University "Enterprise Team" To Coordinate and Reduce Costs for Technology Needs

CWU launched a new process during fall quarter of 2012 to help departments save money on a variety of technology systems, from those used for social media to data collection and more.  Our "University Enterprise Team" will lead this effort.

What will the University Enterprise Team do?
The team will work with departments to make sure that:

1.) The university doesn't already own the technology the department seeks. Central is a big place; what you think you have to buy might just already exist around the corner. No one wants to pay for the same thing twice. If CWU does own technology that could serve the function you need, the University Enterprise Team will help make that technology available.

2.) The proposed system or service will actually work with other university systems. How can you be sure your new system (software, hardware and/or service) will work with other very old, very new, and very different systems that run CWU? The University Enterprise Team will help you figure that out.

Who's on the University Enterprise Team?
The Enterprise Team includes a diverse group of people, with an emphasis on those who understand CWU academic, student, and technology "systems."

• Chair - Director of Organizational Effectiveness (Ed Day)
• Academic Representative - Associate Provost (Tracy Pellet)
• Non-Academic Representative - AVP for Financial Services (Connie Williams)
• Dean Representative - VACANT
• Human Resource Representative -Chief Human Resource Officer - (Steve DeSoer)
• Information Technology Advisor - AVP for Information and Technology Services (Carmen Rahm)
• Other Advisors (TBD)

On what IT purchases will the University Enterprise Team focus?
The Enterprise Team will review systems that provide computing functions across departments and for more than one user. For example, systems that collect information about students, that collect or process money, or that create social interaction for groups. In the IT world, these are, literally, "enterprise-level" functions.

CWU already has purchasing and ITS guidelines for everyday technology that serves individuals. The University Enterprise Team will NOT review individual pieces of technology like:

• personal computers and related peripherals (such as laptops, tablets, printers, scanners, monitors)
• phones (cellular, regular), handheld radios
• desktop software that is not multi-user
• discipline specific software under $5000
• copier machines

What's the first step in assessing technology needs?
Contact Organizational Effectiveness Project Management staff Tina Short (shortt@cwu.edu; 509-963-2910) or Sue Noce (noce@cwu.edu; 509-963-2927).  They'll gather the following basic information about your request and let you know if you need to go another step.

• Is this a new system (hardware/software/service) or a change to an existing system?
• What are the benefits of purchasing or modifying the system?
• What is the approximate cost of the system, including licensing?
• With what other university systems will the purchase have to interface?
• Will any other departments use the system or the information it generates/collects?
• Who will provide system support/maintenance?
• What is your proposed purchase timeline for this system?