Connecting Illinois State

Mission

Technology Solutions champions innovation, collaboration, and operational excellence to provide the technological infrastructure and services that are integral to the success of the Illinois State University community.

Vision

Technology Solutions will be a leader of innovation and recognized for providing high-quality, highly available solutions that add value to the Illinois State University community and beyond by:

• Aligning with institutional goals as set forth in the University’s strategic plan
• Maintaining a technology roadmap to support the long-term success and growth of the University
• Leveraging IT resources to assist in student recruitment and success
• Assessing technology systems and processes to improve efficiency and reduce costs
• Collaborating closely with students, faculty, advisors, and staff to acquire, develop, and implement technology that enhances learning and adapts pedagogy to an increasingly digital world
• Simplifying and enhancing access to technology support and services for all members of the University community to encourage a culture of equity and belonging
• Developing the IT workforce of tomorrow through student employment opportunities that augment academics with work experience
• Increasing access to data and analytics to empower strategic decision-making and improve student success
• Securing the identity of and access to sensitive data for each member of the campus community
• Providing advanced computing resources to student and faculty researchers by removing barriers and lowering the threshold for entry for the use of these resources
• Indentifying and implementing environmental sustainability practices that are documented and supported by appropriate metrics

Values

We are individuals who understand how our work impacts the experience of students, faculty, advisors, and staff. We work in determined pursuit of operational excellence and innovative transformation to enhance that experience. We value diversity and inclusion and use those varying perspectives to inform continual improvement. We treat others with respect and champion the roles individuals play on our team.

Supporting the University direction

Educate · Connect · Elevate: Illinois State is the strategic plan guiding the University. The strategic plan is designed to serve as a guide for divisions, units, and offices in planning and resource allocation decisions, and its success depends on the collective work of the University. The four key directions outlined in this plan are:

• Enhance Strength and Stability—Ensure strong enrollment and student success; attract and retain exceptional faculty and staff; strengthen financial position; use best practices to continuously improve sustainability and institutional effectiveness
• Foster Innovation—Support academic program offerings to meet enrollment demand in current and emerging fields of study; support advancement of research, creative works, and knowledge generation; enhance organizational infrastructure to support innovation and collaboration
• Nurture Diversity and Inclusion—Enhance diversity of faculty, staff, and student populations across the inclusion spectrum; invigorate the campus community by providing a welcoming and inclusive environment; advance learning experiences that help faculty, staff, and students succeed in a global society
• Enrich Engagement—Foster partnerships offering collaborative and mutually beneficial opportunities; involve more faculty, staff, and students in outreach, engagement, and research opportunities locally, regionally, and globally; deepen student engagement in activities that prepare them for lifelong learning and success

These directions combined inform Illinois State’s vision of educating high-achieving, motivated students with an individualized and transformative experience.

The Office of Technology Solutions invests in three foundational competencies (operational excellence, process improvement, and innovation) to support the performance indicators in the University strategic plan. Performance indicators include student success, faculty success, research, recruitment, advancement, and workforce development.

These foundational competencies and performance indicators serve as cross-disciplinary and cross-divisional benchmarks to ensure that our department recognizes the outcomes that are important to the University and to align our understanding of the work that we do to the greater success of the University.

Guiding principles

To execute this vision, the department has adopted seven guiding principles. These principles set expectations for our organization, irrespective of changes in goals, strategies, or types of work. The creation and execution of operational plans are driven by the behaviors and mindsets outlined below.

The seven guiding principles are:

1. Adopt a value-add mindset
2. Build trust and credibility
3. Change and innovate the campus tech experience
4. Deliver operational excellence
5. Empower employees
6. Foster a data-empowered culture
7. Grow opportunities for access to IT resources