Governance

Governance

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University IT governance committees

University-wide governance committees gather input from a broad set of key stakeholders to provide strategic oversight and direction in prioritizing investments and overseeing the execution of key initiatives and processes. Read more about each committee below. 

External governance

Committee to Visit IT

Overview of Visitation Process at Harvard

 

Harvard’s visitation process aims to provide informed, objective, and candid assessments of the University’s various units, as well as constructive advice on their future direction and development. The process also offers an opportunity to evaluate current activities and goals within the larger context of the University’s priorities and plans.

Responsibility for supervising the visitation process is assigned to the University’s Board of Overseers. There is a visiting committee for each of the professional schools, various other units, and most departments within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Committees typically include one or more Overseers among their members.

The Committee to Visit Information Technology

 

The Committee to Visit Information Technology meets on a biennial basis on campus, and after each visit, produces a report that often includes an evaluation and set of recommendations. The report is submitted to the Overseers, the President and Fellows, the Provost, and the Vice President and University Chief Information Officer.  This document is used by leadership to set priorities and ensure Harvard’s technology strategy is aligned with the University as a whole.

Faculty governance

Harvard Academic Computing Committee

The Harvard Academic Computing Committee (HACC) is a faculty and senior administration committee that meets to discuss academic information technology issues, principles, and policies that impact the University. The HACC’s charge is: to advise the Provost and Deans on university IT directions, strategies, and policies that support instruction and research; to foster innovation in pedagogy and research; to share expertise on instructional and research IT practices across the Schools; and to identify areas in academic IT for potential collaboration among faculty and across the Schools.

Co-chairs

 

Gary King
Albert J. Weatherhead III University Professor, Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Klara Jelinkova
Vice President and University Chief Information Officer

Members & Staff

 

Martin Bechthold:
Professor of Architectural Technology, Graduate School of Design
Co-Director of the Doctor of Design Studies Program

Peter Bol
Vice Provost for Advances in Learning
Director of the Center for Geographic Analysis
Charles H. Carswell Professor East Asian Languages and Civilizations

Francesca Dominici
Professor of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health
Associate Dean for Information Technology
Senior Associate Dean for Research

William (Terry) Fisher
WilmerHale Professor of Intellectual Property Law, Harvard Law School
Faculty Director, Berkman Center for Internet and Society

Alyssa Goodman
Professor of Astronomy, Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Stephanie Gumble
Chief Operating Officer, HUIT

Dan Levy
Senior Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Faculty Chair , SLATE

Michael Parker
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Associate Dean for Online Learning

Fernando Reimers
Ford Foundation Professor of Practice in International Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Faculty Director, International Education Policy Program

Dudley Rose
Associate Dean of Ministry Studies and Lecturer
Affiliated Minister

Jeffrey Schnapp
Professor of Romance Languages and Literatures, Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Director, metaLAB (at) Harvard
Director, Berkman Center for Internet & Society

Stuart Shieber
James O. Welch, Jr. and Virginia B. Welch Professor of Computer Science, Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Jim Waldo
Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science, Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Martha Whitehead
Vice President for the Harvard Library
Roy E. Larsen Librarian for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Electronic Communications Policy Oversight Committee

Information Security Oversight Committee

The Information Security Oversight Committee (“ISOC”) will serve as the highest-level decision-making group on information security issues at the University. The ISOC is charged with understanding, on behalf of the University, what the biggest information security risks are, how those risks are evolving, and how well positioned the University is to address those risks. The committee will prioritize University needs for policy, people, process, and technology solutions to meet emerging and ongoing risks.

Members

 
  • Frank Doyle (SEAS)
  • Doug Elmendorf (HKS)
  • Klara Jelinkova (HUIT)
  • Ara Gershengorn (OGC)
  • Katie Lapp (EVP)
  • Rick McCullough (VPR)
  • Lisa Muto (HMS)
  • Peggy Newell (OPP)
  • Michael Tran Duff (HUIT)

FAS Standing Committee on IT

The Standing Committee on Information Technology (IT) is composed of faculty responsible for advising the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences on strategic planning, investments, policies, annual project work, and the needs of the academic enterprise. It is also responsible for facilitating communication between IT providers and the academic and technology communities, providing important faculty feedback on services and operations.

Members and Staff

 

  • Peter Der Manuelian (Chair)
  • Klara Jelinkova, Vice President and University CIO (ex officio)
  • Peter Bol
  • Amanda Claybaugh
  • Douglas Finkbeiner
  • Melissa Franklin
  • Peter Galison
  • Howard Georgi
  • Jay Harris
  • Gary King
  • Henry Leitner
  • Harry Lewis
  • David Malan
  • Derek Miller
  • Ingrid Monson
  • Sarah Richardson
  • Jim Waldo

Investment governance

IT Capital Review Board

FAS Project Review Board

University platforms: academic & research governance

Research Computing Council

Academic Technology Advisory Board

Representing a broader constituency at each member’s home School or unit, each ATAB member will provide input and guidance regarding objectives, methods, and priorities set by HUIT’s Academic Technology organization. ATAB is composed of key academic technology stakeholders at each Harvard school as well as other teaching and learning partners.

To fulfill this charge, the ATAB member will:

  • Gather input from their School in preparation for each ATAB convening
  • Provide School input on HUIT’s Academic Technology priorities / roadmap
  • Communicate HUIT priorities to their School / unit and return feedback

Harvard Library IT Advisory Group

The Library IT Advisory Group advises library leadership about IT investments and priorities that will support the mission and strategic objectives of the Harvard Library.  The work of the Advisory Group will include:  

  • Make recommendations to library leadership about major software development projects and priorities
  • Establish a multi-year roadmap for IT investments
  • Liaise with HL standing committees and councils to gather input on IT priorities
  • Advise leadership on library technology trends 
  • Act as "think tank" to support the Director of Digital Strategies and Innovation for exploring digital library innovation ideas and strategies 
  • Make recommendations to leadership about IT divestments to allow resource reallocation to new growth areas 
  • Encourage collaborative technology and innovation efforts between the libraries at Harvard and related departments in the university

University platforms: administration governance

HR Systems Governance Committee

The HRMS Steering Committee works in conjunction with the HR Deans and Directors (Executive Committee) to ensure that IT initiatives are aligned with the university’s HR business goals.

Their charge is:

  • Inform and validate the HR IT Roadmap
  • Identify, set the priorities and review HR IT projects for all central HR systems (including non-PeopleSoft)
  • Review, prioritize and approve the scope of each PeopleSoft release across all functional areas
  • Communicate HR system changes with direct or indirect impact on Financial Statements
  • Identify communication needs for key stakeholders and the larger University HR Community

Research Administration Executive Committee

The Research Administration Systems Executive Committee brings together leaders from across the University community with a focus on research administration and compliance. Our mission is to develop, champion, and deliver technology projects and solutions to support Harvard’s research objectives.