Joanna Young, MSU Vice President and CIO of Information Technology, kicked off the Bolder IT plan at an MSU Leadership and Administrators seminar on November 11, entitled “Information Technology Unplugged.” Young presented along with Vice President Vennie Gore, Associate Provost Jeff Grabill, Dean Leo Kempel, and Dean Elizabeth Simmons who represent some executives partnering on this plan.
At the seminar, Young addressed how MSU will leap forward from technology that is legacy and distributed to contemporary and aligned technology solutions.
In order to be Bolder, MSU needs to transform how it designs, plans, and manages technology across the university. Institutions with enabling, modern technology are best positioned to succeed.
The LEAD “Information Technology Unplugged” presentation and recording are available online.
MSU IT Transformation
MSU IT’s strategic vision is three‐pronged: Strengthen, Align, Innovate. Each prong is dependent upon the other two.
This strategy is informed by campus input, analysis, and learning by new leadership. It has been refined and targeted through a comprehensive IT assessment, input from leadership including deans and other academic leaders, input from IT personnel in units, and Young’s observations over the past year.
Strengthen the Core
- Eradicate technical debt accumulated over decades and ensure contemporary management and funding.
- Modernize, stabilize, and scale services to an appropriate level for MSU-wide use.
- Improve services to encompass technology ranging from core infrastructure to end-user facing.
- Integrate service management across MSU.
Increase Alignment
- Improve the effectiveness and efficiency of IT across all MSU through improved alignment of central and unit‐based services.
- Increase adoption of enterprise‐scale solutions that reduce the need for redundant, unit‐based solutions.
- Influence the adoption of central solutions and retirement of redundant solutions.
Innovate
- Deliver technology programs that position MSU as a leader in prioritized areas.
- Collaborate with other units to produce quality, effective, contemporary solutions that “leap frog” MSU in areas appropriate to mission and market.
- Understand how the research and education work of MSU is paramount to this strategy.
Read more about Bolder IT and the related transformation focus areas, current initiatives, and future initiatives.
