Information Technology Governance
Vision
The Virginia Tech IT Governance structure will facilitate effective and collaborative IT decision-making in service to the university's needs and in alignment with Virginia Tech's mission and strategic plan.
IT Governance Goals
- To establish a unified and coordinated model for IT governance at the university
- To develop clear processes and communication paths for escalation of recommendations between governance committees
- To ensure that IT work and service offerings meet the university's academic, research, and administrative needs
- To increase consistency and transparency in decision-making and prioritization of initiatives
IT Governance Committee Structure
The committees that make up Virginia Tech’s IT Governance initiative were formed after a thorough university-wide review of information technology operations and security. The eight committees include broad representation from the university’s academic, research, and administrative organizational areas, as well as IT subject matter experts and leaders from both the Division of IT and distributed IT. This framework ensures collaboration that leads to increased consistency and transparency in decision-making and prioritization of initiatives.
Organizational chart of IT Governance structure showing the IT Governance Executive Committee at the top, followed by the IT Governance Advisory Committee. Below are standing working committees, including Administrative Technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI) Working, Data Governance, IT Governance Executive, IT Risk, IT Service Management, Research Technology, and Teaching and Learning Technology Committees. An additional section indicates Ad Hoc Working Committees.
The Advisory Committee
Consists of all co-chairs of the working plus one member appointed by each of the five senate bodies (Faculty Senate, AP Faculty Senate, Staff Senate, Undergraduate Student Senate, and Graduate Student Senate). The Associate Vice President for IT Governance, Planning, and Strategy would serve in an advisory and ex officio capacity on the Advisory Committee. advises Division of IT leadership on issues related to computing, enterprise and academic services/software, research computing, data management/governance, and IT security/risk. It recommends policies, guidelines, and practices for IT at Virginia Tech and provide senior-level sponsorship and review of notable IT initiatives that are institutional in scope but fall below the threshold needing Executive Committee sponsorship or review.
Membership
The Administrative Technology Committee provides guidance and recommendations for how the university should govern, manage, and prioritize enterprise IT projects supporting administrative functions on campus in order meet Virginia Tech’s diverse administrative needs and align them with each other and the overall university strategy.
Co-Chairs
Rick Sparks
University Registrar
Members
Lauren Lawson
University Bursar
Curtis Mabry
Assistant VP, HR Consulting and Strategic Services
Rhonda Arsenault
Senior Associate VP and COO, Advancement
Beth Armstrong
Assistant VP for Enrollment Management, Director of Student Financial Aid
Pascha Gerni
Managing Director, Business and Administration, Office of the President
Jason Heron
Business Support Systems Developer, Academic Applications
Tasha Smith
Director of Enrollment Management, Engineering Academic Affairs
Andrew Marinik
Executive Director of Emergency Management
Al Cooper
Executive Director, Business Management Systems, Office of the President; member of IT Council
This committee is not yet staffed. Once fully established, this committee will address issues relating to artificial intelligence and the university’s mission and strategic objectives. It will provide recommendations to the IT Governance Executive Committee as to how to navigate the new landscape of artificial intelligence tools and processes.
The Data Governance Committee provides guidance and recommendations on key data issues, data standards, and data management at Virginia Tech in order to establish and maintain leading practices on the coordination, security, and interoperability of data on campus.
Co-Chairs
Aaron F. Brantly
Associate Professor, Political Science; Director, Tech4Humanity lab
Members
Lisa Blackwell
Senior Director of HR Technology and Analytics; member of IT Council
Bethany Bodo
Director, Institutional Effectiveness
Zeb Bowden
Director, Technology Development and Deployment, VTTI; member of IT Council
David Crotts
Director, Financial Management and Business Operations
Beth Osborne
Assistant Dean for Administration, Pamplin College of Business
T. Kumar Raghuraman
Associate Vice Provost, Analytics and Institutional Effectiveness
Neil Sedlak
Senior Director of IT, Research & Innovation IT; member of IT Council
Subject Matter Advisor (Ex-Officio)
Brent Kremer
Director Data Management and Analytics Division of IT
The IT Governance Executive Committee guides university-wide IT strategy and policies, enabling executive-level sponsorship of IT initiatives and providing oversight of IT investments and their impact.
