IT positions review complete, report submitted

April 7, 2011

A University committee responsible for assessing IT positions on campus for possible reallocation to areas under the direction of the University chief information officer Gerry McCartney has presented its findings.
 
The Purdue Campus Information Technology Plan (CITP), which was approved in April 2010, called for an assessment of IT resources on campus. Phase I and Phase II of that review have been completed by a seven-person advisory committee, which was led by Kevin Vedder, director of the Human Resources Service Center.

For the position review, the advisory committee established a standard set of IT position definitions and categories to use in evaluating positions. The committee then surveyed staff members and supervisors in designated areas, asking for specific data that was used by the committee in making recommendations as to whether a given position met the established criteria for being defined and categorized as being an IT position. In some instances where additional information was needed, onsite interviews with staff and supervisors were conducted.

Phase I of the review examined administrative computing positions that have not been transferred to the Office of the University CIO. Of these 90 positions, the advisory committee determined that 54, or 60 percent, were not IT positions, and 36 were classified as IT positions.

Phase II of the review looked at administrative computing positions that were transferred to the Office of the University CIO in 2010. Of these 115 positions, the committee determined that 107 are information technology positions, and that eight were not.

Vice presidents of the affected areas have received additional information from the survey.

Phase III of the review, which is now being launched, will examine positions in Information Technology at Purdue (ITaP).
   
"This evaluation of IT resources is an essential component of the Campus IT Plan, which was approved last April," said McCartney, vice president for information technology, chief information officer, and the Olga Oesterle England Professor of Information Technology. "The report submitted by the advisory committee is now under review."

Vedder said the surveys sent to staff and supervisors had a response rate of 100 percent.
   
"On behalf of the committee, I would like to thank everyone involved with this project to date for their cooperation, assistance and support in providing the necessary information to make this review successful," Vedder said.

The campus-wide review was requested by Alphonso Diaz, executive vice president for business and finance, treasurer, and Tim Sands, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, and the Basil S. Turner Professor of Engineering. Vedder was appointed to lead the review by McCartney.
 
A copy of the "IT Position Review Summary Report" is available at the University CIO website at www.purdue.edu/cio/.

Questions about the review should be directed to Vedder at kav@purdue.edu.