ITSAC Terms of Reference

Mandate

The Information Technology Student Advisory Committee (ITSAC) shall serve as an advisory committee for Information Technology (IT) on campus on matters dealing with IT programs and services for students.

Specific Objectives

The ITSAC is intended to inform and advise the Associate Vice President and Chief Technology Officer (AVP and CTO) in order to provide regular student input into IT Strategy and matters relevant to IT Governance committees and will:

  • create a platform for students to advise on their technology needs, priorities, and concerns
  • establish a channel for communication between students and IT service providers
  • build relationships between the student organizations and IT units and departments on campus
  • provide IT units with student feedback on IT services and support
  • provide student perspectives on IT project initiatives
  • assist with testing new products and/or review new services before they are announced to campus community
  • charge committee members to share what they learn with their peer groups
  • submit an annual report including the review and recommendations of ITSAC

Committee Membership

The ITSAC will include the following members:

Group Number of Representatives

McMaster Student Union (MSU)

1

Graduate Students Association (GSA)

1

McMaster Association of Part Time Students (MAPS)

1

Student Representative Assembly (SRA)

1

Commerce Society

1

Engineering Society

1

Health Sciences Society

1

Humanities Society

1

Science Society

1

Social Sciences Society

1

Society of Off Campus Students (SOCS)

1

First Year Council

1

Undergraduate Student Member at Large

3

Graduate Student Member at Large

2

Student Success Centre (SSC), Student

1

University Technology Services (UTS) Help Desk, Student

1

Registrar’s Office, Services, Student

1

Library Information Technology Staff Member, Student

1

Student Accessibility Services (SAS), Staff Member

1
Student Accounts and Cashiers, Student 1

Registrar’s Office Staff Member**

1

University Technology Services (UTS) Staff Member*

1

 Note: * Chair

          ** Co-chair

 Member Responsibilities:

  • bring forward technology concerns and needs on the behalf of the student (faculty, program, year) group they represent
  • liaise with other students and student groups to bring a broader perspective for both the student group and the University as a whole
  • share news and updates with their peers and student groups
  • members at large do not speak for a specific group but are asked are to provide a broad user perspective as either an undergraduate or graduate student member
  • attend monthly meetings during the Fall and Winter terms
  • serve on the committee for one academic year. Members will be encouraged to participate for overlapping two-year terms.
  • provide input into and subsequently review and provide feedback on the final report prepared on the committee’s behalf by the committee chairs
  • the chairs will attend, as required, IT Governance committees throughout the year to provide feedback, and gain information about key priorities
  • chair and co-chair positions are appointed by the Associate Vice-President and Chief Technology Officer

Meetings:

Meetings will occur monthly, during the Fall and Winter semesters. Dates for meetings will be established before the Fall term.

QUORUM – A quorum is achieved when 60% of the committee members attend the meeting.  All decisions or recommendations shall be resolved by a simple majority of the members present.

 MINUTES – Minutes will be taken by a staff member of UTS and/or Registrar’s Office at all meetings, and will include a summary of the major issues discussed.

Reports:

An annual report will be produced by the advisory committee and submitted to the AVP and CTO and IT Governance committees following the last meeting of the Winter semester. The ITSAC chair(s) will be responsible for providing the report to all areas of IT on campus that were discussed by ITSAC. The AVP and CTO, with input from other IT service management from across campus, will provide an official response to the report in time for the Fall semester. The ITSAC chair(s) will take minutes of each topic discussed and will combine these sections to create the final report to be reviewed and ratified by the ITSAC committee. All reports and minutes will be available and posted to the Office of the AVP and CTO website.