Memorandum of Agreement
for
Information Technology Support
January 28, 2003
Alabama Cooperative Extension System
Auburn University
College of Agriculture
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
This Memorandum of Agreement
(MOA) is entered into by and between the Alabama Cooperative Extension System
(ACES) and the Auburn University College of Agriculture / Alabama Agricultural
Experiment Station (COA/AAES).
I.
Purpose
The ACES and COA/AAES have agreed to share and
support a combined Computer Technology Unit (CTU) responsible for providing
information technology support for faculty, staff, and administrators
(end-users) of the ACES and COA/AAES both on-campus and in outlying units. The
purpose of this MOA is to set forth the terms and conditions of the cooperative
agreement between the ACES and COA/AAES. This MOA establishes the
responsibilities of the CTU in providing service to these organizations. It
also establishes the responsibilities of each organization in supporting the
shared CTU.
II. Benefits
By establishing a single unit that is responsible
for providing information technology (IT) support, the ACES and COA/AAES will
benefit from the efficiency and convenience of a one-stop shop for all faculty
and staff, regardless of their affiliation. The coordination and
standardization of hardware and software will allow for more effective end-user
support. CTU will also coordinate Internet connectivity for field offices and
outlying units to ensure the best price and performance. The ACES and COA/AAES
will also benefit from CTU’s technical experience and
established relationships with the AU Office of Information Technology (OIT),
other college IT units at AU, the AU Digital Equipment Repair Facility, various
IT vendors, and IT leaders at other universities.
III. Responsibilities
of CTU
The Computer Technology Unit is the primary IT
authority within the ACES and the COA/AAES. CTU is charged with developing and
implementing IT policies and strategies that further the organizations’
missions and capitalize on their investments in technology. CTU is responsible
for providing and coordinating IT resources, infrastructure, and support for
end-users within the ACES and COA/AAES. CTU’s duties
include procurement and support of hardware and software, training, network
services, development of specified on-line resources, and other IT-related
tasks. CTU coordinates policies, infrastructure and other IT resources with AU
OIT and other IT support units as needed.
A. Procurement
1. PC Hardware and
Peripherals
CTU will utilize the AU Purchasing bid process to
maintain one or more vendor contracts to offer cost-effective, standardized PCs
to end-users. CTU will advise end-users on purchasing peripherals either
via various AU contracts or from local office supply retailers. End-users have
the option to purchase PCs and peripherals from sources other than those
recommended by CTU, but CTU may not be able to provide the same level of
service for that equipment. CTU will provide the following services for
equipment purchased from a preferred vendor:
a)
Regularly updated price-lists of desktop and laptop PCs;
b) Advice and order
placement for PCs, printers, scanners, digital cameras, etc.;
c) On-line
information and order forms;
d) Standardized
specifications for easier maintenance and support;
e)
Equipment tracking for inventory and warranty purposes.
2. Configuration and
Delivery
PCs purchased via a
preferred vendor will have AU-licensed software pre-installed by the vendor.
For on-campus offices, CTU will install the equipment in the faculty or staff
member’s office and configure it according to AU and ACESAG network and
security policies. For off-campus offices, the equipment will be shipped
directly from the vendor to the end-user’s office. CTU will provide assistance
with set-up and local configurations via telephone or an on-site visit as
needed. Off-campus offices are strongly encouraged to purchase from a preferred
vendor since this greatly improves CTU’s ability to
provide remote support.
For PCs obtained from
sources other than a preferred vendor, CTU will provide assistance with
installing AU-licensed software as needed.
In all cases where a PC is delivered directly to the
end-user’s office, it is the responsibility of the end-user to notify CTU upon
delivery so CTU can configure the PC according to AU and ACESAG network and
security policies.
3. Software
licensing
CTU will coordinate the Microsoft Campus Agreement
for the ACES and COA/AAES. Funding obligations for the Agreement are based on
FTE figures for each organization obtained from the AU Office of Planning and
Analysis. These FTE figures will be adjusted to exclude non-knowledge workers.
