IT2019

Challenge

The School of Information Technology (SoIT) at the University of Cincinnati traces its roots to several computing technology programs offered across three colleges. In the fall of 2004, these programs merged to form the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. By 2006 the Department of Information Technology emerged as an academic department bound to two different colleges. The program finally settled in the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH) in July 2011 to support an evolving vision of integrated Information Technology. Then in 2012, after a national search, Dr. Hazem Said took the helm as the head. Now defined and housed in a single college, SoIT saw it was time to develop a comprehensive strategic plan. The movement and change had come to a halt and they were ready to define who they were as a program.

Process

In February 2012, with the help of Barry Morris and Meghan Clarke, a comprehensive strategic planning process began. Planning unfolded through November, and involved three phases of input sessions, plan development and public review. Students, alumni, staff, faculty, academic leadership, advisory board members and the IT community engaged in the input sessions throughout March, April and May 2012. Together, they provided discussion and validation that brought hopes for SoIT to the forefront. The strategic team composed of faculty, staff and advisory board members, with the expertise and guidance of Meghan, worked throughout the summer to analyze the data from the input sessions and draft a strategic plan. In October 2012, stakeholders reviewed the plan and their feedback was integrated into a finalized strategic plan.

Resolution

SoIT developed a vision, mission, objective and five strategic goals along with priorities to guide these goals to success. These goals included: Becoming a leading expert in 2-4 IT areas regionally and nationally, become a center of innovation for information technology education regionally and nationally, be a great place to learn and innovate, increase awareness of the information technology discipline and increase the quantity and quality of collaborative relationships within and outside the university. To measure their progress towards these strategic goals performance indicators were designated to each to track progress.

Outcome

Stakeholders were able to join together to form a collaborative vision for the SoIT achieved the formation of a collaborative strategic plan that would guide them for the next 7 years. As they continue to work towards achieving their strategic goals they can do so with confidence in the direction they are headed. Open to positive change and redefinition SoIT will be revising and updating the strategic plan in the upcoming year to stay on track with the evolving IT environment.

Learn more about IT2019:

Strategic Plan
Strategic Plan Booklet IT2019: Bridging the Divide