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IU ANNOUNCES BLUEPRINT FOR THE FUTURE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University's efforts to become a national leader in the application and use of information technology will be guided by the "University's Information Technology Strategic Plan: Architecture for the 21st Century." Michael McRobbie, vice president for information technology, presented the plan to the Trustees of IU today (June 15).
The document is the most comprehensive and far-reaching plan ever prepared for the development of information technology at IU. It includes 10 general recommendations and 68
proposed actions intended to focus on the design, development and application of information technology to transform teaching and learning, research, service, and the conduct of university business.
"The plan provides an aggressive and bold, yet thoughtful and measured vision, for how information technology should be developed, used and applied at IU," said McRobbie. "I am grateful to the University Information Technology Committee and many other members of the university community from throughout the state, without whose efforts this farsighted document would not have been possible."
According to J. Michael Dunn, chair of the University Information Technology Committee that prepared the plan, "Information technology is becoming as important as more traditional infrastructure, and IU must plan for its development on a regular basis, both technically and financially."
The plan recognizes the transformational power of information technology in teaching, research, service and administration and proposes ways in which this process can be better harnessed by the university.
It endorses the critical importance of good access by faculty, students and staff to IU's information technology resources, both on campus and off, and of more information technology-ready classrooms. It calls for increased investment in research computing, data storage and collaborative technologies. Coordination of IU's information systems is seen as important, as is the development of a new student information system. The major benefits to the university of new all-digital telecommunications are highlighted, and a uniform student computing environment both on campus and in the halls of residence is made a priority. The emerging importance of digital libraries also is given strong support.
The information technology strategic plan results from an intensive planning process that lasted about five months, involving input from over 100 faculty, staff and students who served on various information technology committees and task forces, as well as additional input from the broader university community.
The plan will now be distributed for discussion in various forums throughout the university, and implementation will begin toward the end of the year.
The plan is available on-line at the Web site of the Office of the Vice President for Information Technology
(Erik Novak, Office of Communications and Marketing, 812-855-0089, enovak@indiana.edu or Gerry Bernbom, University Information Technology Services, 812-856-5597, bernbom@indiana.edu