Center for Information Technology Services

Campus-wide Information Technology Planning, Collaborations,

Committees and Workgroups

There are many formal and ad hoc information technology committees and workgroups at the University of Maryland.  The work of these groups is critical to the success of information technology at UM.  They have fostered communication and collaboration across UM organizations, which have led to the development of common solutions, successful implementations, and the effective adoption of policies, procedures, and information technologies.  By sharing expertise, knowledge, and resources, mutual benefits and success with information technology has been achieved within, and across, organizational boundaries.

The following are the active planning and advisory committees, and workgroups, at the University of Maryland.  In addition to these groups, CITS staff work daily with faculty, staff, administrators and students from every UM school and department, as well as with employees at UMMC and UPI, in supporting email delivery, anti-SPAM and anti-virus protection, networking and communications, server hardware and database support, administrative and eTeaching and eLearning systems, etc.

UM Information Technology Steering Committee

The UM Information Technology Steering Committee was originally formed in 1999.  In 2002, upon the arrival of Dr. Peter J. Murray as Vice President and Chief Information Officer, the Committee underwent a change in membership.  Faculty and Chairs of UM organizations were added to the Committee.  Current committee members include a select group of approximately thirty-five UM faculty, staff and administrators.  The Committee is comprised of members who reflect the diverse academic and administrative interests of the UM community, including the Chairs of the Faculty Senate, Staff Senate and Student Government Association.

The fundamental aim of the Committee is to further school and institution goals through the effective use of coordinated information technologies.  Committee members are instrumental in providing insights on IT priorities and strategies.  Through mutually beneficial collaboration and sharing of information, the Committee influences plans for advancing technology that have a tremendous positive impact throughout the University of Maryland.

UM IT Leaders Committee

The IT Leaders Committee includes the leader of IT in each school, library, UPI, and CITS.  This group meets once every three weeks and discusses tactical and operational issues that relate to the campus IT strategic plan as well as to school and department IT projects and activities.  Current activities and issues, pending implementations, and future plans for the deployment of technologies are the central themes discussed and shared in these meetings. 

UM Education Technology Committee (ETC)

The ETC includes a broad cross-section of faculty and staff from the UM schools, library, and CITS who discuss eLearning and eTeaching techniques, technologies and support issues.  It is an active group which meets in person once per quarter, or more often as needed, as well as being engaged electronically almost every day.  Through the work of this committee, faculty needs and issues are more widely communicated and understood, and they influence the priorities and action items in the campus IT plan.  In addition to the larger committee, there are sub-committees for Blackboard course management and eLearning support; training and development; and, Blackboard administrators and instructional technology support staff.

Student Information Management System Steering Committee

The SIMS Steering Committee meets twice per year.  It identifies needs and priorities for the student information management system.  The committee reviews the status of priority projects and sets the direction for future activities. 

Research Computing Support Advisory Committee and IT Advisory Committee (for 300 West Lexington computing facility)

The University acquired some needed computer room space at 300 West Lexington Street in Baltimore.  This building is only a short distance from the campus and already has high-speed connections to the campus fiber-optic network backbone, and to the high-speed research networks.  It is approximately 3200 square feet of clean computer room space that will serve a number of important uses:  the relocation of equipment from overcrowded campus computer rooms; housing equipment for campus production systems as well as for back-up systems and storage for continuity purposes; school and department equipment; and equipment for high-performance computing and storage for faculty research projects.  At this time, two important advisory groups have been formed. 

A faculty research computing support advisory group is providing input regarding computing needs and requirements; and helping create an implementation, use and sustainability model so that the space can effectively support the computing needs of faculty research projects. 

The IT advisory group is discussing and reviewing needs and requirements, developing space and technical design specifications and making recommendations regarding the contemporary tools, technologies, and technical support needed for this space.  

The value-added of this space is the creation of a UM computing facility that synthesizes a common computing infrastructure with computing systems, specific applications, and data storage all linked by a high-speed network across campus and to the outside world.  

UM IT Security Committee

The Campus IT Security committee includes representatives from each UM school, major administrative area, the library, UMMS, UPI, and CITS.  The cross-organizational communication and work of this committee have led to the development of common policies and practices, and the collective enforcement of those policies. 

Directory Services and Identity Management WorkGroup

This is a campus-wide group that meets monthly to discuss Directory Services, Identity Management, and related technologies.  There is regular information exchange between CITS and campus schools and departments in order to use these technologies effectively.  CITS staff interact and work with the staff in schools and departments on a daily basis.

WebHelpDesk User Group

This group was formed to discuss the implementation and ongoing use of the new campus Help Desk ticketing system/software.  This workgroup currently is attended by staff from CITS, Pharmacy, Nursing, Law and Dental.  In the future, this group (consisting of school and campus Help Desk staff) will be expanded to include all other campus Help Desks and staff (e.g. SOM, UMMC, UPI).  The campus Help Desk staff work with faculty, staff and students from the various schools and departments on a daily basis.   

UM Virtual Technology Users Group (UMVTUG)

The UMVTUG brings together campus IT managers and support personnel on a regular basis to provide an open forum for the exchange of ideas and foster development in the area of technology virtualization.  The intent is not to focus on one vendor or solution, but to take into account the industry as a whole.  The emphasis is on server and desktop virtualization technology, although depending on need, subgroups are created to address network and application virtualization as well as to advance Green Computing practices and policies for the campus community.  

iTunes U Administrators Steering Committee

This group provides direction and support for the UM iTunes U site.  Through the work of this committee, thousands of courses have been made available for students to download to their portable devices. Much of this has been duplicated on a public iTunes U site in order to make parts of the UM curriculum available to the world.

Coeus Research System Steering Committee

School and department research management and administration representatives meet with staff from ORD, CITS, and Financial Services to discuss system features and functionality, address issues, and share information regarding the Coeus research management system.

Other campus working and user groups:

  • HRMS production issues and priorities monthly meeting: Managers from HR, Payroll, and CITS meet to discuss production issues and priorities.
  • Financial system production issues and priorities bi-weekly meeting:  Members of the Financial Systems staff meet with CITS eUM staff to discuss production issues and priorities.
  • Procure to Pay monthly meetings: CITS staff meet with Financial Services, Procurement management, and A/P management staff to discuss and address issues with eUM financials as they relate to procurements and payments within the eUM financial system.
  • eUM Power Users meetings (meets as needed):  Group of about 200 “eUM power users” meet for information sharing.
  • SIMS technical staff hold ongoing weekly meetings with school student services staff to address day-to-day issues and SIMS priorities.
  • ARRA bi-weekly meeting:  Members from ORD, Financial Services, Financial Systems, and CITS meet to discuss federal stimulus funds reporting, requirements and status.
  • Restricted Funds Tasks Force: This group addresses issues related to research administration and training.
  • Archibus weekly working group meeting:  CITS, Capital Budget & Planning, and Facilities Management staff meet to discuss issues and priorities related to the campus Space Management system.
  • ImageNow users group (meets as needed when information needs to be shared): Functional managers who are using the ImageNow document imaging and management system meet with CITS staff to share information about the system.
  • QuestionMark Users Group:  CITS and school staff meet as needed to discuss issues and experiences with this system, which is used for online assessments and testing.
  • Campus Apple Users Group:  Users of Apple Corporation computers and handheld devices meet with CITS staff to discuss Apple technology and share information.
  • WebEx Administrators Users Group:  The individuals in schools and departments who support WebEx meet with CITS staff to discuss features and functionality as well as to share information.
  • Mobile Technology Applications Development Group:  Representatives from schools, departments and CITS are working together to develop applications that can be downloaded to handheld devices.