July 31, 2024
Next-Gen K-State IT transformation update: Integrating our organizational structure
Submitted by Jesse Perez Mendez and Ethan Erickson
Dear Colleagues,
In June, we announced the Next-Gen K-State IT Transformation Initiative aimed at transforming how we strategically manage, support and organize our IT infrastructure and deliver our services. Much work has occurred in just the few short weeks since this announcement, and we are pleased to share our progress with you today.
Our primary focus over the last few weeks has been laying the groundwork for our enhanced and integrated organizational structure. Two critical positions have been filled in the Division of IT. As previously announced earlier this month, Gregory Flax has been appointed as interim assistant vice president for academic and research IT. Additionally, Bud Tillman, who will begin work at K-State on Aug. 5, has been appointed assistant vice president and deputy chief information officer for enterprise systems. These hires fill two critical leadership positions essential within our enhanced IT Transformation organizational structure (PDF).
Another key component of our organizational structure will be the distributed IT leadership across our colleges and major units. The IT/HR consultations with our college and major unit leadership have progressed swiftly and efficiently, with these groups working together to identify the distributed IT leaders who will begin to work concertedly with central IT leadership as our transformational effort moves forward. We are pleased to share that as of the release of this announcement, we have nearly completed phase one of our distributed IT leadership plan. This means our initial consultations are complete, and distributed IT leaders have been identified within each of our colleges and select major units pursuant to the plan to identify an interim state for our IT organizational structure this month. This interim state has the distributed IT leaders reporting to central IT and retaining a dotted line to their origin unit. As a reminder, any additional IT professionals in distributed units will not experience any changes to their current reporting structure during phase one.
As our final step in phase one, we have begun to launch the cluster hiring initiative to permanently fill any IT director roles that are not currently filled on a permanent basis. This will also launch us into phase two, which begins the process of solidifying our IT structures within distributed units.
At this point in time, we are on schedule and on target to meet our goals. This is certainly something to be proud of, as we know it has taken thoughtful collaboration and solutions-oriented thinking. We want to thank all of our leaders and staff members who have worked through this first phase of our work together. Your contributions are critical in reshaping the IT foundation that will support the launch of many future next-generation ambitions to come.
Please continue to follow along with the IT planning and progress by visiting the IT Transformation Operational Excellence webpage. And as always, thank you for all you do to drive this institution toward our next-gen goals!
Go 'Cats!
Jesse Perez Mendez
Provost and executive vice president
Ethan Erickson
Vice president for administration and finance