CLAS IT Support Staff to Central ITS

To: Departmental Executive Officers
From: Lance Bolton, Senior IT Director, CLAS Technology Services
RE: CLAS IT Support Staff to Central ITS

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As you may be aware, several initiatives are now underway as part of the TIER (Transparent Inclusive Efficiency Review) project initiated by the State Board of Regents. One of these initiatives is OneIT@Iowa, which has a primary goal of increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of IT by implementing new models for providing the IT services that are critically important to sustaining day-to-day campus operations.

As part of the OneIT@Iowa effort, effective November 1, the CLAS IT consultants will report to ITS and join the Extended Technical Support (ETS) team.  We are working to ensure that minimal noticeable changes will occur as a consequence of this transition and want to reassure you that our highest priority is to provide you with excellent support.  In fact, the greatest change in this effort will be to behind-the-scenes organizational reporting relationships.  While the CLAS IT consultants will have this new administrative reporting structure, you will continue to receive support from your assigned consultant, as you have in the past. 

Our participation in a centralized approach to end user support will allow the team to use additional resources to support your research and instructional goals.  This will benefit all of CLAS by focusing more of our attention to our mission and less on redundant efforts.  As OneIT@Iowa progresses, it is likely that there will be additional small changes to processes and policies, such as a new number to call for support or additional options for receiving support; relevant information will be shared with you.  These changes, however, should not have deleterious effects on the important work you do.

While some of our team will now report to ITS, the rest of CLAS Technology Services will continue to report to the Dean’s Office to help you with specialized IT needs, Linux computing, web and application development, and project management work.

Please contact me with any questions; I’ll also be available to discuss this change at the DEO meeting on October 16.