Trustees Take Over Technology

The provision, which the N.C. General Assembly passed two weeks ago, gave control of information technology implementation and management to individual UNC-system schools.

The power to regulate information technology previously was distributed on a case-by-case basis between the BOG and individual universities' boards of trustees.

"These are things that we have been asking for for some time now," said H.D. Reaves, a member of the BOG's planning commission.

Reaves said increasing the autonomy of the boards of trustees will provide benefits to all 16 campuses.

"Each school needs to move ahead at its own pace," he said. "There are examples where campuses can act more efficiently. Schools operate better if they have more flexibility."

UNC-CH Trustee Stick Williams said the new provision will have little effect on information technology programs such as the Carolina Computing Initiative or plans to extend the wireless network that are now in progress at UNC-CH.

Marian Moore, UNC-CH vice chancellor for information technology, also said she expects minimal change at the University.

"There will be little noticeable effect," Moore said. "It remains to be seen how this will play out."

But the provision could bring benefits to the UNC system as a whole.

Robyn Render, UNC-system vice president for information resources, said strategies and procedures are already in place to aid schools that don't have the resources for intensive research and investment in new technologies.

She said smaller schools in the system could benefit from following the path larger universities have created in information technology and learn from their experiences.

"We have mechanisms already in place, and we expect to use those mechanisms," Render said. "When small schools with fewer resources can't dedicate the money or the time, they don't have to reinvent the wheel."

Andrew Payne, UNC Association of Student Governments president and a nonvoting BOG member, said allowing individual boards of trustees to determine information technology policy will help alleviate an inequity in technology between the different UNC campuses.

"There is already a disparity between schools. UNC and N.C. State (University) are way ahead of the game," Payne said. "This may be one motivation for other institutions to move forward with their IT systems."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.