August 6, 2007
To: UCOP Community
From: Kristine Hafner, Associate Vice President, Information Resources and Communications
With the support of the President’s Cabinet, Executive Vice President Lapp has put in motion a plan to centralize information technology (IT) services at UCOP. EVP Lapp informed UCOP Vice Presidents on July 16 that Information Resources and Communications (IR&C;) will assume responsibility for providing services such as desktop and server support to departments located in Oakland. The goal is to ensure that computing support at UCOP is delivered uniformly across departments, is of high quality, follows industry best practices for security, and is provided efficiently and cost effectively.
As you know, IR&C; currently provides centralized services for telephones and videoconferencing, Internet access, and a managed desktop that incorporates the Outlook e-mail and calendar programs, Microsoft Office software, and automated installation of security patches. With this announcement, we will expand the list of IT services provided by IR&C; to the UCOP community to include:
The IR&C; Technology Service Desk will become the contact point for questions and requests for assistance. We are committed to making it easy to obtain service and we will guarantee response times and service levels. We have a team of highly trained and skilled professionals who will work closely together to provide a broad range of services and support to UCOP employees.
In order to offer these expanded services, IR&C; must increase staffing in the Technology Service Desk unit by 8 to 14 new positions. We expect to begin recruiting for these positions in early September and will distribute a UCOP wide announcement when the jobs are posted. We intend to fill these positions with existing qualified UCOP staff who meet the job requirements; therefore, the initial recruitment will be open only to UCOP employees. UCOP HR will work closely with departmental administrators as staffing plans are finalized and will ensure that affected employees receive appropriate support and guidance. More information will be provided as it becomes available.
EVP Lapp is convening a UCOP IT planning group composed of senior managers to help guide implementation of the plan and to ensure that UCOP’s future IT requirements are understood and that support needs are met. My department will work closely with the planning group and with your departments to ensure a successful transition to this new IT support model. We will keep you informed (via e-mail and the IR&C; Web site) about the project schedule, the new service offerings and commitments, and the process for getting help through the Technology Service Desk.
IR&C; Technology Support Services Director Michael Shannon is available to meet with departments and is happy to answer any questions you may have. We are all committed to providing you with high-quality IT services and look forward to making this a successful partnership. Thank you in advance for your trust and confidence in IR&C.;
