Strategic Themes

• Business process automation

  STRATEGIES	PROGRESS
  Focus computers on things computers do well and humans on things humans do well	Launched OneIT@UCR to bring University Extension IT services under a unified ITS model.
  Ensure digital fluency to provide creative, equitable, and innovative engagements, including training, support, documentation, and AI-driven solutions	Enhanced AI fluency across campus through participation in the Google AI Educator Series and expanded The Grove Gemini Enterprise platform with purpose-built AI agents for IT support, research grants, student health, and campus procurement.

• Enhance user experiences

  STRATEGIES	PROGRESS
  Create cohesive paths for user engagement across the enterprise platform of services and interfaces	Launched the Highlander Hub prototype as the next-generation student experience portal, unifying access to advising, scheduling, and campus services.
  Build relationships, increase engagement, collaboration, perception, of technology initiatives and support	Published the first ITS annual Pulse Survey report measuring campus satisfaction with ITS services.

• Be secure, protect assets & privacy

  STRATEGIES	PROGRESS
  Identify the highest compliance risks to UCR and make them the priority for controls, policies, and procedures related to cyber security and data privacy	Demonstrated rapid response to national security incidents (Canvas LMS) by proactively securing student data. UCR achieved 96% compliance with the UC President's cybersecurity mandate.
  Infuse an understanding and use of the UC privacy values and principles across the campus community through the technology and services that ITS manages	Launched Vendor Risk Assessment revamp and SOM clinical device controls to strengthen privacy protections across campus and health environments.
  Zero Trust Security (ZTS) verification for all focused on users, assets, and resources	Expanded Zero Trust Security through the RapidIdentity go-live, migration of 1,500+ SSO integrations to IAMRiverside, the Cisco Secure (AnyConnect) VPN transition completed March 2026.

• Data drives business

  STRATEGIES	PROGRESS
  Establish effective campus data governance that builds trust in the data being provided to answer important questions	Fostered deeper campus data governance through an active IT Data Governance Advisory Board.
  Create platforms that ensure faculty, staff, and students have access to all the data they need in a secure manner	Initiated migration of over 1,100 legacy Cognos reports to Looker, advancing a unified self-service analytics environment for faculty, staff, and administrators.
  Build a data management program that ensures data is high quality, accurate, and up to date	Advanced Degree Progression tracking, SOM systems alignment, and medallion architecture data standards.

• Sustainable operations at scale

  STRATEGIES	PROGRESS
  Operational excellence, platform alignment, and reduction of complexity throughout business and functional operations (e.g., automation)	Upgraded campus Wi-Fi infrastructure across 125 buildings and advanced the Oracle-to-PostgreSQL web application migration to reduce technical debt and improve platform resilience.
  Deploy infrastructure in a way that enables ITS staff to quickly meet the strategic needs of the campus	IAM services migrated to Google Cloud, T-Mobile campus cellular network expanded, new buildings delivered with current-generation network infrastructure, and a unified camera management platform under evaluation for campus-wide deployment.
  Deploy new services that have a minimal environmental impact	Continued reducing ITS carbon emissions through Google Cloud migrations and legacy hardware decommissioning.

• Research at cloud scale

  STRATEGIES	PROGRESS
  Build, deploy, and support research computing in cloud and hybrid constructs that supports the research endeavors of UCR	Deployed the GCP Secure Research Enclave and scalable Ceph Research Data Services to support advanced and federally regulated research computing at UCR.