WVNET Governance

Mission

West Virginia Network for Educational Telecomputing (WVNET) is a dynamic service organization providing telecommunications and computing services within West Virginia. Currently focused on state colleges and universities and administered by these entities, WVNET is transitioning to expand its impact by offering services to state government, K-12, public libraries and county government. As a centralized state resource, WVNET reacts to customer needs in providing efficient and cost-effective deployment of technology, training and support.

The WVNET Policy Board provides a flexible and dynamic policy and planning structure to support a broad clientele base for the future. It also serves as the final clearinghouse for problem resolution, oversight, direction and policy issues of WVNET.

Vision Statement

WVNET is a centralized resource taking the lead in providing quality technology services and support to the citizens of West Virginia. WVNET supports and promotes the missions of its member institutions by providing telecommunications capabilities and enhanced access to resources and programs for their supported communities. WVNET will provide such access through the effective use of the appropriate information technology networks at a cost affordable to its users.

Values

WVNET values excellence, leadership, partnerships, quality of service, a focus on customer needs, expertise in technology futures and deployment, communications with member organizations, professional development, change and change management, and flexibility in both service offerings and governance to meet its mission.

Goals

  1. Provide a Policy Board structure that will:
    • Serve as a final clearinghouse for IT policy, problem resolution and IT planning
    • Become a unifying body for collaborative issues
    • Establish sub-committee structures that
      • Are organized
      • Meet on a regular/plus needs basis
      • Share/Distribute minutes electronically
      • Use standard forms for policy and planning requests
  2. Continue to support an information superhighway within the State of West Virginia, and to connect the West Virginia information superhighway to national and international networks within the framework of the National Information Infrastructure.
  3. Serve as an information technology center and promoting the effective use of information technology for the colleges and universities in West Virginia and their related functions, and working in concert with other organizations (e.g. K-12, government, business/industry) to promote the use of information technology throughout West Virginia.
  4. Monitor the purchasing and supporting hardware, software, and information technology services in a cost-effective manner, and within the framework of a cooperative association with its members.
  5. Promote centralized information technology and facilities management services within the framework of a cooperative association with its members.
  6. Ensure and promote that professional knowledge base among all WVNET agencies and central staff by encouraging professional development, providing training opportunities, and supplying professional literature.
  7. Continue to provide a structure that is dynamic, flexible and responsive to the needs of it constituents.

Strategies

  1. Establish a methodology to communicate with existing and/or newly created forums, advisory and technical committees to better ensure communication, collaboration and planning.
  2. Periodically assess the structure of the Policy Board to ensure that it represents governing boards and institutional policy as well as expertise in the instructional, research and administrative areas.
  3. Require the Director of WVNET, in consultation with the Policy Board, to submit a three-year computing plan (updated yearly) to the Policy Board chair, describing the state of computing throughout WVNET, detailing central network directions, critiquing the institutional and agency computing plans, summarizing the information in an annual data form and assessing state supported expenditures for computing.
  4. Authorize the Director of WVNET to implement the substantive details of this approved plan in consultation with the Policy Board and make decisions concerning the operation of WVNET.
  5. Authorize the Director of WVNET to collect from each member agency complete annual data forms on computing and communications and a three-year agency computing plan (updated yearly). This plan shall include details on the projected use of WVNET shared resources, the institutional strategy for providing local computing and communications, the cost and service information and the justification for major policy decisions.
  6. Require the Director of WVNET to prepare an annual report detailing accomplishments, planning, a fiscal report, etc. This report would then be shared with the Policy Board and agency officials as appropriate.
  7. Provide the member agencies the flexibility to develop computing and networking environments tailored to their individual needs in recognition of their diverse missions.
  8. Ensure that the WVNET Central Site provides state-of-the-art computing and networking capabilities to be supported in accordance with their respective needs and plans.
  9. Annually, through the Director of WVNET, and in consultation with the Policy Board, develop a proposal for funding WVNET's operating budget.
  10. Provide all educational institutions equitable access to needed computing resources from the WVNET Central Site.
  11. Provide all agencies equitable access to needed network resources from the WVNET Wide Area Network or from other agencies.

