESS

Dr. Mattauch asked if anyone was interested in the “teraflop” computing platform at Virginia Tech. Tech has invited other Universities to use their facilities. We would need to become a member at a cost of about $1,000. Dr. Mattauch will provide information to Mr. Willis and Dr. Self. Dr. Mattauch also asked committee members to let him hear their thoughts about this.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:36 pm.