Terms of Reference

Purpose

The purpose of the IT Advisory Council (ITAC) is to advise the UBC Board of Governors (through its Finance Committee) and the Executive Management Team on matters related to maximizing the benefits of investments in IT consistent with the strategy and risk appetite of the university.

Objectives

  1. Help improve the effectiveness and mitigate the risk of UBC’s investment in IT.
  2. Provide advice for strategic and operational implementations.
  3. Offer assurance to the UBC Board of Governors, the UBC Executive Management Team, and the wider UBC community that the institution’s approach to IT governance, planning, investment prioritization, administration and risk management are robust, realistic, and reflect best practice.
  4. Share relevant experience from other organisations and industries pursuing similar objective from technology deployment to help gauge appropriateness of policies, strategies and delivery approaches.
    • Comment on policies and strategic directions based on experience in other public sector, education, highly technology dependent, or customer-intense organisations
    • Comment on plans for solution selection, technology deployment, risk management, communication and change management based on experience with similar undertakings
  5. Review the organisation’s approach to delivering technology solutions and its ability to absorb associated structural changes
    • Examine considerations for the institution’s employees’ capacity to process workplace change enabled by new technology
    • Examine the IT organisation’s plans in the context of organisational readiness and involvement
  6. Challenge current IT thinking with alternative technology approaches and creative solution options
    • Debate whether the level of innovation and creative thinking in the IT organisation’s approach is appropriate to UBC
    • Offer alternative solution thinking in terms of technology selection, work resourcing and service operation

Reporting Relationship

  • ITAC reports directly to the UBC Board of Governors, through its Finance Committee, as well as on a dotted line reporting basis to UBC’s Executive Management Team.
  • The Executive Sponsors for ITAC are the Vice President Academic and Provost, UBC Vancouver and the Principal and Deputy Vice Chancellor - UBC Okanagan.
  • The primary contact for ITAC is the Associate Vice President, Information Technology & Chief Information Officer

Membership

ITAC is comprised of:

  • Three to four Deans from the Vancouver campus, including the Dean of Science and the Dean of Arts and one of the Deans in Health Sciences
  • One Dean from the Okanagan campus
  • The Chair of Finance Committee and up to another two members of the UBC Board of Governors
  • One external senior leader from another research intensive institution
  • One external senior leader with corporate business experience and ideally familiarity with IT system implementations in large, complex organization(s)
  • One external member who holds, or held, the Chief Information Officer (or equivalent) position with a large, complex organisation
  • A current list of members and the term expiry dates shall be maintained by the CIO’s office and will be attached to the Terms of Reference as an appendix.

In addition to the Advisory Council members, the meetings are attended by the following senior leaders at UBC:

  • the VP Academic & Provost Vancouver
  • the Principal and Deputy Vice Chancellor Okanagan
  • the VP Finance and Operations
  • the Associate Vice President Information Technology & Chief Information Officer

Format

  • The Council will have four regularly scheduled half-day sessions annually, as well as possible additional ad hoc meetings (in-person or via conference call) as and when required.
  • Required notice for meetings and on-line votes is one week, or as otherwise agreed by the Council.
  • The agenda for each regular session will be approved by the Chair in advance and normally include, but not be limited to the following:
    1. Approval of prior meeting’s Minutes;
    2. Review of outstanding Action Items from prior meetings;
    3. Summary review of the Status of major and large IT capital projects;
    4. “Deep dives” on one or more significant issues or projects under consideration, or being implemented;
    5. Recommendations concerning upcoming budget funding approvals for IT Capital Projects requiring Executive and/or Board approval;
    6. Analysis and updates on significant risks and issues related to IT at the university; and
    7. Any matters requested by the Chair or members of the Council.
  • The Agenda will indicate whether items are intended for Information only, for Discussion, for Recommendation (e.g. to Executive / BoG), or Approval. If for Recommendation or Approval, then the corresponding draft resolution should be posted for consideration.
  • Pre-read materials to be posted on the Council’s on-line portal ideally at least a week prior to the meeting. Presenters at Council meetings will endeavour to ensure the purpose of their presentation and any recommendations or approvals requested, are appropriately summarized and highlighted.
  • The Office of the CIO will be responsible for overseeing the preparation of the pre-read and discussion materials and for the facilitation of each session, in coordination with the Chair of the Council.
  • Subject matter experts from outside and within the university may be invited to present to the Council. Presentations at Council meetings are intended to highlight key points/issues and stimulate informed discussion and evaluation, rather than merely repeating the pre-read materials.
  • “Deep dive” discussions will cover technology topic(s) or projects of high significance for the university at that time. Examples are the information security, ERP evolution and research computing support.
  • Each half-day session will be attended at a minimum by the Chair and/or Deputy Chair of the Council, two Deans, at least one Board representative on the Council and the CIO. All members are invited to attend every session.
  • The Council will have quorum for meetings and voting when at least two of four Deans, the Chair (or Deputy Chair) and at least one other member of the UBC Board of Governor Members is in attendance, or have registered their vote in the case of an on-line vote. Delegates will not be accepted.
  • Resolutions will be carried by a majority vote subject to a quorum requirements being met.

Discussion inputs

  • Current or emerging technologies, policies, strategies, product/services selections and service offerings, vendor relationships and implementation plans for technology and technology enabled business changes at UBC
  • Risk assessments of IT projects, services, issues
  • Points of view from subject matter experts attending meetings or prepared ahead of the meetings and distributed to Council members
  • Relevant contextual information about the institution

Discussion outcomes

Advice to the UBC Executive Management Team and the UBC Board of Governors about:

  • IT governance and program/project management
  • Prioritization of IT projects
  • Appropriateness of technology solutions proposed or IT related standards and policies
  • Expected change impact on the institution and adequacy of change management plans
  • Likelihood of success with proposed implementation approach
  • Appropriateness of funding and other resourcing assumed by the university
  • Significant IT budget proposals
  • Emerging technology and industry experience

ITAC will share its views and recommendations with the Board of Governors in writing or in presentation form, as requested by the Board of Governors.

Committee Chair / Deputy Chair

The Chair of the Council is an external member appointed by the UBC Executive, on a term to be agreed upon with the Chair. The role of the Chair is to:

  • Set the meeting agendas
  • Coordinate with the CIO about the preparation of meeting materials and presentations
  • Lead the meetings
  • Ensure meetings are documented, action items noted and minutes are circulated promptly

The Deputy Chair is determined by its members on a term to be agreed upon with the Deputy Chair. The Deputy Chair is an External member. The Deputy Chair’s role is to provide advice to the Chair and act in the Chair’s absence upon request.