CALS IT Mission and Strategic Principles

CALS IT Mission

The CALS IT mission is to provide reliable, timely and efficient solutions that support and enhance the evolving technology needs of instruction, research and outreach as well as administration.

CALS IT Strategic Principles

Principle 1 – Support an IT Aware Community

Enhance clear and transparent communication across the CALS community regarding the use of technology. Develop and promote materials and training to build a community of IT professionals, and promote awareness of technology options for faculty, researchers, students and staff. Collaborate across the college to understand technical needs. 

Principle 2 – Establish Mature IT Resource Operations

Resource management is the understanding and appropriate allocation of people, processes and technology. The distribution of these resources depends on establishing expectations for where IT should align with college priorities. By setting a complete picture of IT resource allocation, college leadership will have an enhanced understanding of the costs and benefits to aid in identifying and supporting IT priorities. IT staff across CALS will receive support to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the solutions they provide.  

Principle 3 – Optimize Data Management Practices 

Optimized data management requires IT to enhance the technical solutions to manage and protect data through its lifecycle. College IT professionals must be equipped to meet these needs by balancing technical tools, supporting policies, and following standards and best practices. IT staff and college faculty, researchers and staff must collaborate to understand the data requirements and legal or regulatory requirements to provide meaningful solutions.   

Principle 4 – Address IT and Cybersecurity Risks

Information Security and Risk Management solutions should support CALS missions and administration by maximizing availability and maintaining systems’ integrity while ensuring confidentiality. Cybersecurity risks will be identified, evaluated and assessed through the campus Cybersecurity Risk Management Policy. Cybersecurity incidents will be reported, evaluated and remediated. The CALS IT Community will inform faculty and staff about protecting their data and systems from cybersecurity attacks. 

Principle 5 – Welcome Diversity, Inclusion and Equity

For diversity practices to be successful, we must facilitate and support an inclusive work culture. IT’s responsibility is to ensure we provide solutions that respectfully address the needs of our diverse community. This responsibility includes how IT staff welcome and support each other and interact with stakeholders and customers. As IT professionals, we must ensure that the solutions we create and support do not infringe on underrepresented groups’ rights.