Information Resources Steering Committee
and
Information Resources Council Charge and Composition

Approved by the IR Steering Committee December 2001

 A University Information Resources Council (IRC) is established as a standing council, reporting to the University Information Resources Steering Committee (IRSC).  The IRSC is composed of the UNT President and Vice Presidents. The IRSC will refer planning issues to the University Planning Committee, which reports to the President, or act directly as appropriate. The IRC is an advisory and oversight body created to foster communication and cooperation between and among UNT information resources providers and users.  

Meetings of the Council will be on a regular basis, as called by the Chairperson.  

FUNCTION  

The University Information Resources Council will function as an advisory body with respect to information resources (IR) policies, standards, services, physical facilities, and allocation of resources; its members will strive to communicate University IR requirements to the University Information Resources Steering Committee; and its members will strive to promote cooperation, coordination, and effective use of information technology.

 The Council is not an administrative or executive decision making group. Its input and advice should always reflect a broad, University-wide point of view. The scope of its concerns should include both current IR policy matters and long-range planning. The Council should receive and consider matters referred to it for advisement; it also should initiate recommendations as needed regarding University IR policies, services, resources, and facilities, which are of concern to the University community.  

Emphasis should be placed on policies and procedures to provide and maintain a balance between required IR services and the necessary funding, staff, and space commitments to meet these requirements. The equitable allocation of existing IR services should also receive continuing attention.

 Duties of the Information Resources Council will include:

  1. Developing, documenting, and updating University long-range strategic IR plans including current and future computing service requirements.
  2. Providing policy recommendations regarding effective and coordinated use of available IR services and facilities. Policies for the allocation of computing resources and the assignment of priorities for computer use must be clearly stated and consistent with UNT's purpose and goals. These policies should be evaluated regularly to ensure that academic and administrative needs are adequately served.
  3. Providing advice and assistance for University acquisition of IR equipment and software.
  4. Providing advice and assistance to the Associate Vice President for Computing and Communications Services for development of services to the University community.
  5. Other duties as assigned by the University Information Resources Steering committee, including selected coordination and oversight responsibilities.

 COMPOSITION  

The chairperson of the Information Resources Council shall be appointed by the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Voting membership shall consist of a representative from each academic college and school, plus one representative or ex-officio member from each the following areas:

Academic Affairs (Administrative Support)
Administrative Affairs
Assoc. Vice President for Planning (ex-officio)
Chairs of each of the IRC Groups (see below)
Dean of UNT Libraries (ex-officio)
Executive Director of the UNT System Center at Dallas (ex-officio)
Faculty Senate
Finance and Business Affairs
Graduate Student Council
Student Association
Student Development
UNTHSC Information Resources Work Group Chair (ex-officio)

The college and school representatives shall be appointed by the respective Deans; the representatives from Finance and Business Affairs, Academic Affairs, Student Development, and Administrative Affairs shall be appointed by their respective Vice Presidents; the Faculty Senate representatives shall be selected by the Faculty Senate.

The following shall serve as non-voting ex-officio members:

Assoc. Director(s) of the Center for Distributed Learning
Assoc. Vice President for Academic Affairs for Distance Education
Assoc. Vice President for Computing and Communications Services
Director of Microcomputer Maintenance Shop and Classroom Support Services
Director of Network and Communications Services
Senior Director of Academic Computing
Senior Director of Administrative Computing
UNTHSC Assoc. Vice President of Information Resources
UNTHSC Director, Information Technology Services

At least four members of the University Planning Council (UPC) shall serve as members of the IRC, either voting or nonvoting. The UPC shall appoint these members.

The IRC shall be organized into standing committees or groups which are coordinated by a Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) composed of the Group representatives, the IRC chair, the Associate Vice President for Computing and Communications Services, the Associate Vice President for Planning, the Dean of UNT Libraries, and other IRC members appointed by the IRC chair. The Assoc. VP for Computing and Communications Services  shall serve as chair of the Strategic Planning Committee.

The following Planning Groups will represent the interests of the constituencies indicated:  

Planning Group

Constituency

Membership

Instruction

Faculty needing  technical support for their instructional activities both on and off campus.

·        Associate Director(s) of the Center for Distributed Learning

·        Faculty representatives from each college or school, appointed by the Dean

·        Director of Microcomputer Maintenance and Classroom Support Services

·        Other members recommended by chair of the group and appointed by the chair of the IRC

Research

Faculty needing centralized, high performance computational resources in support of their research.

·        Faculty representatives from each college or school, appointed by the Dean

·        Representative from Academic Computing Services, appointed by Director of Academic Computing

·        Representative from Graduate School, appointed by Dean of the Graduate School

·        Other members recommended by chair of the group and appointed by the chair of the IRC

Enterprise Information System (EIS)

Offices on campus using EIS.

·        Representative from Administrative Computing Services, appointed by the Director

·        Assoc. Vice President for Enrollment Management or his/her designee

·        Registrar or his/her designee

·        Director of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships or his/her designee

·        Director of Admissions or his/her designee

·        Director of University Human Resources Department or his/her designee

·        Assistant Vice President for Business Services or his/her designee

·        Representative from the Faculty Senate

·        Vice President of Development or his/her designee

·        Representative from the Dean’s Council

·        Representative from the UNT HSC, appointed by the President of the HSC

·        Representative from the President’s office, appointed by the President

·        Other members recommended by chair of the group and appointed by the chair of the IRC

Communications

Users of university-provided data and voice com­muni­cations technologies.

·        Representative from Network and Communications Department, appointed by the Director of the department

·        Representatives from each college or school, appointed by the Dean

·        Head of Telecommunications

·        Other members recommended by chair of the group and appointed by the chair of the IRC

Standards & Policy

All users of information technology on campus with interests in issues that cross departmental boundaries or that have a campus-wide perspective and that aren’t addressed by the other program groups. Also, drafting of policies relating to information technology.

·        Representative from the Computing Center, appointed by the Associate Vice President of Computing and Communications Services

·        Representatives from each college or school, appointed by the Dean

·        Other members recommended by chair of the group and appointed by the chair of the IRC

Student Computing

Students needing  university-provided computing resources.

·        Representatives from the Student Association and the Graduate Student Council, appointed by their respective organizations

·        Representative from the Housing Department, appointed by the Director of Housing

·        Representative from Academic Computing Services, appointed by the Director of Academic Computing

·        The Chair of the General Access Lab Committee

·        The Chair of the General Access Lab Managers Committee

·        Other members recommended by chair of the group and appointed by the chair of the IRC

Each Planning Group shall select a chair who is responsible for convening meetings at least quarterly and ensuring that minutes are taken. The chair of each Group shall serve as the Group's representative to the IRC. Planning Groups shall take the opportunity each August to re-select (or re-affirm the appointment of) a chair.

Related Organizations

The Distributed Computing Support Management Team, formed by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs in 1996, is charged with coordinating the efforts of all central and distributed desktop computer support units on the UNT campus with the goal of increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of computer usage. The Chair of the DCSMT shall report regularly to the IRC on the activities of the group.

The Center for Distributed Learning, which has non-voting ex officio membership in the IRC, shall also report regularly to the IRC on matters that are germane to the information technology infrastructure of the University.

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