Co-Chairs
Cyril Clarke,
Executive VP and Provost
Amy Sebring,
Executive VP and COO
Members
Sharon P. Pitt,
VP for IT and CIO
Lisa Wilkes,
VP for Strategic Initiatives, Special Asst. to the President
Bryan Garey,
VP for Human Resources
Dan Sui,
Senior VP for Research and Innovation
Juan Espinoza,
Vice Provost for Enrollment Management
Justin Lemkul,
President, Faculty Senate
Simon Allen,
VP for Finance and Chief Financial Officer
Kelly Oaks,
Associate VP for Civil Rights Compliance and Prevention Education
Frances Keene,
VP for Student Affairs
Saonee Sarker,
Dean, Pamplin College of Business
The IT Risk Committee oversees the development of information security standards and policies, ensures the proper use of information, advises on data protection from internal and external threats, and oversees the response to breaches.
Co-Chairs
David Raymond
Associate Vice President for IT Security and Identity
Julie Cook
Director, Privacy and Research Data Protection Program
Members
Sharon Kurek
VP of Audit, Risk, and Compliance and Chief Risk Officer
Sarah Collins
Vice Provost for Enrollment Management
Odie Fthenos
Senior Director, Finance Research
Divya Amin
Director, Financial Compliance and Integrity
Randy Marchany
University IT Security Officer
Justin Noble
Chief Audit Executive
Gary Burns
Senior Director of Support Services, Technology-Enhanced Learning and Online Strategies
Shannon Phillips
Director for IT Service Operations, Library; member of IT Council
This committee is not yet staffed. Once fully established, this committee will focus on enterprise-wide service offerings, including how they are selected, procured, managed, and deprovisioned. It will provide prioritization and direction for the development of IT Service Management processes, procedures and tool integrations.
The Research Technology Committee provides guidance and recommendations on how the university should govern, manage, and prioritize research computing and IT infrastructure and services supporting the research mission on campus in order meet Virginia Tech’s diverse research computing and technology needs and align them with each other and with overall university strategy.
Co-Chairs
Randy Heflin
Senior Assistant VP, Research and Innovation
Alberto Cano
Associate Vice President for Research Computing
Members
Calvin Winkowski
Development Operations HPC Lead
Hasan Seyyedhasani
Assistant Professor, School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
Kevin Shinpaugh
Collegiate Professor, Aerospace and Ocean Engineering
Jason Krisch
Director of IT, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute; member of IT Council
Tabitha James
Professor, Business Information Technology
Brian Konkel
Director of IT, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; member of IT Council
Bill Ingram
Associate Dean of University Libraries
The Teaching and Learning Technology Committee provides guidance and recommendations on how the university should govern, manage, and prioritize teaching and learning IT projects supporting the academic mission on campus in order meet Virginia Tech’s diverse teaching and learning needs and align them with each other and the overall university strategy.
Co-Chairs
Quinn Warnick
Assistant Vice Provost for Technology-Enhanced Learning
Quinton Nottingham
Department Head, Business Information Technology
Members
Bob Edmison
Collegiate Assistant Professor, Computer Science
S.B. Chandler
508 Compliance and Digital Accessibility Officer
Catherine Amelink
Associate Vice Provost, Office of the Executive Vice Provost
Michael Enz
Director of Professional Development, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
Vianne Greek
Web Manager, VTCSOM Advancement
Kayla McNabb
Assistant Director, Teaching, Learning, and Engagement
Jim Dickhans
Director of IT, Pamplin College of Business; member of IT Council
Brian Broniak
Senior Director, IT Learning Systems