Historical Perspective

West Virginia Network for Educational Telecomputing (WVNET) was created in 1975 to supply efficient computer services to the public institutions of higher education in West Virginia as well as support certain system-level activities administered by the governing boards and the Central Office. The WVNET network is composed of a central computing site in Morgantown and communications facilities that interconnect computing sites at each of the institutions in the State College and University Systems of West Virginia. The plan for establishing the network stated the primary mission to be the maximization of computer resources to insure that students, faculty and administrators throughout the state system of higher education will have available to them adequate computer resources.

On June 11, 1985, the former governing board approved an administrative structure for governance of computing in West Virginia higher education. In view of the 1985 governance document and developments which have occurred in relation to reorganized systems of public higher education in West Virginia, this document is drafted to formalize and articulate in detail the composition of the various elements of the WVNET administrative structure and specific responsibilities of each.

In July of 1990, the State Code of WV in '18B-4-2 defined the Senior Administrator's powers and duties in regard to WVNET:

g) The senior administrator shall be responsible for the management of the West Virginia network for educational telecomputing (WVNET). The senior administrator shall establish a computer policy board, which shall be representative of both the university system and the college system. It shall be the responsibility of the computer policy board to recommend to the secretary of the department of education and the arts policies for a statewide shared computer system.

In 1995, a document entitled "State College and University Systems of West Virginia Policy Governing Computing through the West Virginia Network for Educational Telecomputing" defined a governance structure for the Policy Board. The governance structure document has been updated several times since its origination to better meet the changing needs of its constituents.

The West Virginia State Unified Network (WVSUN) was proposed in 1998 and worked in conjunction with WVNET. WVSUN is based on the use of broadband technologies capable of carrying the massive volume of data, voice, and video signals for many sectors, including higher education.

WVSUN

As the West Virginia state unified network is in its infancy, changes are likely to occur over the next few years. While WVNET's long term role in the implementation and operation of this network cannot yet be defined in absolute terms, strong WVNET involvement is expected.

  1. Given WVNET's experience in managing a large wide-area network (WAN), management of WVSUN access, transport and required equipment would be the responsibility of WVNET in coordination with the Governor's Office of Technology and other state entities.
  2. Since WVNET has operated a statewide network for many years, the network, through this policy, is expanding from its "higher education" base to also include representation from other state entities, such as K-12, libraries, and state government.
  3. In addition to communications, other statewide services are likely to follow, such as helpdesk and training. By coordinating the available resources, particularly those of higher education, delivery of these services can be efficient and cost effective for all parties.

Policy Board: Mission, Structure & Responsibilities

Mission

Principle forces driving the contemporary information environment include the rapid development of electronic storage capabilities, increased multi-organizational collaboration, the emergence of technologies, which facilitate access, and use, and the advent of sophisticated network communication. These forces, in turn, are deeply influencing the very nature of successful knowledge based economies. Based on these realities, a new dynamic, collaborative, flexible governance structure for WVNET is proposed to strategically position West Virginia for the next millennium.

The WVNET Policy Board is a true policymaking board with key membership from diverse organizations, which possess the decision authority for WVNET based on the most effective resource sharing and collaboration. The governance structure is somewhat flexible based on the number of forums and the ongoing flexibility of the composition and focus of WVNET supported constituents. Its membership shall be structured to ensure input from all major users of WVNET services as well as the major administrative authority and is chaired by the Senior Administrator.

Structure

The membership of the Policy Board shall be as follows:

  • Policy Board Chair/Senior Administrator (voting)
  • Chancellor of the State College System (voting)
  • Chancellor of the University System (voting)
  • Secretary of Education and the Arts (voting)
  • Director, WVNET (non-voting)
  • Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) Representative (voting)
  • Information Technology Council (ITC) Representative (voting)
  • Chair of newly established Network Forum/Committee (voting)
  • Chair of newly established Shared Systems Forum (voting)
  • Computer Center Directors' Advisory Forum (voting)
  • K12 Representative (voting)
  • Collaborative Libraries Representative (voting)
  • Instructional Technology Forum Representative (voting)
  • Other Forum/Groups (non-voting):
    • Research Forum
    • Planning Forum
    • Distance Learning Coordinating Council
    • Health Forum
    • Others

Responsibilities

Responsibilities of the Policy Board include:

