Flat Lining Technology Investment Peter Saxena CIO Roberts

Flat Lining Technology Investment Peter Saxena CIO, Roberts Wesleyan College, Rochester NY Saxenap@roberts. edu 1

Flat Lining n Predictable IT Budgets n Stability in IT Investment 2

Flat Lining n Positive pressure to create good management practices and n To continually depend on innovation and best practices 3

Flat Lining n Creates a need for IT, Academic and Administrative leaders to work together n Decisions are based on Institutional Priority versus Individual priority 4

Flat Lining n Creates a need for institutional “appropriate assessment” of technology in education n Technology is not lacking in its value to education, education is lagging in its assessment of technology to education. - Educause publication on assessment 5

HE Leaders’ Goals are: 1. Create and support Evolutionary Growth in the use of technology on the campus (curriculum + admin) 2. Manage, foster and support the Exponential growth that will come as a result of goal 1. 6

Flat lining: 1. Manage the investment while supporting your mission of evolutionary and exponential growth in usage. 2. Hopefully for a Short Term (1 -3 yrs). 7

Challenge: n To manage Escalating demands for technology and support with Stable (not static) Funding and Resources. 8

Technology Stewardship n n CIO: Clear visibility and control of all elements of IT spending (resources and technology). CIO and Institution Leaders: 1. 2. Strong commitment to work together Institutional priorities vs. individual priorities. 3. Focus on overall cost of ownership 9

Process Resources IT Spending across the Institution Annual Contracts Annual Technology Replacement Cycles Projects Planned growth Prioritize Investment based on current and future value Protect and perpetually maintain current investment in technology. 80% to 90% Invest in the future. 10% to 20% Budget Adjustments Protect at all cost. Adjust as needed. 10

Step 1: CIO Resources IT Spending across the Institution Annual Contracts Annual Technology Replacement Cycles Projects Map IT Spending to finite, pre-defined categories Value: Managing a handful of buckets versus the every line item. $1 to $30 Million Depending on the size of the institution Planned growth 11

Step 2: CIO Look for savings: How can we do these in a different way? Resources Process efficiencies Annual Contracts Weed, Re-Negotiate Annual Technology Replacement Cycles Look for volume discounts, process efficiencies, options Projects Prioritize based on Value Planned growth Prioritize, create Phases 12

Step 3: IT Task Force Small IT Leadership Task Force of CIO and key Academic and Administrative leaders. n Leaders must have n – Institutional Focus – Have decision making roles – Must be respected by the Faculty 13

Step 4: Prioritization with the Task Force Resources Annual Contracts Annual Technology Replacement Cycles Projects 1. Prioritize based on value to the Institution. 2. Weed / Mark what can be delayed 3. Add what needs to happen Planned growth 14

Year over year Resources IT Spending across the Institution Annual Contracts Annual Technology Replacement Cycles Projects Planned growth Prioritize Investment based on current and future value Protect and perpetually maintain current investment in technology. 80% to 90% Invest in the future. 10% to 20% Budget Adjustments Protect at all cost. Adjust as needed. 15

Flat Lining 1. Creates a controlled and stable IT environment. – – – 2. Tremendous value to the future of technology in within the institution. Predictable IT Budgets Good management practices Lean budget Creates an institutional discipline to manage technology infusion in the Academic side – – Academic Leaders partnering together to determine institutional priorities Institutional assessment 16