When the MSU College of Law officially integrated with Michigan State University in 2020, it marked the beginning of a significant transformation, not just in governance, but in technology. For decades, the College of Law operated independently, maintaining its own servers, file shares, and IT infrastructure. However, with a renewed commitment to modernization, the college embarked on a sweeping migration to campus-supported IT systems through MSU IT’s federated model.
Federated IT at MSU means that each college or unit gets its own dedicated IT support while also benefiting from shared university-wide services, creating a balance between local expertise and centralized efficiency. At the heart of this effort is Alison Virag-McCann, director of IT for the College of Law, who has led the charge with a clear vision, collaborative spirit, and a deep respect for the people and processes involved.
“We’ve already saved $36,000,” Virag-McCann shared, highlighting the financial impact of consolidating services and eliminating redundant infrastructure.
But the benefits go far beyond cost savings. The College of Law migrated to Campus Active Directory (AD), the university’s centralized system for managing user logins, devices, and access to campus-wide IT resources. They started using Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (MEMCM) for workstation imaging and management. They also adopted TeamDynamix for managing support tickets and asset tracking. Together, these tools have fundamentally reshaped how the College of Law operates.
“Federation has allowed us to achieve greater efficiency, security and support,” said Frank Aiello, chief of staff to the dean at the College of Law. “These are exactly the benefits that full integration with the University promised.”
The transition hasn’t been without its challenges, Virag-McCann said.
“It’s been a growth opportunity for all of us,” Virag-McCann admitted. “There were a lot of deeply ingrained habits and systems that had been in place for 15 to 20 years. Change is hard, especially when it’s fast and sweeping.”
But necessity drove urgency. Aging hardware, including 15-year-old domain servers, which help manage logins and access across the network, made it clear that the college couldn’t afford to wait.
Among the most impactful changes has been the shift to MEMCM. Previously, imaging, a process that installs the operating system, software, and settings on a new workstation, could take up to four hours. Now, it takes just 90 minutes.
“We can now manage workstations, pull reports, and ensure software compliance in ways we simply couldn’t before,” Virag-McCann said. “It’s been a huge time and cost saver.”
The implementation of TeamDynamix has also been transformative. For a team that previously relied on email and walk-ins, the new ticketing system has introduced structure, visibility, and accountability.
“It’s been a revolution,” she said. “We’re tracking issues, identifying patterns, and planning for asset management and knowledge base development. It’s a whole new way of working.”
“Alison championed early adoption of TeamDynamix and I am excited about the data it will provide about the state of our hardware and the customer service experience of faculty and staff,” said Aiello.
Building trust with the College of Law’s IT staff was a critical part of the process. Virag-McCann prioritized listening, transparency, and relationship-building. She introduced weekly team meetings and biweekly one-on-ones, practices that were new to the team but quickly became essential.
“I wanted to create a safe space where people felt heard and supported,” she explained. “We’re all professionals, and we all bring something valuable to the table.”
The success of the migration has been a team effort, with key support from MSU’s central IT units. The campus AD, information security, networking, virtual machine (VM) team for self-managed servers, and VM print server teams all played vital roles.
“Every team I’ve worked with has been incredibly supportive,” Virag-McCann said. “They’ve made me feel welcome and empowered.”
The College of Law recently performed a major network upgrade, including a new Juniper switch, a high-speed device that routes data across the building’s network, and improved wireless infrastructure. These enhancements will pave the way for continued migration efforts and improved connectivity across the building.
“The College is grateful for the thoughtful and strategic partnership of CIO Rich Czarnecki and MSU IT throughout our Federated transition,” said Aiello. “The user experience at the College has been their most important priority.”
For other units considering a similar transition, Virag-McCann offers this advice: “Don’t rush. Take time to understand what’s in place, what works, and what doesn’t. Build trust with your team before making changes. And remember, your goal is to support and improve, not overwhelm.”
The College of Law’s IT transformation is more than a technical upgrade. It’s a story of collaboration, resilience, and a shared commitment to progress.
As Virag-McCann puts it, “We’re not just changing systems. We’re building something better, together.”
