SUBJECT:

New Integrated Information Technology (IT) Organization

Following an external review of our Information Technology (IT) function, extensive feedback from many stakeholders, and after careful consideration, we have identified a plan to provide a more integrated IT organization across the campus. This plan includes the alignment of an IT organization under a single campus CIO that will include both academic and administrative IT. The goal is to more effectively support our teaching and learning mission (student centered), expand the capabilities available to our research enterprise (research focused) following the success of the IDI initiative, and improve the effectiveness of our administrative functions and infrastructure (service oriented).

A list of the 10 major recommendations is provided at the end of this announcement.

We are committed to a thoughtful, inclusive, and transparent design of the new integrated IT organization. To help move us forward on this path, three cross-functional working groups will consult with users and work collaboratively to design (1) Instructional Services; (2) Research Services; and (3) the overall IT Organization. These teams will meet regularly over the next few weeks to design the future integrated IT organization.

Highlights of the new plan, to be effective immediately, include the following:
• A Cabinet-level CIO position will be created; it will administratively be managed by VC/CFO Ouillet, and it will functionally report to a campus-wide IT Executive Committee chaired by EVC Subramani
• The IT Executive Committee will provide the governance to drive strategic priorities, allocate resources, and review IT performance based on Service Level Agreements.
• The new integrated IT organization will include both Administrative Computing & Telecommunications (ACT) and Academic Computing & Media Services (ACMS).
• An international search for a CIO will start immediately.
• Pierre Ouillet will assume an interim CIO leadership role, supported by a talented team including Jeff Henry (Instructional and Research Services), Kevin Chou (Administrative Services, IT Initiatives), Brian DeMeulle (Enterprise Operations), Brett Pollak (Cloud and Web Services), Eddie Mardon (Enterprise Network and Telecom), Mojgan Amini (Enterprise Information Systems, Middleware, ID Management), Sheryl Gerbracht (Finance, Administration and Helpdesk Services), and Lynn Underwood (PMO and Communications).
• Min Yao, AVC for ACT, will support Pierre Ouillet on organizational and strategic issues during this transition.

We look forward to working with our many stakeholders to design a new IT service organization to better support the needs of our campus.

Suresh Subramani Executive Vice Chancellor - Academic Affairs Pierre Ouillet Vice Chancellor & Chief Financial Officer

Recommendations from the Review:
1. Create a CIO position sitting at the Cabinet, administratively managed by the VC-CFO but directed by an Executive IT Committee chaired by the EVC Academic Affairs
2. Immediately place under the new CIO all of ACT and ACMS, and integrate the remaining IT groups in administrative portfolios
3. Create an organization integration roadmap to merge related functions and/or create linkages with the many excellent stand-alone academic and health IT groups
4. Establish an institution-wide Enterprise Technology Architecture function under the leadership of the new CIO
5. Establish a Research Services function under the leadership of the new CIO to provide concierge services to PIs as tested in the IDI model and make innovative solutions and services developed by ORUs more broadly available to the research community
6. Establish a stronger focus on teaching and learning technology support and innovation in partnership with the Teaching and Learning Commons under the sponsorship of the EVC Academic Affairs
7. Establish a comprehensive IT Governance structure that helps create trust in IT services through clear mandates, service level agreements, cross-institutional representation and control mechanisms
8. Examine and improve the IT funding model to avoid structural issues and improve longevity of the services in place today
9. Develop a 5-year IT Strategy with roadmaps for core systems, data centers, collaboration tools and other technology elements
10. Create a comprehensive career development framework for UC San Diego’s 1,000+ IT staff