Tough Times in Information Technology:

University IT Investments In Periods of Financial Crisis

David L. Eisler, PresidentFerris State University

The Triple Whammy

• Budget Reduction

• Endowment Earnings Decline

• Enrollment Increases

Budget reduction impacts

• Administrative Systems

• Learning Management Systems

• Campus Portals

• The Network

• Website Redesign

Challenges

• IT is under funded• Campus systems are vendor dependent• Cutting hardware and personnel

can be counterproductive• Integration capabilities are

over rated

Opportunities

• Recapture personnel savings

• Cut printing, mailing costs

• Eliminate paper?

• Better prepared workers

• Hardware and software savings

Approaches

• Consider reinvestment model

• Use technology projects as tuition growth hedge

• Strategy can not be “cut someone else”

Examine costs…

• Hardware

• Software

• Specialized Labs

• Networks

• Consolidated Support Operations

Information Technology:Core Competency or Support Service?

The Challenges…

• Reduce budgets

• Continue momentum for campus transformation

Thank you

http://www.ferris.edu/htmls/administration/president/it.htm

Eislerd@ferris.edu