Innovative Change—How Updated Is the Technology Section of Your University’s Policy Handbook?

The University of Texas at San Antonio’s technology department, University Technology Solutions, determined that their institution’s Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOP) needed an overhaul. UTSA’s HOP policies and standards were housed in another policy area, and with technology constantly evolving, the UTS department decided it was imperative for an institution’s IT policies to reflect how technology and universities departments have changed. HOP policies and standards are rules that determine the outcome of student campus life, staff policies, use of university centers, and departments. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic came with an increased need for privacy, and spam emails as staff, faculty, and students transitioned online. UTSA’s HOP Policies and standards needed to improve. Now students and staff may rely on HOP policies to find the best way to maintain their privacy, abide by university policies, and navigate university life. With the modification of an institution’s policies and standards, comes a need for a review process. In this session, presenters will discuss how, working with the Office of Information Security, UTSA updated its policies to meet, match, and exceed the technology environment that occurs today. This session will also cover how to put a continuous plan for updates in place to further serve students, faculty, staff, and the community as technology changes.