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Top Issues Facing Information Technology at UAB. Sheila M. Sanders UAB Vice President Information Technology February 8, 2007. Areas of Focus. Top Issues Facing IT in Higher Education Top IT Priorities and Plans at UAB IT Organizational Changes to reflect priorities IT Vision.
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Top Issues Facing Information Technology at UAB Sheila M. Sanders UAB Vice President Information Technology February 8, 2007
Areas of Focus • Top Issues Facing IT in Higher Education • Top IT Priorities and Plans at UAB • IT Organizational Changes to reflect priorities • IT Vision
Top IT Concerns in Higher Ed Campus Computing ProjectTop Five Concerns • Network and data security • Helping faculty integrate technology into instruction • Upgrading/replacing ERP systems • User support • Funding hardware and software replacement
Top IT Issues in Higher Education 2006 EDUCAUSE Current Issues Survey • Critical for Institutions’ Strategic Success • Security and identity management • Funding IT • Administrative/ERP/Information systems • Disaster recovery/Business continuity • Faculty development, support, and training • Expenditure of Most Human and/or Financial Resources • Administrative/ERP/Information Systems • Infrastructure • Support Services/Service Delivery Models • Security and Identity Management • Electronic classrooms/Technology Buildings Models
Top IT Priorities at UAB • Data Security Program • Replacement of our Administrative Systems • Support for Research • Support for Teaching and Learning • Portal and Web Strategy
UAB Data Security Program Developed a data security program in 2006 with the following key elements: • Appointed a Data Security Officer and recruited staff • Began revising of our Data Security Policy • Defined the roles and responsibilities for all members of the UAB community • Added responsibilities for those maintaining sensitive information • Developed a standard for data security incident response • Appointed a Incident Response Committee • Published a process for reporting incidents on the Data Security web site • Weekly review of incidents • Developed a Security Training Plan • General training and awareness for all employees • Purchased an on line security module • Will be made available through BlazerNET to all faculty, staff and students • Targeted IT Security training • Charged IT Directors with documenting employees responsibilities for security in job description and review annually
Replacement of our Administrative Systems Recent Successes: • Oracle HR/Payroll and Finance modules • Development, Alumni and Equipment Accounting Systems Underway: • Student Information System • Implement for the Fall Class of 2007 • Important ancillary projects • Operational Data Store • Xtender imaging system • Integration with BlazerNET portal for single sign on • Improved reporting environment
Research(Support Systems) Research Support Systems: • Trends • Increased regulatory environment • New requirements for online grant submissions • Competition for research dollars • Underway and under consideration • Replacing paper forms and routing for grant documentation, IRB, IACUC • Web access to the ESYS grants pre-award budget system • Review products on the market • Oracle pre-awards • External grant submissions systems • Oracle workflow • No one vendor solution
Research(Networks and Computing) High Performance Networks • Continue to invest in on campus upgrades and infrastructure • Evolution of the Internet • 1980s UAB joins BITNET which evolves into the Commodity Internet • 1990s UAB becomes an Internet2 member • Today - • Final Stages of completing our connection to the Southern Light Rail and the National Lambda Rail (Internet 3) • Dark fiber obtained by UA, UAB, and UAH • Partnered with NASA and Georgia Board of Regents • Lower cost Internet and Internet 2 connectivity • Extends the boundaries of the campus network for external collaborations
Research(Networks and Computing) High Performance Computing Today • Enabling Technology Lab and the Shared High Performance Computing Lab • Expertise in Grid Computing on Campus • In the process of connecting the CS cluster with the ETL (eng) cluster • Participant of SURA Grid • Academic Computing middleware research – scheduling and identity management • Recently added to our compute power by purchasing the IBM Blue GeneL Supercomputer
Research(Networks and Computing) Next Steps • Organize a strategic planning effort sponsored by the VPs for Research and IT • Widespread involvement of stakeholders • Direction and validation for infrastructure planning, networks, computing, tools and support
Support for Teaching and Learning Recent successes: • Moved to one standard for all course management systems at UAB – WebCT Vista • Increased use in employee training • Hospital Compliance • Data Security • Research Compliance • Integrated with BlazerNET on my courses and training tab Next steps • Organize for better support of online and in person classes • Initiated a Classroom Enhancement Project • Joint Charge by Provost and VP IT • Make recommendations for the following areas • Room layout and design • Standards for technology • Support (technology and training faculty)
Portal and Web Strategy Critical to our image and in the way we communicate with our constituents Next Steps • Continue role based service delivery • Continue to implement single sign for most systems at UAB through BlazerNET • Continue to refine our search capabilities • Support standards for external facing pages • Development of dark sites for emergencies • Web site contingency plan
The Vision for IT at UAB • Information will be easy to find and easy to use • IT will be a partner in Research, Teaching, Learning, and HealthCare at UAB