The departments of Telecommunication Services and Information Technology Services at the University of Colorado at Â鶹¹ÙÍø have been merged into a single organization effective Jan. 15 in response to the growing demand for information services.
"Data, voice and video are coming together in the modern world of information technology," said Bobby Schnabel, associate vice chancellor for academic and campus technology.
"This new organization leads the way in blending these aspects of information technology services at CU-Â鶹¹ÙÍø, and creates an organization that will improve our ability to be responsive to the campus' burgeoning demand for IT services in academics, student services and administration," Schnabel said.
The combined organization, called Information Technology Services (ITS), has already coordinated extensive user-help offerings in the new IT Service Center, housed on the first floor of the Telecommunications Building. The center answers questions about computing, network, media and telephone service, while helping customers navigate the ITS organization.
It is the first of many substantial customer-service improvements ITS has planned for the future. In accordance with the campus-wide IT strategic plan, the transformed ITS will lead the Â鶹¹ÙÍø campus into the 21st century in the development, deployment and integration of advanced technologies.
"Information technology services have made the transition from supporting the behind-the-scenes administrative processes of the university to playing a key role in our primary mission -- educating our students," said Chancellor Richard L. Byyny.
"This new organizational structure places our campus at the forefront nation-wide in providing a modern, consolidated information technology organization."
The new ITS will be managed in a tripartite style, reporting to Schnabel. The organizational structure aims to provide streamlined management, with a team of leaders whose responsibilities combine with their strengths as managers of people and technology.
Directly reporting to Schnabel are Ken Klingenstein, senior director and chief technologist, overseeing Development and Integration; Jim Marshall, director of User Services and IT Budget and Administration; and Dennis Maloney, director of Operations, including networking and systems infrastructure.
The new management structure will enable ITS to adapt more quickly and congruently to the constantly changing face of information technology on the university campus, Schnabel said. It also will increase the ability of IT employees to take ownership of their responsibilities and acquire resources necessary for follow-through.