CTU will coordinate other software licensing such as AU Office, virus
protection, and other multi-user or site-licenses with OIT as available.
B. Hardware
and Software Support
1. Hardware
Maintenance
CTU will provide or
facilitate complete hardware maintenance of equipment purchased from a
CTU-recommended vendor. Regional CTU staff will handle off-campus repairs in
coordination with on-campus CTU staff. For equipment purchased from other
vendors, CTU will serve in a liaison role between the end-user and the repair
service provider.
CTU will coordinate
warranty repair. Repairs not covered by a warranty may be at the expense of the
end-user.
CTU will provide assistance with procuring and
configuring equipment upgrades. Components for upgrades will be at the expense
of the end-user.
2. Application
Support
CTU will provide end-users with technical support
for commonly used PC desktop applications such as Microsoft Windows, word
processors, spreadsheets, presentation software, web browsers, email packages,
and virus software. CTU’s support effort will
focus on applications that are licensed or recommended by CTU or AU OIT. When
possible, CTU will provide technical support for other non-standard or
discipline-specific PC applications and applications for the Mac platform, but
support for those may be limited. CTU will also provide end-users with
technical support in the use of common desktop computer equipment and
peripherals such as PCs, monitors, printers, and scanners.
3.
Helpdesk
CTU will maintain a Helpdesk staffed by students
and fulltime IT specialists which end-users may contact via telephone, e-mail,
or in person. CTU will provide support via the telephone, email, or on-site
visits, as appropriate to each situation. AU-affiliated end-users will also
have the option of calling the AU OIT Helpdesk, if they so choose.
C. Training
CTU will conduct
training sessions each year both on-campus and at various field office sites.
ACES in-service training sessions offered by CTU will be available to all
COA/AAES end-users. Content of ACES in-service sessions is typically geared
toward off-campus users.
Training sessions conducted by AU OIT are available
to all end-users. When necessary, CTU will coordinate special training sessions
with OIT in order to offer customized classes to end-users.
D. Network
Services
CTU will provide or coordinate standard network
resources such as Internet connectivity, e-mail services, web services, and
on-line file storage and transfer services. Some services may be coordinated
with those offered by AU OIT, as appropriate. CTU will maintain the acesag.auburn.edu,
aces.edu, and ag.auburn.edu domain names and will assist in
procuring other domain names as needed. All network services are subject to
established AU policies regarding appropriate use.
1. Internet
Connectivity
The on-campus network infrastructure is maintained
by OIT. CTU will serve as the liaison to OIT when on-campus connectivity issues
arise. The funding for off-campus internet connectivity is the responsibility
of ACES and COA/AAES. CTU will facilitate the technical and contractual
arrangements of connectivity for county offices and outlying units.
2. E-mail Services
CTU will provide for e-mail services including
on-line storage, coordination of e-mail forwarding with OIT, and the creation
and security of official e-mail lists. In keeping with AU IT policy concerning
security and bandwidth issues, individuals are prohibited from running their
own e-mail servers. Official e-mail lists are defined as those lists to which individuals
are subscribed based upon department affiliation, location, area of
responsibility, etc. The maintenance of these lists may be shared between CTU
and the departmental secretary, as appropriate. Upon request, CTU will create
other e-mail lists in support of specific projects. The maintenance of those
lists is the responsibility of the individual requesting the list.
3. Web Services
CTU will provide and manage web services for the
ACES and COA/AAES. Due to security and bandwidth issues, individuals are
prohibited from running their own web servers except in coordination with CTU.
CTU will provide and support web development tools of general interest such as
CGI, PHP, MySQL, and SSL. Other tools may be
supported as resources allow.
4. On-line File
Storage and Transfer
CTU will provide on-line file storage and transfer
services. File access will be available via standard methods such as
network-mounted directories and File Transfer Protocol (FTP).
5. OIT-provided
services
Some services, such as network-based PC backups,
are provided centrally by OIT. CTU will provide end-user support for these
applications in conjunction with OIT.
E.
