IT Governance

 Purpose

Objectives

The main objectives of IT Governance are to:

• Ensure that IT investment decisions are being made in alignment with the strategic and tactical priorities of the College;
• Enable broad consultation, transparency, accountability and communication in the planning and decision making processes around IT investments and priorities;
• Identify, understand and mitigate IT security and risks;and
• Establish consistent and comprehensive monitoring, reporting and tracking of investments.

In simple terms, IT Governance helps ensure that we are working on the right things and doing them in the right way to minimize the risks associated with IT project approvals and spending and to increase the likelihood of realizing the benefits of IT investments.

Applicability

The IT governance framework applies to ALL information technology related process changes or purchases of information technology occurring throughout the College, even if it does not require resources from the Information Technology Services department or formal IT capital funding.  The IT governance framework is intended to encompass all IT activities and purchases and will focus on decisions that involve any or all of the following:

• Common IT connectivity infrastructure across the College (e.g. voice and data networks, wired and wireless connectivity, access to the Internet, cloud);
• Computing (e.g. servers and storage, end user devices including personal computers, laptops, tablets, phones);
• End user and enterprise wide applications, on site and cloud (e.g. Blackboard, PeopleSoft, SalesForce, Halogen, Campus Labs, Clockworks, productivity applications – email, Microsoft O365, other Customer Relationship Management (CRM));
• Instructional technology (e.g. classroom multi-media systems and services, academic software (Dentrix, Micros, etc.), distance learning technologies);
• Video (e.g. video applications on the network, streaming, security video, digital signage, wayfinding, editing software, etc.);
• Peripheral technologies (e.g. print devices, TVs, scanners, monitors, cameras etc.); and
• Security infrastructure – both physical and cyber/network based

IT Decision Framework

With broad representation from administrative, academic and research areas of the College.  The IT decision framework is comprised of 4 key areas components:

1. Executive Team – provides oversight to the IT governance process and approves the annual IT portfolio and funding plan as part of the annual budget cycle 

2. IT Governance and Priorities Committee (ITGPC) –  Consolidates and balances the IT portfolio across all the individual portfolio areas: administrative, teaching and learning and research and innovation, ensuring its alignment with college priorities and strategies and makes recommendations on the IT Portfolio to the VP Corporate Services.  The ITGPC will establish priorities, procedures and reports related to all IT related activities occurring throughout the college that meet any of the following criteria:

• Campus-wide IT policies and network and hardware standards
• Selection, prioritization and implementation of any services or hardware that have an IT component or require the use of IT resources based upon meeting any one of the following criteria:
  • Cost: Greater than$10,000.
  • Time: Greater than 10 days (80 hours) of ITS effort
  • Degree of impact: Greater than 70% of students or employees
  • Scope/Complexity: Three or more college departments involved

Please refer to the Terms of Reference for additional information on this committee

3. Working Groups - The ITGPC is supported by three (3) Working Groups structured into portfolios that represent the College’s administrative, academic, and research IT needs.  The portfolio approach allows for groups to discuss initiatives, challenges and set priorities with clear scope and context, avoiding confusion about purpose or alignment.  The Working Groups are as follows:
   • Enterprise Systems Working Group (ESWG) - represents the interests of the major users for the College’s business and student administrative IT infrastructure, solutions and services. It is chaired by the Associate Director, Enterprise System Services and has representation from HR, Finance, Marketing and Enrolment Services as well as members from a broader cross section of the College.  Please refer to the Terms of Reference for additional information on this Working group
   • Teaching & Learning Technologies Working Group (TLTWG) – represents the interests of the major users of the College’s teaching and learning IT infrastructure, solutions and services. Chaired by the Director, Centre for Academic Excellence and has representations from each of Academic areas, faculty and SAC. Please refer to the Terms of Reference for the complete list of Working Group members.  
   • Research Technologies Working Group (RTWG) - represents the interests of the College’s research and innovation area with respect to IT infrastructure, solutions and services. Research and innovation, by the very nature of their business, will always have unique requirements for IT. This group will formally document their direction and report back through the outlined structure just like the other working groups so that any IT governance issues can be vetted and rationalized against the whole

     4. The Vice President, Corporate Services with the Chief Technology Officer coordinates the IT Governance framework.

    The governance structure is illustrated below

Additional information can be found in the IT Governance Policy

Calendar of Events

IT Governance activities are closely aligned with the College's annual budgeting and planning cycle. Since funding is an important part of many projects, project budgets are considered in unison with the future fiscal year budget recommendation made each March.  Niagara College's fiscal year begins Apr 1 and ends Mar 30.

Any questions regarding the IT Governance policy and framework please contact the PPO at ITSPPO@Niagaracollege.ca