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Role statement

The role of the Academic and Information Technology Council is to:

• Assist in the development and continuous revision, as appropriate to changing needs, of the University’s strategic plans for information technology (IT), including computing, telecommunications and multi-media;
• Facilitate the location and implementation of the technology faculty use to solve problems (current or future) in the areas of teaching, research and service;
• Assist in the identification of technology needs of faculty;
• Develop and recommend needed policy revisions and new policy proposals relative to academic IT (Note 1);
• Coordinate the application and review process for distribution of funds earmarked for academic and administrative IT;
• Ensure appropriate coordination and participation by working closely with ad hoc and standing committees in colleges, departments and other university units dealing with campus IT.

The work of the council is accomplished through its standing and ad hoc committees, which act on behalf of the council, subject to review by the council.

It is suggested the following matrix be used to guide the activities of the council:

Note: Academic Information Technology Policies are those which directly affect the work of the faculty in teaching, research, and service. Examples include policies surrounding the Elearning system, use of information technologies for funded research, faculty home pages and course pages, policies for distribution of student tech funds among the colleges for the operation for instructional labs, and policies regarding classroom technology.

Elearning Standards

Relationship of AITC to the Office of Information Technology

The Office of Information Technology will consult with the Academic and Information Technology Council while developing other information technology policies, as appropriate. This consultation will be at the draft stage whenever possible. Other consultative groups may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Local Area Network Managers in the various colleges and administrative units
• Provost’s Council, which includes the provost, vice provosts, and deans
• Academic Forum, which includes college and departmental academic administrators
• University Advising Council
• Collective Bargaining Units
• Employee Associations (Professional Support Staff Organization and Administrative Professional Association)
• The President’s Senior Leadership Team
• Western Student Association and Graduate Student Advisory Committee
• PeopleSoft Change Control Committee
• Student Information System Integration Team
• Other groups, as appropriate

The Academic and Information Technology Council will have two representatives on the Campus Security Committee.  These representatives will be chosen by the council. This is a committee that has representation from various vice-presidential areas and which formulates information security policies for the University.

Charges 2024-25

In addition to its specific responsibilities listed in the Academic and Information Technology Council’s role statement and the work of its standing committees if such exist, the Faculty Senate Executive Board charges the AITC to consider, as a committee of the whole or through the appropriate committee or task force, the following:

1. Serve as a consultative body to the Office of Information Technology for artificial intelligence utilization, adoption, and access needs across campus. Provide faculty representation to campus-wide artificial intelligence initiatives.
2. Develop and disseminate best practices for advancing shared classroom instruction and collaborative projects between multiple University technologies, including Webex and the integration of artificial intelligence related technologies. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.
3. Serve as a consultative body to the Office of Information Technology on security policies; continue to evaluate data security and existing policies related to mobile devices. Explore strategies to best promote cybersecurity policies on campus. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.
4. Review and provide recommendations on how part-time faculty and students may retain access to WMU software between semesters. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.
5. Review the scope and description of the council’s role statement and assess the effectiveness of the council’s practices.
6. At the annual April AITC meeting, the council members must review the draft year-end report, to be submitted to the Faculty Senate office, by the council chair no later than June 30.
7. Address any continuing or outstanding issues or initiatives as directed by the Faculty Senate Executive Board, members of the council, faculty, and/or academic administrators. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.

Approved by the Faculty Senate Executive Board on Aug. 23, 2024

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NOTE: The AITC will seek information from the Office of Information Technology to maintain communications with that office on issued directly related to it. Council recommendations are to be submitted to the Executive Board in the form of a memorandum of action (MOA) on which the recommendation(s) is/are stated. Any draft MOA requested by the Executive Board should be submitted using the MOA template.

The AITC chairperson shall provide a written report of the council's accomplishments and progress for the year, list the above charges noting each item's progress and current status; any other activities undertaken; and draft charges for the 2025-26 academic year, no later than June 30, 2025.