ITS Governance/Advisory Committees

Governance plays a critical role in the enablement of ITS projects in that without governance, the institution’s ability to properly manage, support, and align ITS projects (predominately technology centric) with business processes have the strong probability of failing.

IT governance framework provides multiple benefits such as:

• Budgetary/fiscal decision making
• Structured Project implementation (PMO)
• Alignment with laws and regulations
• Alignment of technology with institutional priorities (business strategy and objectives)

Organizations should view governance as a formal framework enabling IT investments across the institution with the ability to capture measurable results in achieving their strategies and processes. Given SMCCCD’s focus to provide services to its constituents, ITIL may be the more appropriate governance model in that, as evident in the individual college strategic plans, SMCCCD focuses on providing support of core processes of the colleges and the District, whether it is: service strategy, design, transition, operation and continual service improvement.

In the governance model below, SMCCCD (in accordance with California Education Code (70901(b)(1)(E)) annually incorporates new and existing committees and participants focusing on continual improvement.

The District’s decision process is guided by the following overarching philosophy:

• Utilize data to drive decisions
• Actively integrate objective program review, planning, and budgeting
• Promote District-wide collaborative discussions and shared values
• Provide a culture that fosters mutual trust and open/regular communication to achieve solutions
• Encourage participants in the process to be vested in their respective responsibilities and relationship with other participants (i.e., committees)
• Participate through the lens of the District (not college) and equity