IT Strategic Planning

San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC) recently adopted an operational model that is based on the mission of the institution. This “mission model” was approved by the Governing Board and speaks to five major “platforms” as listed below.

1. Enabling transfer from two-year institutions to four-year institutions of higher education,

2. Developing occupational skills in preparation for employment,

3. Developing pre-employment skills,

4. Supporting academic advancement and basic skills enhancement, and

5. Supporting the student through a variety of services including academic planning and career and life counseling.

This model is significant because it also addresses

“an organizational concern that hierarchical systems often prevent or work against accountability and efficiency… Under the new model, there is an increased emphasis on organizational development and training to provide managers and staff with the tools they need to function effectively. As divisions and departments are empowered to take responsibility for the work of the institution, they are also held accountable for meeting college goals. A new commitment to institutional research and to linking the planning, program evaluation, and budget processes provides executive and middle management with a basis on which to measure the progress the institution is making toward its identified goals.”

Thus, when an information technology (IT) strategic plan proposal was to be developed, a coordinated process that involved representative members from throughout the organization was deemed a necessity. The planning proposal as an outcome of the process needed to be aligned with the overall mission and philosophy of San Bernardino Valley College. It was also important that the planning process and the resulting IT strategic plan proposal reflect the college motto that states its commitment to quality education, “Experience to Excellence.” Hence, the goal of the strategic planning process was to provide an environment in which collaboration among faculty and staff resulted in a realistic Information Technology Strategic Plan Proposal that aligned with the mission of the college.

II. The Strategic Planning Process

The purpose of information technology long range or strategic planning is to tie institutional priorities to technology support in a continuous two-way strategic alliance. Given this approach to IT planning, San Bernardino Valley College looks at strategic planning as a process that seeks to clarify what the organization is, what it wants to be and how, specifically, it can successfully make the transition. The focus is on the needs of the various stakeholders of the institution, particularly the students. This proposal is aligned with the college’s goals and mission and focused on what SBVC needs to “do” with technology rather than on what technology the college needs to “buy.” The technology plan proposal seeks to provide directions and a management strategy within the context of changing internal and external environments, while it sets the philosophy and direction for the use of information technology within the college.

A cross-functional team of faculty, staff, and administrators (see Appendix) developed the San Bernardino Valley College Information Technology Strategic Plan Proposal for 2001-2004. This planning team is the Technology Advisory Committee and was charged by the president’s cabinet to develop this Information Technology Strategic Plan Proposal.

The specific planning process used for the development of this strategic plan proposal is a modification of the organizational transition methodology described in Organizational Transitions, 2^nd edition (1987), by Beckhard and Harris. This methodology is based upon the principle that:

“... a core dilemma for executives and leaders is how to maintain stability in their organizations and, at the same time, provide creative adaptation to outside forces; stimulate innovation; and change assumptions, technology, working methods, roles and responsibilities, and the culture of the organization itself.” (Organizational Transitions, p. 1)

The planning approach that was adapted for use by SBVC from the proposed methodology by Beckhard and Harris, included the following steps:

· Development of a “future state” vision of how the use of information technology, in its broadest definition, should add value in support of the SBVC’s mission and platform statements.

· Development of guiding principles that should govern the technology decisions and actions of the college.

· Development of planning assumptions that details the environment in which SBVC currently exists.

· Development of goals and strategies to enable the college to move forward toward the desired “future state” in accordance with the guiding principles.

· Development of an information technology recommending body and reporting structure designed to oversee and direct the implementation of the strategic plan proposal.

III. Our Information Technology Vision

San Bernardino Valley College envisions a future where learning is exciting and relevant and tailored to meet the individual needs of students. Students are self-learners and use technology proficiently to access the learning resources of the college. Time and space limitations are erased through the use of technology providing learning opportunities that are convenient and motivating. SBVC assesses each student in his/her academic ability and readiness to begin college-level coursework and provides an environment in which the student excels. In addition to academic subject areas, the student’s technology competency is assessed and skills are updated as needed to ensure student success in the workplace. Study skills are also honed to erase any barriers or boundaries to a student’s education. In addition, internships with local business and industry provide students actual workplace experiences before completing their coursework at SBVC.

In this future state, full-time and adjunct faculty are well versed in the use of technology. In order to meet the established technology standards of SBVC, training opportunities are provided to faculty to interact with technology in a low pressure environment so that technology is non-threatening. New faculty are technologically fluent and come to the institution with the skills necessary to function at a high level. Via the Internet, faculty deliver courses that are student ability-based and are tied to the needs of the community.

