The IT Transformation Initiative to ensure our success as we grow our institution and continue to deliver on our land grant promise. This initiative will transform how we strategically manage, support and organize our IT infrastructure and services. Our goal is to align IT as a strategic partner to all academic and administrative units as a cornerstone to success by reducing risk, establishing standards and frameworks, bridging technical depth, and enhancing our cybersecurity posture.

Transformation of K-State's IT infrastructure will modernize IT, moving the university to an offensive posture and approach to cybersecurity. This will include the creation of new policies and standards framework, implementation of a formal IT governance structure with executive oversight and cross-functional representation, enhanced staffing and restructured organizational reporting lines.

K-State has collaborated with Huron to craft a policy development lifecycle program organized by priority. The adoption process will include engaging stakeholders to develop policies based on industry best practices. In line with recent actions by the State of Kansas, the university will also adopt the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, Cybersecurity Framework. It is anticipated the Kansas Board of Regents will require all institutions to adopt the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.

The goals of the IT governance framework are to:

• Increase agility to drive transformation through effective IT governance.
• Improve collaboration, alignment and service through planning and engagement.
• Develop a strategic institutionwide approach for IT investment and direction while addressing unique needs.

Shared governance will serve as a cornerstone to IT governance through faculty and student committee representation.

While the IT governance framework is still under design, it will include executive oversight and cross-functional representation allowing leadership to deliver strategic guidance and codify decision-making in support of transformation, security, and alignment with the Next-Gen K-State strategic plan. University stakeholders will have the opportunity to provide feedback prior to implementation.

The Division of Information Technology will enhance its staff structure through the addition of positions to infuse expertise in securing core infrastructure and improving our security posture, shifting from reactive to proactive. This support will help develop and secure data storage, computer and workstation environments and focus on creating scalable, secure university IT solutions. This modernization and streamlining will strengthen data privacy and ensure accountability for service and consistency across K-State.

New college/major unit IT director positions will be created to collaboratively develop and implement strategic information technology plans, provide leadership and ensure operations and security postures are aligned with and comply with university policies. These positions will have a solid reporting line to the Division of IT and a dotted reporting line to the dean/major unit leader.

Two new assistant vice president positions have been created in the Division of IT to provide leadership and oversight. IT directors serving academic colleges will have a solid reporting line to the assistant vice president for academic IT and research, and a dotted reporting line to the appropriate dean or designee. IT directors serving administrative units will have a solid reporting line to the assistant vice president for enterprise systems and a dotted reporting line to the appropriate vice president or designee.

Each college and campus will have their own director. A director may serve more than one major unit depending on the complexity of the major unit(s) served.

Human Resources will launch a nationwide search process leveraging a cluster hire approach. Both central IT and the colleges/major unit leadership will be engaged throughout the hiring process.

A recruitment posting will include the various IT director level positions with specificity of the college/major unit(s) where positions are available. Applicants may specify which position they are directly applying for. A core search committee will be comprised of central IT leadership, deans or associate deans, and major unit representatives and this group will conduct first round interviews and determine which candidates should advance in the process. Additional sub-search committees will be identified in the college/major units to conduct interviews. The AVPs and respective dean or vice president will make a final hiring recommendation to the Chief Information Officer.

This process ensures that applicants are sourced most effectively without the need to apply for multiple positions and a streamlined search process and communication plan ensures that talent is aligned with the needs of the college/major units. HR Talent Acquisition will assist with the management of this process.

IT directors will have shared responsibility for the success of the college(s)/major unit(s) they support and university policy compliance. They will be housed within their assigned college/major unit to foster relationships and provide IT leadership.

Consultations led by the transition team and college and major unit leadership will occur to understand the IT functions that currently exist. If changes are needed, reporting structures will be aligned to IT infrastructure transformation goals. Recommendations for alignment will be made by the transition team with final approval by the executive sponsors. (See FAQ #15 below.)

The new Phase 1 Distributed IT Leadership reporting structure will go into effect as early as the July 21 pay period. Impacted employees will be informed of any changes to their current position or reporting structure. Phase 2 Distributed IT Departmental Staff reporting structure changes will be determined in a consultative process with the colleges/major units with effective dates between August and December.

A core transition team has been identified to oversee and coordinate the activities and tasks needed to implement the new staffing structures, both centrally and within the campuses, colleges, and major units.

See the team

As part of the FY 25 Budget Planning, $8 million was allocated to secure additional cybersecurity monitoring tools and invest in IT staffing enhancement across the university. This funding was sourced from a tuition rate increase and internal reallocations.

Employees will not have to reapply for positions currently held. College/major unit IT director positions may be adjusted through a reclassification process or filled through a cluster hire approach, as deemed appropriate by the transition team in consultation with college/major unit leaders. IT employees within a college/major unit may experience a change in their direct supervisor depending on the current organizational structure within their college/major unit leader.

No position eliminations are planned. The intent is not to eliminate positions, but to build the staffing capacity needed across the university to enhance and secure our IT environment, driving consistency, governance and security.

One of the goals of the IT infrastructure transformation effort is to bridge technical expertise and create alignment across the university to elevate our cybersecurity posture. To do so, we must understand current IT projects and their alignment with the university’s and college/major unit’s overall strategic priorities.

Decisions and changes will be communicated through updates to this webpage and through emails or communication directly to staff in the affected colleges/major units. In addition, the university community will receive updates through articles in K-State Today.

Employees will be evaluated on the 2024 established goals set with their current supervisor. These goals will be revisited when they move to a new supervisor and may be adjusted as appropriate. The employee’s annual evaluation will be conducted by the new supervisor with input from the previous supervisor. Human Resources will assist with performance review coordination.

Employees are encouraged to check the website for recent updates, watch K-State Today, email questions or feedback directly to transition team members or send feedback to it-transformation@k-state.edu. Additionally, the Employee Assistance Program is available as a 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as a resource 24 hours a day, seven days a week for university employees.

You can find additional information about the organizational structure and details about the transformation plan in this presentation (pdf).