Funding and Management - Searight

Strategies for Funding and Management

1.         Develop strategies for funding.

At McLennan Community College I would focus on the following funding opportunities: State of Texas and Federal Grant opportunities, Institutional (MCC) Requested Technology funds and Institutional Foundation funds.  I would work closely with the Director of Resource Development at MCC to identify and apply for state, local and federal grant dollars that might enhance administrative and instructional technology.  The Technology Committee at MCC approves projects based on the budget process at MCC.  I’m currently a member of this committee and therefore I would work closely with committee members to make good decision, to enhance innovations at MCC.  I will schedule additional meetings with the Executive Director of the MCC Foundation to identify possible funds through the Foundation office that might be used for technology.  We recently had a donor that gave money to the Foundation office, strictly for technology.  We identified and funded projects within the “requested technology budget” which obviously helped the overall requested technology budget.  I will make “funding” a major part of the strategic planning and unit level process for the Information Systems and Service.  This will put a bigger emphasis on the funding and budgeting process for requested and required technology.  

2.         Develop strategies for management plans.

            Management Plan Strategies:

·       Generate requested and required technology budget reports for every department at MCC.

·       Generate technology replacement/upgrade information for every department MCC (yearly).

·       Generate an approved requested and required technology budget for every department at MCC (yearly).

·       Provide and online mechanism and workflow process for users to request new technologies for their departments.

·       Give budget heads access to the ISS Technology SharePoint site.  This site will store budget and inventory information related to institutional technology.

·       Develop and provide Professional Development opportunities to explain the budget process and the technology request process.

·       Provide opportunities for instructional and administrative areas to give input related to the strategic plan, unit level plan, and technology plan.

·       Expand the Technology Committee to include students and faculty.

3.         Describe the required procedures for the proposed strategies.

·       Communicate the process to ALL of our users.

·       Develop and implement professional develop opportunities to train users on the procedures.

·       Develop and implement an online professional development course to train users on the procedures.

·       Develop and online budget request form and process for ALL users.

·       Develop and communicate an official guideline that outlines the budgeting process, budget request process, budget revision process, and budget allocation process.

·       Develop an official technology replacement/upgrade cycle for the entire campus.  Users should know when they are getting a new computer, iPad, printer, or notebook. 

·       Communicate technology needs and the campus technology plan to the Board for potential funding increases to the requested and required technology budgets.

·       Include students, faculty and staff in the process of developing these required procedures.

·       Communicate ALL aspects of technology planning and purchasing.

SACS. (2006). Southern association of colleges and schools. Retrieved from

http://www.sacs.org/

THECB. (2009). Strategic plan for texas public community colleges 2009 - 2013. Retrieved from

http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/reports/PDF/1581.PDF

TCCTA, (2011). Texas Community College Teachers Association. Retrieved from http://www.tccta.edu