Centralization FAQs – What You Need To Know.

IT Centralization is a phased effort to streamline and unify IT support across campus. The goal is to improve service, reduce duplication, and better support the university’s long-term goals.

In March 2025, the LSU A&M President’s Office announced a series of initiatives on the LSU A&M campus in pursuit of enhancing LSU’s student success, research excellence, and financial health. This included a focus on quality control, information security, and consistency of service, making ITS the first unit to undergo centralization. In June, the LSU A&M President’s Office reaffirmed these priorities remained intact as it continued to focus on elevating student success, excelling in research and creative work, and engaging stakeholders for the betterment of Louisiana and the world.

In addition to ITS Leadership, the Faculty Senate IT Subcommittee, and Departmental IT Subcommittees. ITS Leadership has engaged the PMO to assist with facilitating and approaching centralization in an organized and collaborative fashion. In addition, an advisory group representing each of the verticals within ITS was also established to ensure collaboration on decisions and approaches. This representative group at ITS will work in collaboration with Departments/Units to address their needs on a case-by-case basis. 

All IT support services currently provided within academic colleges, administrative units, and research departments on the LSU A&M campus. A support survey will help ITS to clarify what services can be centralized. This does not mean all IT support will be included in the initial process. ITS will communicate details as survey data are analyzed.  

Not included are Pennington Biomedical, LEO, the AgCenter, and the LSU satellite campuses.  

Unification of service desks and ticketing systems.  

Implementation of a centralized governance model and communication strategy.  

Creation of standardized processes for service delivery, asset management, and incident response.  Identification and preservation of critical domain-specific knowledge and research IT support to ensure continuity in grant compliance, data integrity, and lab operations.  

The process is expected to span approximately 12-18 months, though this varies based on each Department/Unit and their individual needs. Some IT staff may be transitioned earlier than others. ITS is approaching this one step at a time to ensure a smooth transition.  

Yes, but the impact will vary. Each Department/Unit will be considered individually and carefully. Pennington Biomedical Research Center, LEO, the AgCenter, and the LSU satellite campuses are currently not included in this initiative.  

Potentially. Each Department or Unit will collaborate with ITS to determine which roles transition. This may include changes in the reporting lines.   

Not necessarily. Some roles may relocate, while others will remain in place. Decisions will be made in collaboration with Departments/Units to ensure that support needs are met.   

No layoffs are planned. The goal is to retain and realign existing IT staff. Roles will be evaluated against ITS structure.   

Those situations will be reviewed individually. The aim is to find solutions that work for the employee and department.   

These cases will also be handled individually, with department input. The focus is on preserving critical research support, not eliminating it.   

Support decisions – including whether departments retain their current TSPs – will be made on an individual basis. The goal is to maintain or improve service quality and protect domain-specific knowledge.   

Yes. ITS recognizes that some departments – especially in science and engineering – require specialized support. Whether that support remains in the department, moves to central ITS, or adopts a hybrid model depends on needs and discussions.   

If needed, yes. ITS is open to creating or adjusting teams to ensure all areas are adequately supported.   

Funds spent on IT environments by the Departments/Units will continue to be spent by the Departments/Units. However, if there are questions or concerns, please contact CIO Craig Woolley.   

The project will progress department by department. The first step is to identify the employee(s) who do the IT work and document existing support. Then, ITS will look at ways to improve processes and systems.   

Some services may look different, but the aim is to maintain or enhance support levels.   

If these fall within centralization, ITS will support them. Current work is focused on identifying what exists and how it’s supported. Funding conversations are still pending.   

In 5 years, the goal is to be a unified, flexible, and efficient IT support model with clear governance, best practices, and scalability for future needs.   

Yes! Collaboration is a major pillar of this project. The feedback option is on the Centralization homepage.   

ITS is committed to transparency and regular updates to reduce confusion and rumors. This website will serve as a platform to post updates.