Similarly, staff and administration use technology in a variety of ways to meet the needs of students and the institution. All staff are cross-trained and retrained to maximize staff expertise and efficiency. The number of staff and administration match the needs of the college.

Technology systems have been analyzed and processes re-engineered making the most use of the talents of staff. Inefficient tasks have been eliminated and where appropriate, processes and systems have been centralized. Rework has been reduced with online forms, resources, and procedures and committees are responsible for products as well as for planning. SBVC leadership supports the technological change, system re-engineering, team-building, and decision-making that is participatory with accountability.

In this future state, community needs are continually assessed and identifies how those needs might best be served. To do this, technology assists the college to benchmark with other institutions and seek out solutions that are effective. SBVC priorities are aligned with needs to deliver programs in a timely manner. Expanded markets are addressed and technology provides a means of reducing costs while increasing quality. Outreach to community centers, libraries, and other public facilities links the community to the college in ways that promotes the value of an SBVC education.

Community and government leadership endorse education thus increasing an interest in higher education throughout the community. As a direct result, San Bernardino becomes a “mini” Silicon Valley. The California grant programs put PC’s in households; vendors develop online educational programs free to the college and SBVC implements them; Datatel adopts the college in its “Adopt a College” program; and the San Bernardino police and fire services adopt new GPS and 911 radio communications programs that are taught at SBVC. These are among many new and exciting community-college partnerships that have been established.

With this future state scenario in mind, the vision for how information technology can be used to add value to the college and support its vision and mission, can best be expressed as follows.

OUR TECHNOLOGY VISION STATEMENT

Through appropriate information technology, SBVC is the post-secondary educational gateway in the Inland Empire where motivated, innovative, and technologically fluent faculty and staff meet the learning needs of students; where time, space, financial limitations, and social restraints are no longer barriers to education; and where partnerships with local and international business communities are enabled.

This vision statement is a challenging one for San Bernardino Valley College. Progress towards this vision will be made over time as SBVC begins to implement the goals and strategies contained in this IT Strategic Plan Proposal and in the IT plans that will follow.

IV. Our Information Technology Guiding Principles

If San Bernardino Valley College is to be truly successful in achieving its information technology vision and accomplishing its strategic objectives, it is not sufficient to do things right; the college must do the right things. In their book Paradigm Shift: The New Promise of Information Technology (1993), Don Tapscott and Art Caston state that a useful technique for making certain that individuals responsible for IT organizations are “doing the right thing,” is to establish a set of guiding principles, with “principles” being defined as “simple, direct statements that describe what is determined to be good practice.” Principles should describe the fundamental values or criteria against which the institution is prepared to make decisions regarding the acquisition and use of information technology.

The following is a list of the Information Technology Guiding Principles for San Bernardino Valley College. These principles are based on the vision developed by the Technology Advisory Committee and are intended as directional statements to govern the decisions and actions of the institution as it pursues the acquisition and implementation of information technology. No priority ranking has been assigned to the Guiding Principles; however, they have been clustered in logical groupings.

OUR TECHNOLOGY GUIDING PRINCIPLES

· Technology enhances communication among faculty, staff, students, alumni, business and industry, and the community

· Technology makes it possible to tailor learning to meet specific needs of students.

· The use of technology encourages faculty to use multiple modes of instruction including distributed means.

· Every student demonstrates basic competency in technology.

· Students, faculty, and staff are able to access appropriate information electronically.

· Technology assists faculty and staff in becoming more knowledgeable in their individual areas of expertise.

· Technology training for faculty and staff is appropriate, available, and timely.

· Technology makes learning opportunities available that eliminate the barriers of time and space.

· SBVC provides access to technology regardless of socioeconomic status or disability.

· Technology is a tool that enhances instruction.

· It is critical to maintain technological currency in order for our students to stay competitive in the marketplace.

· SBVC employs technology systems that increase efficiency and effectiveness of faculty and staff.

· Compatibility of technologies is crucial.

· A faculty member teaching multiple sections of the same class has access to equivalent technology in each classroom location.

· The use of technology maintains appropriate levels of privacy and security.

· Appropriate and timely technical support is accessible.

· Technology is used to reduce the cost of administrative services.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

San Bernardino Valley College

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STRATEGIC PLAN PROPOSAL

2001-2004

OUR TECHNOLOGY GUIDING PRINCIPLES