January 8, 2009  

Background

Florida Statute 1009.24 provides for a Technology Fee.  The specific language of the statute is:

"(s) A technology fee up to five percent of the tuition per credit hour, beginning with the fall term of the 2009-2010 academic year.  The revenue from this fee shall be used to enhance instructional technology resources for students and faculty."

President Genshaft's directed:

• The Vice President for Information Technology is to submit a USF System-wide Technology Fee request to the University Board of Trustees for approval.
• This fee will be used to enhance the infrastructure/instructional technology resources for the entire System and for local campus needs as deemed appropriate.
• The Information Technology Management Council will establish guiding principles for fund utilization and the process for proposals and recommendations.
• A reporting method for project approvals, implementation progress, and results to be established.
• On December 11, 2008, the Board of Trustees approved the Technology Fee at 5% of tuition for implementation beginning with the Fall 2009 academic term.

ITMC Initially Suggested Criteria and Structure

Projects and proposals submitted for use of the Technology Fee funds shall be prioritized and recommended based on the following initially proposed criteria:

• Technology that is directly "used to enhance instructional technology resources for students and faculty."
• Supports and aligns with the USF Strategic Plan
• Enhances student access across the institution
• Enhances the student experience and success
• Supports a high utilization rate for student contingent groups
• Provides enhanced technology resources for students and faculty with special needs or disabilities
• Provides enhanced training for student and faculty for use of technology

Project proposals should not be suggested for the enhancement of individual courses, classrooms, laboratories, or other program-specific functions since other fees are intended to provide funding for this purpose.  Additionally, a project proposal should avoid establishment of duplicative support structures but rather first attempt to work within and enhance existing programs.

Project proposals shall include resource requirements, as appropriate, for:

• Hardware which meets standards established by the University Technology Standards Board
• Software which meets the standards established by the University Technology Standards Board
• Personnel - OPS and other time-limited appointments

Projects considered for the use of the Technology Fee will be time-limited projects in order to prevent recurring costs from consuming the entire fee balance overtime.  Projects may be proposed for funding for up to three years.  The project proposal must not only initial purchase but any ongoing costs during the term of the project.  In addition, the proposal must provide a plan for how the technology project will be handled at the end of the project period.  If the project is proposed for ongoing support, a plan for sustainability must be provided. ITMC Evaluation Criteria Summary

Project Initiation and Recommendation

Project proposals can originate from any source: individuals, groups, and formal and informal bodies.  Submission of the proposals should be done electronically and be reviewed by one of the following groups in order for it to be evaluated and then passed to the ITMC for recommendation on which project to implement:

• Student Technology Advisory Council:  A student advisory board will board will provide proposal for consideration and review any applicable proposals submitted to them.  The advisory board members from across the campuses will determine how best to move proposals forward and achieve consensus for projects that have system-wide implications. The board will schedule its own meeting time frames in order to meet proposal deadlines. The student advisory board will participate in the project recommendation and priority process.  STAC Evaluation Criteria
• Faculty Advisory Board: A faculty advisory board with appropriate representation system-wide will provide proposals for consideration and review applicable proposals submitted to them.  The Council on Technologies for Instruction and Research (CTIR), a subcommittee of the Tampa Campus Faculty Senate, will work to help define and form the system-wide Faculty Advisory Board.  As with the Student Advisory Board, the Faculty Advisory Board will need to determine how best to move proposals forward and achieve consensus for projects that have university-wide implications. The board will need to schedule its time frames in order to meet proposal deadlines. The faculty advisory board will participate in the project recommendation and priority process.
• Chief Information Officer (CIO) Council:  This group will play an advisory role to both the student and faculty advisory boards and can also initiate project proposals. Projects which may be suggested by USF administrative personnel can be submitted through the appropriate CIO. The CIO Council will assist with cost analysis of proposals and provide input on all proposals to the ITMC. CIO & UTSB Evaluation Criteria

Project proposals must be submitted before March 15, each year in order to provide adequate time for analysis, ranking and recommendations for implementation in the following period. The ITMC will provide its recommendations on the projects submitted in the annual cycle but can also recommend projects for implementation throughout the year, if projects are proposed that have a high return and would greatly benefit from immediate implementation.

Project Initiation Format

Projects and proposals will be submitted on a standard template and must provide the following information:

• Project description
• Description of project alignment with USF Strategic Plan
• Description of benefits provided

Ways in which student access will be enhanced

How the student experience will be enhanced

Which and how many students will be impacted

How students with special needs or disabilities would be helped

How training of students and faculty in the use of technology would be enhanced

(If there are not system-wide benefits, then provide justification for funding of individual projects.)

• How will success be measured? Provide metrics
• Description of resources for the project and projected ongoing resource needs (total cost of ownership for the life of the project) including:

Any hardware requirements (which should comply with standards established by the UTSB)

Any software requirements (which should comply with standards established by the UTSB)

Any personnel costs – OPS and other time-limited appointments

• Provide the proposed time line for the project with major milestones and project end dates
• Include a plan for sustainability of the project beyond the initial project period if applicable
• Provide any resource matching which might be provided by organizations with appropriate commitment authority documentation
• Indicate which organization will implement the project (to help determine any additional costs and resource restraints)
• Project proposals should be succinct

Project Evaluation and Recommendations

The ITMC will use the following criteria for making its recommendation on which projects should be prioritized and/or funded:

• Alignment with USF Strategic Plan
• Perceived value on enhancement of access
• Perceived value on experience and success
• Impact on number of students
• Relative cost/rate of return on investment
• Organization’s ability to implement

Management of Projects and Fees 

Management of Project

Project implementation may be carried out by a number of different organizations. The following guidelines will be instituted to insure success:

• An appropriate level of project management discipline will be applied by the implementing organization 
• The Division of Information Technology will provide oversight on all projects
• Cost monitoring must be accomplished and any project changes which require an increase in cost will be required to have approval from the ITMC before proceeding
• Implementation status will be reported monthly 
• Project reporting will be made quarterly, mapping actual to identified success criteria (metrics) 
• Projects will be closed out with all accounting entries and a report of accomplishments. 

Management of Fees  

Still Have Questions?

For a list of FAQs, please click here.
To see the Proposal Process, please click here.
To see the list of Projects proposed, please click here.
To see general information regarding the Technology Fee, please click here.

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