technology-services

OTS Strategic Plan

Overview

Mission

The Office of Technology Services (OTS) supports and champions the mission of the University of Baltimore (UBalt) by delivering innovative, reliable, and secure technology solutions that enhance teaching, learning, research, and administrative excellence. Through exceptional customer service, strategic collaboration, and continuous improvement, OTS empowers the university community to achieve their academic and professional goals.

VISION

To be a transformative technology partner that enables the University of Baltimore to excel as the premier regional university for career advancement by providing value-oriented, cutting-edge solutions, fostering digital innovation, and creating seamless technology experiences that support student success and institutional effectiveness.

VALUES

  1. Service Excellence and Responsiveness
    • Delivering reliable, timely, and user-centered support that anticipates and addresses the needs of faculty, staff, and students in support of teaching, learning, and administration operations
  2. Accessibility and Inclusion
    • Ensuring technology services are accessible, equitable, and support diverse learning and working styles
  3. Stewardship and Sustainability
    • Managing technology resources responsibly, efficiently, and with long-term institutional needs in mind
  4. Innovation and Continuous Improvement
    • Embracing emerging technologies and evolving our services to meet changing needs while maintaining operational excellence
  5. Collaboration and Partnership
    • Working across departments and with external partners to deliver integrated 
      solutions that serve the entire university community

OTS Goals and Strategies

2026 to 2028

Technology plays a critical role in creating an engaging, accessible, and flexible learning environment that supports student achievement. This goal focuses on leveraging innovative, reliable, and sustainable technology solutions to enhance teaching and learning, improve access to academic resources and services, and strengthen partnerships across the University to advance student success.

University Strategic Plan Alignment: Objectives 1.2, 3.2, 3.3, 5.1, 5.2

Strategies:

  • 1.1 Implement a fiscally responsible, tiered classroom technology framework aligned to 
    instructional modalities (in-person, hybrid, online, HyFlex) that advances active learning through 
    scalable tools for content delivery, collaboration, assessment, and accessibility. Strategic Plan 
    Objectives: 1.2, 3.2
  • 1.2 Improve student access to technology resources through support programs and self-service 
    options. Strategic Plan Objectives: 3.3
  • 1.3 Partner with functional areas to continuously evaluate and improve the student experience 
    with academic and administrative services. Strategic Plan Objectives: 2.3, 3.3, 5.1, 5.2
  • 1.4 Encourage faculty adoption of learning technologies that enhance student engagement 
    and learning outcomes. Strategic Plan Objectives: 1.2
  • 1.5 Provide reliable, scalable, and secure technology services and support that enable 
    seamless anytime, anywhere teaching and learning across modalities and devices. Strategic 
    Plan Objectives: 1.2, 3.2

Digital innovation is essential to improving institutional effectiveness, enabling informed decision-making, and preparing the University for future opportunities. This goal focuses on advancing emerging technologies, strengthening data governance and analytics, modernizing business processes, and fostering strategic partnerships that support innovation, operational excellence, and student engagement.

University Strategic Plan Alignment: Objectives 2.1, 2.3, 4.2, 5.2

Strategies

  • 2.1 Establish an institutional AI program partnering with CAILI and the AI Governance Committee enabling safe and responsible, institution-wide AI adoption. Strategic Plan Objectives: 2.1, 2.3, 4.2, 5.2
  • 2.2 Implement enterprise solutions that modernize business processes and improve operational efficiency including advocacy for using AI Tools where appropriate. Strategic Plan Objectives: 2.3
  • 2.3 Implement a data governance program with leadership-backed strategy.
  • 2.4 Establish a robust data management strategy that supports evidence-based decision-making across the institution by providing on demand reports and dashboards. Strategic Plan Objectives: 2.3, 5.2
  • 2.5 Partner with Office of Institutional Effectiveness to develop a data centric culture. Strategic 
    Plan Objectives: 5.2
  • 2.6 Look for opportunities for internships and partnerships with academic programs, particularly 
    in Cyber, Gaming and Simulation, to provide real-world technology experiences for students
    Strategic Plan Objectives: 2.1, 4.2

OTS is committed to continually strengthening and evolving its cybersecurity program while maintaining a reliable and resilient IT infrastructure. At the same time, these efforts are carefully aligned with available financial resources, ensuring that investments are prioritized based on risk, impact, and organizational needs.

University Strategic Plan Alignment: Objectives 3.3 applies to the entire goal. Affects our ability to 
provide 24/7 service to our students.

Strategies

  • 3.1 Implement a comprehensive cybersecurity program to reduce risk and protect institutional data, systems, and the university community from evolving threats that may damage the university’s reputation and affect financial stability.
  • 3.2 Identify "cybersecurity champions" in various departments across campus to provide local resources and feedback.
  • 3.3 Expand business continuity and disaster recovery capabilities to minimize service disruptions and ensure rapid recovery.
  • 3.4 Establish and maintain policies, standards, and compliance frameworks that balance security with usability.
  • 3.5 Expand campus cybersecurity training and communications to build a more security-conscious campus culture.

OTS currently delivers customer-focused technology services designed to meet the diverse needs of the University of Baltimore community, including traditional students, adult learners, working professionals, online learners, and individuals with disabilities.

University Strategic Plan Alignment: Objectives 2.3, 3.3

Strategies

  • 4.1 Provide responsive, knowledgeable, and user-friendly technology support through progressive service options.
  • 4.2 Empower users by developing comprehensive self-service resources including FAQs, video tutorials, and knowledge base articles.
  • 4.3 Implement and maintain service-level agreements (SLAs) that set clear expectations and measure performance across all OTS services.
  • 4.4 Enhance communication strategies to keep the campus community informed about technology changes, outages, and new services.
  • 4.5 Collect user feedback through regular surveys and focus groups to inform service improvement initiatives.

A skilled, engaged, and collaborative workforce is the foundation of every successful technology initiative. This goal focuses on attracting, developing, and retaining a high-performing OTS team while fostering a culture of continuous learning, knowledge sharing, accountability, and innovation. The success of all other strategic goals depends on the expertise, resilience, and commitment of the OTS staff.

University Strategic Plan Alignment: This is required to provide quality services to the campus and complete the other goals and strategies

Strategies

  • 5.1 Recruit, develop, and retain diverse teams of technology professionals with the skills and competencies needed to support institutional goals.
  • 5.2 Establish clear performance expectations, provide regular feedback, and recognize outstanding contributions to team and institutional success.
  • 5.3 Provide ongoing professional development opportunities including training, certifications, conferences, and cross-functional work assignments.
  • 5.4 Maintain knowledge management program such as ongoing cross training and skills assessment to ensure continuity of services and support.
  • 5.5 Cultivate a culture of continuous improvement through regular assessment, user feedback, and adoption of industry best practices.

See The
FY2026 - FY2029

University of Baltimore Mission and Strategic Plan