IT Services partners closely with academic units, the Office of the Provost, Institutional Space Planning and Management, and Infrastructure Planning and Facilities to plan, design, coordinate and execute the IT elements of strategic projects and infrastructure maintenance.
As academic units begin to identify and prioritize technology projects that are large-scale or high impact, they should contact IT Services for technical support and guidance in adhering to university standards. In the long-term, collaboration between academic units and the technology experts in IT Services will ensure that we provide quality, effective and efficient technology across campus, achieve optimal performance of our systems and maximize utilization of scarce university resources.
Construction Projects
For projects involving construction or alteration of existing space, coordination between IT Services, Institutional Space Planning and Management (ISPM), and IPF is particularly important for timely and effective project completion. Since most TLE projects should be focused on enhancing academic spaces, TLE projects that require a construction or renovation component should be discussed with ISPM to determine the scope of the project and ultimately receive ISPM approval. Throughout the duration of the project, units are expected to continue to work with ISPM and IT Services to ensure appropriate and effective completion of projects. In the rare circumstance that a network/infrastructure project unrelated to classroom/lab space is funded with TLE resources, units are requested to route their IPF service requests through IT Services prior to submission to IPF. Once reviewed for alignment with the TLE project plan, IT Services will forward the request to IPF and continue to work with the academic unit and IPF to complete the project.
Wireless Networks & University Classrooms
Standardization of the wireless network and classroom infrastructure is critical to maintaining a stable, high-functioning technological environment that provides a contemporary, delightful customer experience to our students, faculty, staff, and visitors. With this goal in mind, all upgrades of the wireless network must be restricted to deployment of the MSUnet Wireless system and coordinated through IT Services Infrastructure.
Similarly, enhancements to TLE funded classrooms and all centrally scheduled classrooms (regardless of source of funding) must be coordinated through ISPM and IT Services Educational Technology.
Accounting Processes & Policies
A separate account is created for each new SIP project in July of each year. Spending may begin as soon as the new accounts are issued, but funding may not be available until late July or early August.
Accounts for each sub-category of MTE funding are created as needed at the beginning of each fiscal year. Once created, an MTE account may be reused in subsequent years. Sub-accounting according to college standards for each funded MTE activity is strongly encouraged on MTE accounts.
For both SIP and MTE accounts, only budgeted expenses submitted in an MAU’s TLE proposal and approved in the TLE allocation are allowable. Ancillary items that enhance the functionality of a TLE-funded resource or contribute to the project but were not included in the budget should be charged to a college or department account. If unbudgeted expenses are discovered during an IT Services account review, the fiscal officer will be required to process a distribution of expense to clear the unallowable items.
TLE accounts may not be overdrawn. Any remaining funds at the end of a project or fiscal year will be swept into a clearing account and made available for use in important technology upgrades or additional innovative projects. This practice of limiting the expense items allowed on TLE accounts simplifies account review and allows us to aggregate small remaining balances into a larger funding pool that can support worthwhile projects that would not otherwise have received funding. Additionally, to aid in tracking of expenses, the transfer of TLE funds to another account is not permitted. Rare exceptions are made for transferring TLE funds to plant accounts established for classroom renovation projects with joint funding. Permission for this is required from IT Services accounting and ISPM.
All eDocs submitted on TLE accounts must include complete documentation of the items charged and follow university guidelines as defined in the Manual of Business Procedures.
