With the release of its 2015-2016 annual report, UNC-Chapel Hill Information Technology Services is pleased to share the organization’s accomplishments over the last academic year and highlight the services performed by its dedicated and talented staff.
Every fall ITS publishes an annual report to celebrate its successes in supporting the teaching, research and service missions of the University. This year ITS built a web-based report using WordPress. The report for the 2015-2016 fiscal year, which includes stories, videos and stats on the organization’s projects and work, is now available online by visiting itsannualreport.unc.edu.
“In the busy, day-to-day work of a technology organization, it’s easy to forget to celebrate our accomplishments,” said Chris Kielt, the University’s Vice Chancellor for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer. “I hope as you read through the stories in the report that you are reminded of all of the hard work and collaboration that has happened over the past year to the benefit of our community. You should be proud.”
Service has been key
During 2015-2016, ITS placed a strong focus on service, and that emphasis on service manifested itself in many forms.
“In the research computing space, for example, it meant introducing new high-end compute clusters that enable our world-class researchers to pursue their life’s work,” Kielt said. “These new clusters, Longleaf and Pine, were recognized by the White House earlier in 2016, and we were pleased to have them online and in service for our research community’s use.”
Improved technology offerings
Elsewhere within the organization, “the focus on service has meant streamlining and improving current technology offerings,” he said. “We have juggled many initiatives that included things like server consolidations across campus and the retirement of our legacy mainframe system in favor of new technology. And we have enjoyed the positive response resulting from the introduction of our new Wi-Fi network, eduroam, a system that enables our faculty, students and staff to seamlessly connect to wireless services at UNC-Chapel Hill and many other universities in North Carolina, across the country and around the world.”
Collaborating with the community
As the annual report demonstrates, ITS’ focus on service also reaches beyond the campus borders to the local community. “We are proud of our Computer Repair Center, which provides repair services for local school districts — saving them money, increasing efficiency and ensuring local students access to reliable technology,” Kielt said. “Similarly, our collaboration with the Orange Public & Education Network has helped local public agencies increase fiber connectivity across Orange County.”
Looking inward
ITS’ dedication to quality service also includes work within the organization to assess its own performance and technology offerings, identify areas for improvement and growth, and set in motion projects and activities that enhance its effectiveness. This effort, called IT Excellence, has identified a multi-year path to enhance and strengthen the organization’s ability to serve its community.
“At ITS, we continue to focus on supporting and enriching the technology available to our faculty, students and staff as they carry out the critical mission of our University,” Kielt said. “We hope this passion comes through as you navigate the site and explore our annual report.”