WHAT WE DO

Information Technology Research and Development is charged with seeking out segments of the user community with specific information processing needs and determining whether there are technological solutions available to support those needs. R&D also learns about new technologies available in the industry and looks for existing information processes within the College that they can be applied to, with the guiding principles primarily those of resource efficiency, data integrity and competitive advantage.

Once a particular fit has been found between need and solution, R&D uses the I.T. Project Management framework to define the project requirements and scope, investigates options from a cost/benefit standpoint, and provides consultation in the selection of a technology. The department then implements and tests the solution in collaboration with other departments in I.T., and upon final acceptance of the project results hands it off to operational groups for support.

We are closely allied with the Teaching, Learning and Technology Center in terms of our mission; there is occasionally some overlap in our work and we do share staff back and forth on various projects. But the TLTC's primary focus is on the support of teaching faculty and their use of technology, while R&D is more aligned with efforts that affect either the whole campus community or else specific areas within the administrative staff.