As outlined in the InfoTech Tuesday article on September 18, 2007, the time has come to identify and implement a new strategy for K-State email, calendaring, and other collaboration suite services. This presents an outstanding opportunity to work with all K-State constituents to ensure that campus needs drive the development of this new strategy. As part of this effort, I have created a campus-wide committee to define the critical requirements for our next generation of collaboration services.
I have asked this committee specifically to 1) identify the range of needs of K-State constituent groups for email, calendaring, and related services and 2) promote campus dialogue with the respective constituent groups in defining those needs. Committee members represent students, faculty, staff, alumni, athletics, and the Foundation. This web page also has been created where the meeting agendas and action items will be updated as the process continues.
In addition to this committee, an internal ITS working group is identifying and researching the available options for collaboration services. The working group includes James Lyall, coordinator; Nathan Beemer, Chris Casey, Anthony Cobb, Chuck Gould, and Harvard Townsend. This team, along with Lawrence Chen and Travis Maune, has also been managing the existing email infrastructure to insure stability for the immediate future. I thank all these individuals for their hard work and dedication these past several months as we continue to stabilize our current email infrastructure while also planning for the next generation of services at K-State.
Upon completion of the work by both groups, we will have a clear understanding of campus needs and the possible options. With that information, we will prepare an analysis outlining the benefits, risks, and costs of each option. After a brief comment period, we hope to finalize this alternatives analysis by mid-December. The final decision on the future strategy for K-State email and collaboration services will be made by university executive leadership. I want to thank everyone for their help as we move forward together.
Lynn Carlin
Interim Vice Provost for Information Technology Services