I. Executive Summary

Information Resources at The University of Texas at Austin are provided by three major entities:
 

• Academic Computing and Instructional Technology Services (ACITS), which provides academic and research computing support,

• Administrative Computing Services (ACS), which provides administrative computing and data processing support,

• The Department of Telecommunications , which provides all voice services and general telecommunications infrastructure and support.

This plan addresses the Department of Telecommunications’ portion of this overall support.  Since its origins in the 1930s, these voice and overall infrastructure functions have existed within the organization of the Vice President for Business Affairs.  Now, as part of a major University reorganization, the providers of these services will soon be combined with the data networking group of ACITS and will report along with ACITS and ACS to a newly created Vice President for Information Technology.

A part of the University's Information Resource Goal is the provision of telecommunications services and infrastructure to support the University's mission “to be a university of the first class through excellence in teaching, research, and public service.” The IR providers on the University campus, including those providing voice telecommunications and physical infrastructure, must be committed to providing resources and services which complement faculty and staff efforts to achieve this goal.

The major initiatives for the Department of Telecommunications during this period include participation in joint planning and implementation of service delivery, the use of new technology  and the appropriate provisioning of new and renovated facilities and infrastructure to meet the University’s needs.

This activity must be planned in accordance with funding availability and may be extensive enough to require funds beyond those available through the existing cost recovery model.
 

Table 1: Goals, Objectives and Strategies

Agency Goal A - Provide institutional support and ancillary services to students, faculty, and staff
Agency Goal B - Provide Infrastructure Support
Agency Goal C - Provide Special Item Support
 

Table 2: Information Resources Policies and Practices
 

Table 3: Agency Platforms, Systems, and Telecommunications
 

Table 4. Agency Databases
 

Table 5: Agency Applications
 

Table 6: Interagency Data Needs
 

I. Executive Summary

The University of Texas at Austin office of Academic Computing and Instructional Technology Services (ACITS) provides information technology services to University students, faculty, and staff, to the UT System component institutions and, through interagency contracts, to eligible federal, state, and municipal governmental agencies.

A goal of The University of Texas at Austin is to continue to pursue high standards of achievement in instruction, student performance, research, and scholarly achievement.  Access to state-of-the-art academic and research information resources by students, faculty, and staff is one of the most important components in providing an environment conducive to achieving this goal.  To provide the academic information resources environment that will be required during the next five years, ACITS will concentrate efforts in the following areas:
 

• continuing development of an infrastructure to support a state-of-the-art information resource environment;
• designing computing and information environments based upon distributed computing and client/server technologies interconnected with a high speed, campus-wide network to support increased demand for information sharing, human communications, and collaboration;
• expanding and upgrading student information resource laboratories;
• expanding the services available locally to departments, colleges, and research units;
• coordinating customer services with other infrastructure providers and technical support staff within University departments and organized research units;
• training faculty, staff, and students in applications of information technology.

Table 1:  Goals, Objectives and Strategies
Using the guidelines established in the Agency Strategic Plan instructions, provide goals, objectives, strategies, and action items for the Information Resources function within the agency.

Agency Goal A -- Provide Institutional Support and ancillary services to students, faculty, and staff
Agency Goal B -- Provide Infrastructure Support
Agency Goal C -- Provide Special Item Support
 

Table 2:  Information Resources Policies and Practices
Use this table to provide a high-level view of the agency's information resources policies and practices. If appropriate, include references to internal agency documentation and/or supplemental information available on the agency's Web site.
 

Table 3:  Agency Platforms, Systems, and Telecommunications
 
 

Table 4.  Agency Database
Identify major agency databases critical to the administration or service of the agency's mission and briefly describe their uses. This includes internal administrative databases, but excludes simple databases used in the support of administrative functions (for example, phone lists and address directories). Provide the following information for each database.
 

Table 5.  Agency Applications
Identify major software applications and provide a brief description of their uses. For this plan, major applications are those critical to the administration or service of the agency's mission. Provide the following information for each application.
 

Table 6:  Interagency Data Needs
Describe the agency's plans for increased sharing of data with other state agencies. Indicate any obstacles in the way of further sharing.
 

I. Executive Summary

As The University of Texas at Austin moves into the 21st Century, information technology and information resources are central to both the institution’s mission and its ongoing operation.  Administrative Computing Services’ (ACS) role is to provide the information technology infrastructure, tools, training, and support which will enable UT Austin to thrive, succeed, and excel in the environment of this new century.

ACS has made major strides in implementing leading edge client-server technologies in the areas of data warehousing, document imaging, the World Wide Web, and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), among others.  Six different administrative and college-level data warehouses provide University executives with decision support. The University-wide Imaging Project is using electronic imaging technology to reduce processing costs while speeding processing time for a wide range of forms and documents.  The e-University Initiative will result in the delivery of a customized, personalized portal for every university constituent.

Building on this foundation, ACS’ vision is to create the finest administrative computing infrastructure in higher education.  To accomplish that vision, the following tables lay out an overall strategic plan comprised of four main areas of initiative:

• providing virtually all major administrative services directly to students, faculty, and staff over the Internet
• providing University executives and managers with immediate access to accurate, timely, and appropriate decision support information
• re-engineering work to maximize efficiency
• acilitating electronic communication and commerce with external entities including other universities, vendors, corporate partners, and governmental agencies

All of ACS’ Information Resources (IR) goals provide extensive and broad-range support for the Texas IR Goals as expressed by the Department of Information Resources.  Specifically, this plan supports an integrated information resources infrastructure on the UT Austin campus and state-wide by promoting the sharing and re-use of data, services, and applications.  The plan supports and applies IR standards and guidelines adopted by the State of Texas.  It also facilitates interoperability through initiatives such as electronic commerce and adoption of standard processes.  Finally, virtually all elements of this plan are driven by recognition and understanding of user needs.

UT Austin’s strategic plan for Administrative Computing Services constitutes a blueprint for building on the foundation laid in the last few years to create an administrative information resources environment of the first class.  All of the initiatives presented in this plan are designed to ensure that UT Austin is operating at the highest levels of efficiency and is providing the citizens of the State of Texas with the best possible quality and value in higher education for their tax and tuition dollars.

Table 1: Goals Objectives and Strategies
 

Table 2:  Information Resources Policies and Practices
 

Table 3:  Agency Platforms Systems and TeleCommunications
 
 

Table 4: Agency Databases
 

Table 5:  Agency Applications
 

TABLE 6:  Interagency Data Needs
 

Updated June 1, 2000.

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