Agriculture Information Technology

Advisory Group (AITAG)

Purpose

In 2001, NDSU Vice President for Agricultural Affairs Pat Jensen appointed a committee to advise the NDSU Ag Cabinet on information technology (IT) issues. The decision to establish the Agriculture Information Technology Advisory Group (AITAG) was based in part on an IT vision that had previously been developed. The key components of the vision were:

• establish an IT advisory group representing users, technicians and administration from NDSU Agriculture to make recommendations on IT issues

• define a baseline of technology that will be supported by NDSU Agriculture

• develop closer collaboration between centralized IT support staff and individuals who provide IT support on an informal basis to their department or unit

• expand IT training for Agriculture faculty and staff.

Work of the 2001-05 AITAG included:

• Defined a baseline for IT support by identifying software and hardware to meet 80 percent of the IT needs for NDSU Agriculture faculty and staff but with the flexibility for them to acquire, install and maintain IT equipment and software needed to meet unique needs. Baselines have been developed and are updated every six months with the help of the Ag Communication Computer Services staff.
   

• Advised Ag Administration and Information Technology Services as desktop support and help desk functions were transferred from Ag Communication to ITS.
   

• Developed header and footer bars to give Ag research, Extension and academics Web pages consistent navigation and a common, professional look, and eliminate the many orphan pages that do not link to any other NDSU sites.
   

• Explored the pros and cons of Web mail (NDSU) and POP3 mail (Extnet).
   

• Reviewed video streaming for credit classes, distance education, non-credit workshops and employee training.
   

• Prepared guidelines for computer recycling and disposal options considering NDSU surplus property policy and varying county policies on cost-shared equipment.
   

• Cut down on incoming spam on Extnet e-mail. In April 2005 Ag Communication established a filter in the Spam Assassin software on the server to eliminate all incoming e-mail with an "obviously spam" threshold value of 10 and higher.
   

• Helped establish alternate Internet access for NDSU offices not hard-wired when NDSU's local dial-up connection was discontinued in May 2005.

After the merger of Ag desktop and help desk support with ITS in August 2005, Vice President for Agriculture and University Extension D.C. Coston and NDSU CIO/ITS Director Tom Moberg restructured AITAG and provided a new charge in May 2006.

The basic functions of AITAG now are to provide advice related to Ag IT planning, policy, development and program review based on user input, including existing activities and new possibilities. Specific duties include but are not limited to:

• Provide information and recommendations on hardware and software applications based on user input

• Provide input on technology applications to NDSU Agriculture

• Participate in providing a strategic vision for the use of IT in supporting the missions of NDSU Agriculture

• Provide advice about expanded opportunities for synergies among NDSU Agriculture, Information Technology Division, EduTech and other related organizations

• Promote and facilitate positive, effective communication related to IT matters among all stakeholders of NDSU Agriculture

• Provide advice on expanded training opportunities for Agriculture faculty and staff, both on campus and off campus

• Participate in expanding use of e-learning tools by Agriculture staff and students/clients

• Communicate and cooperate with other NDSU IT governance structures

• Provide information and suggestions about possible opportunities for expanding funding available for IT-related activities.

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