Policy on the Use and
Development of Computing Facilities
Revised April 16, 1984
To request an official copy of this policy, contact:
The Office of the Governing Council
Room 106, Simcoe Hall
27 King's College Circle
University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario
M5S 1A1
Phone: 416-978-6576
Fax: 416-978-8182
E-mail: governing.council@utoronto.ca
Website: http://www.utoronto.ca/govcncl/
Contents
1. Preamble
2. Divisional and Central Responsibilities
4. Costs and Prices of Central Facilities
5. Annual Plan for Central Facilities
In adopting this policy, the University has two goals: to permit the development of high quality computing facilities in response to research, instructional and administrative needs, and to ensure efficiency in the use and development of such facilities. Computing facilities include not only computing hardware but all of the resources and people needed to provide computing services.
In considering how best to meet the computing needs of its members, the University community must have adequate flexibility to take advantage of the rapid and continuing changes in computer technology. In order to provide for efficiency along with flexibility, this policy supports a process that encourages full account to be taken of the resource cost of using or developing computing facilities.
2. Divisional and Central Responsibilities
Because of the wide variety of services required, the range of technologies available and the different levels of technical competence needed in the provision of different services, the existence of both large-scale or specialized central facilities and distributed or decentralized facilities is recognized as appropriate and efficient. Services and facilities may be provided under the auspices of either central administration or the divisions. With the resource costs of computing services adequately taken into account, no matter by whom the services are provided, a rigid distinction between divisional and central responsibilities is unnecessary. Services provided by central administration may include those that require geographically distributed facilities as well as those based on large mainframes or specialized consulting talent. Correspondingly, divisional services may include those based on unique facilities not elsewhere available in the University. Excess computing capacity in any division may be made available to users in other divisions.
The development and use of divisional facilities will be guided by divisional policy, but subject to the condition that the services of any such facilities available to general users within the division be made available on the same terms to general University users outside the division.
To ensure the existence of an accurate inventory of computing capacity and facilities each division will report annually to the Office of the Vice-President - Research and Government Relations on its computing services, facilities and prices and will report as they occur any new developments in the intervals between annual reports. From time to time, divisions may be asked for other computer-facility information by the Office of the Vice-President - Research and Government Relations.
In the interests of efficient future development, particularly with respect to computer networking, additional policy with respect to divisional facilities may from time to time be enacted.
Expenditure allocations to the -90 series accounts will be available for the purchase anywhere of computing services. Transfer of allocations out of the -90 series accounts for non-computing expenditures is not for the time being permitted. This restriction will be reviewed periodically.
The transition from -90 series allocations restricted in use to UTCS services to the freer use of these accounts described in the preceding paragraph will take place at a pace and in a manner to be decided upon by the Vice-President - Research and Government Relations and reported to the Planning and Resources Committee, but such a transition will not begin later than the fiscal year 1983-84 nor will it end later than fiscal 1984-85.
4. Costs and Prices of Central Facilities
The cost structure and pricing policies of UTCS will be reviewed with the object of devising a charging schedule that will encourage the University community to take efficient decisions with respect to computing use and development.
The full annual costs of all UTCS operations will be identified and divided into two portions. The first portion, called the "central costs", will be met by central administration and will reflect the costs of services undertaken for the benefit of the broad University community. The second portion, called "recoverable costs", will be expected to be fully recovered through service and other charges. These charges may consist of lump-sum levies, renewable contractual charges or user prices.
5. Annual Plan for Central Facilities
By February, the Vice-President - Research and Government Relations will submit for information to the Planning and Resources Committee a plan for any computer-facility changes that are to be executed by UTCS during the subsequent fiscal year. This plan will be initiated by UTCS in consultation with groups or committees designated by the Vice-President. Along with the annual plan, UTCS will report on its activities and services for the preceding calendar year.
A computer development fund will be established within the office of the Vice-President - Research and Government Relations to which application may be made by any division for help with the cost of computer facilities. The primary source of income for this development fund will be savings arising from reductions in central costs and overhead costs (as previously defined) at UTCS as a result of altered service levels or the reconfiguration of central computer facilities. The purpose of the fund is to provide a process (in addition to freer use of the -90 series accounts) through which resources can be channeled from central services to divisional services, if such a shift in resources is supported by an appropriate evaluation.
Approved by Governing Council March, 1982
Amended by the Planning and Resources Committee April, 1984
