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The IT Governance Board provides high-level governance and oversight of IT activities at the University with the aim of ensuring that IT activities are successful in supporting the strategy and goals of the University. The IT Governance Board will also have oversight of the benefits realisation associated with IT investment. The IT Governance board reports to the Vice-Chancellor through the Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

Terms of Reference

  1. To ensure the IT activities of the University are aligned with the University's strategic direction and are meeting University requirements.
  2. To review and endorse IT strategic plans and associated policies, guidelines and procedures.
  3. To formally approve the process used to prioritise IT projects, including the process for fast tracking IT projects where necessary.
  4. To formally review and approve the prioritised IT projects list and agree amendments to reflect changing strategic priorities.
  5. To advise and take other actions as appropriate to resolve significant issues or risks that might arise in relation to IT activities.
  6. To make recommendations to the Senior Leadership Team and other relevant bodies on strategies, projects and resourcing that may provide enhanced service and/or efficiency in relation to IT activities.
  7. To receive reports on, and provide governance-level oversight of, IT activities and operations, major changes and improvements to IT activities.
  8. To provide advice to the Director of Information Technology Services on matters relating to the implementation of IT strategy.
  9. To report regularly to the Vice-Chancellor through the Senior Leadership Team, on the functioning of the IT Services Division, the functioning of the IT Support Services Area of Shared Services, and the activities of the IT Governance Board.
  10. The quorum for any meeting shall be a majority of full voting present (including by any kind of virtual attendance).

The IT Governance Board should not be concerned with:

  1. The management of IT activities, except through the offering of advice on such matters (normally where this is requested by the Director of Shared Services or Director of Information Technology Services, or where this falls within the remit of the Terms of Reference of the Board). Management of the IT activities is the responsibility of the aforementioned directors.
  2. Operational decision-making in the Shared Services Division or Information Technology Services Division, except through the offering of advice on such matters (normally where this is requested by the Director of either Division).
  3. Direct budgetary decisions (there will be no budget associated with this board).

Composition

Full members (voting and rights of debate)

  • Vice-Chancellor's nominee (Convener)
  • Chief Operating Officer
  • Chief Financial Officer
  • Pro-Vice-Chancellor representative
  • Deputy-Vice-Chancellor representative
  • Student representatives (x2)
  • An academic staff member representative of the Committee for the Advancement of Learning and Teaching (CALT)
  • An academic staff member representative of the eResearch Advisory Group (eResearch@Otago)

Reporting to the committee (non-voting with rights of debate)

  • Director of Information Technology Services

In attendance as required (non-voting, to answer questions only)

  • IT Enterprise Architect (ITS)
  • Senior Manager IT Projects Unit (ITS)
  • Senior Manager Information Systems (ITS)
  • Senior Manager IT Assurance and Cybersecurity (ITS)
  • Senior Manager Infrastructure (ITS)
  • Senior Manager IT Support Services (Shared Services Division)
  • Director of Marketing (External Engagement Division)
  • Director, Risk Assurance and Compliance

Associate members (do not usually attend meetings but may attend at their discretion, with full voting and debating rights; receive Board minutes and agendas)

  • Deputy Vice-Chancellors (excluding representative Deputy-Vice-Chancellors)
  • Pro-Vice-Chancellors (excluding representative Pro-Vice-Chancellors)

Meeting frequency

Bi-monthly in the first instance, potentially moving to quarterly in the long term.

Training

Members of the IT Governance Board will receive formal governance training. This may potentially be provided through appropriate external experts such as the Institute of Directors.

Review

The Board will be reviewed after 12 months to determine:

  1. if it is still required, and if so
  2. whether its terms of reference, composition and/or meeting frequency require updating.
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