In the more than fifteen years since the Office of Computer and Information Systems (C&IS) was first formed, the University's information technology needs have expanded dramatically. To meet these needs, C&IS' services have increased from addressing mostly administrative and research needs at Penn State to providing a broad range of technology services to every member of the University community. The five major units that comprised the old C&IS organization (Center for Academic Computing; Office of Telecommunications; Office of Administrative Systems; Computer, Network and Information Security; and Library Computing Services) have each had an important role in this transformation. Changes in the Center for Academic Computing (CAC) have been especially notable. A little over a decade ago, the Center almost exclusively provided services to the research community with a growing presence for students and the teaching mission of the University. Today, most Penn State faculty, students, and staff receive services from the Center for Academic Computing.
Last year, the Center processed well over 2,000,000 e-mail messages per day and answered around 100,000 questions. Support for the computing needs of students, faculty, and researchers, as well as specialized instruction and research tools for a wide-range of scholarly interests also increased significantly. While the CAC has been successful in bringing about changes to accommodate these needs, it has grown in size and scope to the point where the diverse demands placed upon it can be better met by dividing it into two centers, each with a more focused mission. To accomplish this, J. Gary Augustson, Vice Provost for Information Technology, announced a reorganization of the Office of Computer and Information Systems effective January 2, 2001.
Under the reorganization, Russell S. Vaught (formerly the Senior Director of the CAC) assumed the new position of Associate Vice Provost for Information Technology, reporting to Vice Provost Augustson. In this position, he assists Mr. Augustson in the day-to-day operations of the Office of Computer and Information Systems and continues to oversee the units that formerly comprised the Center for Academic Computing.
As noted above, the plan also required that the Center for Academic Computing be split into two more functionally-focused centers, each reporting to Dr. Vaught. John T. Harwood assumed the position of Senior Director of the first unit (Center for Education Technology Services). This new Center will focus on the support of educational systems. Education Technology Services (ETS), an organization formerly managed by Dr. Harwood which supports teaching and learning with technology in both residential education and at the World Campus, is part of the new Center. This new Center also includes the Distributed Systems group, which designs and manages the computer labs and technology classrooms at University Park; the Training Group, which coordinates Web-based training and the CAC's extensive series of technology seminars; and Educational Outreach Services, which serves as a liaison with faculty, student, and campus groups.
Kevin M. Morooney assumed the position of Senior Director of the second new unit. This unit retains the original name, Center for Academic Computing, and is more narrowly focused on end-user services of a general nature. The revised CAC's divisions include Central Systems (e-mail, Web, directory, backup services, etc.); Research Computing (high performance computing and high performance visualization); User Services and Consulting (help desk, consulting services, etc.); and the management of over 100,000 computer accounts. The Microcomputer Order Center (MOC), Penn State's campus computer store, is also a part of the newly defined CAC.
According to Rodney Erickson, Executive Vice President and Provost of the University, the organizational changes will help the Office of Computer and Information Systems improve service to customers as well as enabling the organization to more easily accommodate Penn State's evolving use of technology.
"The tremendous expansion in technology use today has created exceptional need for IT services among universities across the country," said Erickson. "The re-organization of C&IS will provide Penn State's students, faculty, and staff with more highly specialized computing tools and services, and a more direct way of obtaining those services making it possible for the university to meet technology demands now and in the future."