People are the mission. Supporting professors, students, researchers, business managers, and extension agents is why Auburn employs IT professionals. Technology is a toolkit. As in any field, no matter how good the toolset, it takes well trained, engaged people to achieve mission success. Auburn’s technical community strives to meet or exceed our colleagues’ service needs. Auburn’s technology leaders know that a clear career path, motivated professionals, fair compensation, and commitment to ethical behavior are the cornerstones to success.

Auburn has, and will continue to retain and recruit the best technicians, managers, and leaders in Higher Education technology. Auburn’s technology professionals continue to be challenged and have a rewarding career path that encourages continuous learning and improvement. Compensation will be aligned with our peer institutions. Across OIT and distributed teams, staff are well led. IT leadership is strengthened through formal training in customer service, collaboration, communications, transparency, and proactive engagement. Formal training will be reinforced through mentorship programs. Auburn’s technology resources are well managed. Our campus colleagues can continue to rely on a technical community that has the expertise and commitment to support the Auburn mission.

Motivation, career path, and compensation represent only three of those four cornerstone principles. Our technical community must continue to be ethical members of the community – that fourth cornerstone. Auburn’s technical teams embrace integrity and honesty. They continue to be personally committed to protecting Auburn’s most sensitive data. They respect and support the rights of all staff members. Technology leaders and managers lead the way in improving recruiting and engaging diverse teams. Senior IT leadership works diligently to assure a level playing field for promotions, plum assignments, and compensation increases.

In short, the technical community uses its collective expertise to make meaningful contributions to Auburn’s mission, the citizens of the State of Alabama, our nation, and the people we encounter around the world.

Sub-goals Supporting IT Professionals

• 1.1 By December 2020, Auburn Information Technology will provide a structure that makes roles, responsibilities, and career paths clear for all technology professionals at Auburn IT.
• 1.2. Within five years, technology professionals will be compensated at the forty-fifth (45th) percentile as defined by marketplace surveys available to Auburn.
• 1.3. Every IT professional will have a career plan that helps him/her understand the path for promotion, acquire professional training, and access tools that enable each professional to excel in her/his role.
• 1.4. Every position in OIT will have a fully qualified back-up staff member by December 2020.
• 1.5 Every member of the IT community understands the contribution that he/she can make to the unit’s Diversity Action Plan (DAP). IT members will actively engage in DAP activities. The CIO will sponsor at least one DAP activity each year beginning in CY2019.

Corresponding Goals from the Auburn University Strategic Plan:

Goal 1: Elevated Auburn Experience

Goal 4: Exceptional and Engaged Faculty and Staff