This document is intended to serve as a starting point, in the Fall of 1996, for the development of the University's long-range technology plan. Computing Services and the Educational Communications Center offer it in hopes of stimulating a campus-wide discussion of how information technology should be used to support the University's goals. It is hoped that the discussion will involve all segments of the University community, including users and other providers of information technology on campus such as the Libraries and Telecommunications, and that this initial draft will be a stimulus for development of an ongoing process for continually updating the campus plan. While the long-range information technology plan will never be finished, it is hoped that the campus will approve an operating version for the coming academic year by May of 1997.
Every plan needs justification for the initiatives proposed.
The information technology we employ in support of the teaching, learning and research efforts of the University and in support of the University's business processes should be closely aligned with the University's long-range goals. Every plan should describe the approach of the implementing organizations in pursuing initiatives. Every plan should have a process for review, implementation and continuing revision. This process has not yet been established, but will be in large part determined by the governing structure recently established at Binghamton for information technology initiatives. Each initiative description states an overall goal, provides information about the current status of the information technology efforts in the given area, lists major projects that will move us toward the goal, and describes how the goal supports the University's long-range plans.