On-line Resource Development
1. World Wide Web
CTU will facilitate web development by maintaining
the ACESAG web server, providing web space, and managing domain names. However,
the ACES and COA/AAES will each provide for the development and maintenance of
content for their respective web sites outside the scope of this MOA. The web development
staffs of the three organizations should closely coordinate their development
efforts to ensure that content is appropriately represented and organized on
the web sites. The web staffs should also pursue opportunities to collaborate
when possible.
2. Databases
CTU will be responsible for developing databases to
meet the unique needs of the three organizations. Such projects may include
databases for human resources, budget information, and the soil test lab.
F. Miscellaneous
Responsibilities
1. IT Policies
AU and ACES/Ag policies concerning Information
Technology are available on-line at http://www.auburn.edu/it_policies
and http://www.acesag.auburn.edu/ctu.
These policies address issues such as Appropriate Use of Resources, E-Commerce
Management, Virus Protection, and Wireless Networking. CTU, in coordination
with OIT, is charged with enforcing IT policies throughout the ACES and COA/AAES.
CTU will publicize policy changes and additions as they occur.
2. Administrative
Computing Coordinator
The role of Administrative Computing Coordinator
(ACC), which serves as the liaison to AU OIT, will reside within CTU. The role
will be filled by at least two individuals to ensure timely response.
Responsibilities include coordinating global IDs and arranging access to
various OIT-provided services (Mainframe, Mallard, GroupWise, OASIS, PC
backups, AU-Dial, etc.)
3. Technical
Oversight and Coordination of IT Specialists outside of CTU
As technology grows more complicated and
interdependent, certain standards of development and security must be followed
to ensure successful and efficient implementation. To that end, CTU will be
responsible for technical oversight and coordination of all IT specialists
within the ACES and COA/AAES, regardless of whether or not the positions reside
within the CTU or have primary reporting channels through CTU.
IV. Responsibilities
of the ACES and COA/AAES Administrations
The success of this MOA depends upon the ACES and
COA/AAES each contributing equitable human resources and funding to the shared
CTU. The administrations will also provide opportunities for the CTU co-leaders
to offer technical input at administrative meetings when appropriate.
A. Human
Resources
The ACES and COA/AAES
will provide adequate human resources, within budgetary limitations, to allow
for the successful fulfillment of the CTU mission. When creating and filling IT
positions, whether within CTU or not, the respective HR departments of the
COA/AAES and ACES will seek input from the CTU co-leaders to ensure appropriate
assignment of responsibilities and grade with regard to the overall IT Suite.
Student workers play vital roles in CTU by
providing the first level of end-user support and by assisting with online
development. The ACES and COA/AAES administrations will provide funding to
employ student workers for these purposes.
B. Funding
of Shared Resources
1. Staff support
The COA/AAES and ACES will provide CTU with support
funds for routine supplies and services (telephones, etc.), tools for servicing
equipment, travel, and professional development. The amount of the support
funds will be equitably determined using historical data and current funding
models for other departments in COA/AAES and ACES.
2. Network resources
An annual assessment of $12,500 each from the
COA/AAES and from the ACES will be placed into an unrestricted account under
the control of the CTU co-leaders for the purpose of acquiring and maintaining
network components.
C. Reporting
Channels
The CTU co-leaders will have joint reporting
channels both to the ACES director or his designee and to the COA/AAES Dean
& Director or his designee.
V. Amendment,
Review, and Termination
A. Amendment
Changes to this MOA may be made at anytime with the
approval of the ACES Director and the COA/AAES Dean & Director. As shared responsibilities are added or deleted, equitable
adjustments will be made to the shared human resources and funding covered by
this MOA.
B. Review
This MOA will be reviewed annually by the ACES
Director, the COA/AAES Dean & Director, and the CTU co-leaders.
C. Termination
This MOA may be terminated at anytime by either the
ACES Director or the COA/AAES Dean & Director.
W. Gaines
Smith
John Jensen
Interim
Director Interim
Dean & Director
ACES College
of Agriculture & AAES
