IT Governance Council

IT Governance Council Overview

The IT Governance Council serves as Howard University’s cross‑functional decision‑making body for information technology initiatives, ensuring that technology investments align with the University’s mission, strategic priorities, and operational needs. By bringing together leaders from across academic and administrative units, the Council promotes transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of IT resources. Through a structured governance framework, the Council helps prioritize projects, manage risk, and deliver measurable value that supports teaching, research, and administrative excellence across the University.

IT Governance Council Overview

IT Governance ensures that:

  • IT aligns with the outcomes required by the university for the successful realization of its mission. 
  • appropriate decision-making activities (prioritization and funding) are done in concert with the university’s strategic priorities.

Benefits

  • Value delivery
  • Strategic alignment
  • Performance management
  • Resource management
  • Risk management
IT Governance Workflow updated

Cross-functional team members are essential for the IT Governance Council for several reasons:

  • Diverse Perspectives: Cross-functional teams bring together individuals from different departments, each with their own expertise and viewpoints.
  • Holistic Understanding:  IT governance decisions often have wide-ranging impacts across the organization. Cross-functional team members can provide insights into how proposed IT initiatives might affect various business units, processes, and stakeholders, helping the council make more informed decisions.
  • Alignment with Business Goals: By including representatives from different areas of the organization, the IT governance council can ensure that IT investments and initiatives align with broader business goals and priorities.
  • Enhanced Communication and Collaboration:  Involving cross-functional team members in the IT governance process promotes greater communication and collaboration across departments.

Having a cross-functional team on the council is crucial to ensuring that IT governance decisions are well-informed, aligned with business objectives, and considerate of the diverse needs and perspectives within the organization. Their inclusion helps promote transparency, accountability, and success in IT governance processes.

IT Governance Initiatives

Completed Projects

No.

Project Title

Status

6.1

Founders Library Innovation Hub

Passed

8.1

Digital Supplier Onboarding Platform

Passed

10.1

EverTrue Signal

Passed

12.1

Flytedesk for the Hilltop

Passed

13.1

Defense Resiliency Platform Against Extreme Cold Weather

Passed

14.1

Pitchbook

Passed