Recommendations of the Research IT Strategic Planning Committee 16 May July 2013

16 May Appointing a faculty Director or “Chief” of ARCADE who reports directly to the VPR (and coordinates with the Provost and the VP for Finance and Business). ARCADE = Advanced Research, Computing, and Data Enterprise. 2. Forming an ARCADE Steering Committee consisting of nine to twelve faculty thought leaders that reports to the VPR (coordinating with the Provost and the VP for Finance and Business). The committee should be charged, in consultation with colleges and institutes, to develop and oversee the implementation of a master plan for ARCADE at Penn State. 3. Recognizing the need to invest in ARCADE on a scale comparable with such peer institutions as Minnesota and Wisconsin. We are manifestly under-investing by about eight million dollars a year.

Basis of 15 July 2013 Conclusions: First principle: IT governance structures at Penn State should be designed to elevate the academic missions of the university in addition to improving efficiencies in the enterprise systems. Best practices suggest that a balance needs to be sought. Governance models in academic institutions need to weigh (a) the imperatives for cost effective asset utilization and effective IT governance against (b) the urgent need to utilize IT fully, rapidly, and flexibly, in support of the university’s teaching and research missions. IT services should be supporting the core missions of the University, rather than driving those missions.

Second principle: Enterprise, Instructional, and Research computing are essentially different enterprises. The needs and goals of the academic side of the University are often distinct from those of the University’s enterprise activities, but both need representation by individuals who have relevant expert knowledge and experience. Indeed, it makes sense to have a tripartite leadership team that includes (1) the Vice-President for Undergraduate Education as the primary overseer of instructional IT; (2) the Vice-President for Research as the primary overseer of research IT; and (3) the CIO as the primary overseer of enterprise IT. Obviously they need to communicate and cooperate. Basic IT services are supplied by enterprise IT.

An implication of the second principle: The committee concluded that the “Vice-Provost for IT” and the “CIO” positions should be separated. The Vice Provost for IT is a research/academic role and should be held by an individual who has deep experience in the academic activities of our University, whereas the CIO needs to be expert in business/enterprise systems. Although the twain should meet cooperatively, they should not be the same person. Both of them need to be accountable to senior executive leadership.

Senior Vice President for Finance& Business/Treasurer CIO & Enterprise IT Director Governance Committee(s) Coordination with Communities of Practice Vice President & Dean of UG Education Learning IT Director Governance Committee(s) Coordination with College Learning IT Leaders Vice President of Research & Dean of the Graduate School Research IT Director Governance Committee(s) Coordinating with College Research IT Leaders Executive Sponsors include 3 below + EVP & Provost Coordination & information exchange related to implementation & operations Sharing members for coordination & information exchange related to governance Infrastructure and Services Primary Strategic Drivers Cost Efficiencies, Asset Utilization, Risk Mitigation, Business Intelligence Growth (enrollment), Teaching Innovation, Improved Learning Outcomes, Agility Innovation, Agility, Impact, Growth