  • Review the budget and level of computing services being provided by the WVNET Central Site and by supported sites.
  • Review issues and problems defined by the proposed Forums.
  • Develop policies that guarantee WVNET responsiveness to users' computing and telecommunication needs and ensure accountability for the effective use of resources.
  • Develop a standard policy for cost recovery for computing and communications resources.
  • Meet regularly to discuss and recommend appropriate action on current or planning issues based on the needs of the supported agencies.
  • Develop a mechanism to facilitate periodic review of the computing and networking services being rendered by the WVNET Central Site and the computer sites at each institution. The review should include:
    • the overall performance and reliability of the computing services,
    • the adequacy of the consulting services provided to users,
    • the effectiveness of the coordination between the end user, institutional computer sites and the WVNET Central Site and
    • the overall responsiveness to the user community of WVNET and its associated organizational structure.
  • The Policy Board should recognize the need for each supported group to have the flexibility to carry out its computing plan while sharing, when possible and cost effective, the resources of the WVNET Central Site.
  • Develop and review a Technology Action Plan based on the plans and objectives of the supported members.

WVNET Policy Board Forums

WVNET Policy Board forums:
  • Responsible for Planning in Their Area
  • Flexible Membership (Usage)
  • Share Information/Expertise
  • Respond to Issues in Their Area
  • Meet Regularly
  • Forums can be either voting or non-voting on the WVNET Policy Board.
  • Non-voting forums may submit documents that need action, express issues, submit plans and meet with the Policy Board to support a proposal or action item.
  • Distribute Minutes electronically to all constituents, other Forums and Policy Board within two weeks of a formal meeting. These will be linked from the WVNET Web site.
  • Accept Issues and Problems from WVNET Policy Board
  • Send Issues and Requests on a Standard WVNET Policy Board Form

Forums and Responsibilities

Networking Forum (NF)

The Networking Forum consists of representatives from across State government including universities, colleges, public education, libraries, State agencies, etc. The primary emphasis for this forum is to provide input to the Policy Board (PB) concerning the planning, implementation and operation of the West Virginia State Unified Network (WVSUN). Technical requirements and concerns will be investigated and discussed with final recommendations being made to the PB. A primary goal is to develop and maintain a long-range plan for the WVSUN. All requests and issues submitted to the Policy Board must be placed on the Policy Board Action Form. [List of Members]

Shared Systems Forum (SSF)

The Shared Systems Forum is responsible for all aspects of the shared systems operated by WVNET. The membership of this forum should be representative of those institutions using the shared systems. Input regarding these systems will be provided to the Policy Board at each meeting with recommendations being made in the area of policy, budget, and planning. All requests and issues submitted to the Policy Board must be placed on the Policy Board Action Form. [List of Members]

Collaborative Libraries Forum (CLF)

The Collaborative Libraries Forum will represent the entire library community including universities, colleges, private schools, Library Commission, K-12, etc. and will provide input to the Policy Board as to the current status, concerns, and needs of the library community as it relates to WVNET. The CLF will have an opportunity to provide a report at each PB meeting and may present suggestions, requests, and recommendations for PB consideration in the areas of policy, capital expenditures, and long-range planning as it pertains to library resources. All requests and issues submitted to the Policy Board must be placed on the Policy Board Action Form. [List of Members]

Instructional Technology Forum (ITF)

The Instructional Technology Forum will represent the instructional computing user community, providing input to the Policy Board as to the current status, concerns, and needs of instructional users. The ITF will have an opportunity to provide a report at each PB meeting and may present suggestions, requests, and recommendations for PB consideration in the areas of policy, capital expenditures, and long-range planning as it pertains to instructional computing. All requests and issues submitted to the Policy Board must be placed on the Policy Board Action Form. [List of Members]

Computer Center Directors Advisory Forum (CCDAF)

The Computer Center Directors Advisory Forums the general computing communities of the State College and University Systems' institutions, K-12, etc. Each Director represents his agency and provides input to the Policy Board as to the general status of computing and communications. The CCDAF will provide a report at each Policy Board meeting and may present suggestions, requests, and recommendations for PB consideration in any area of computing and communications in the WVNET family. All requests and issues submitted to the Policy Board must be placed on the Policy Board Action Form. [List of Members]

Last updated Thursday, October 21, 2004

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