Information Technology

Technology Adoption Policy

The adoption of software systems, online services, specialized hardware, and other technologies for institutional use has become increasingly complex in recent years. It can be quite challenging to find the technology that best meets a specific need, is compatible with technology already used at the college, complies with accessibility requirements, protects the confidentiality of college data, is offered at the best price and contract terms, and can be implemented and maintained effectively with available staff and financial resources.

In order to adopt new technology efficiently, administrative offices should review the list of questions below and enter responses via the web form. If you need assistance or clarification on any of the questions, please contact The IT-Helpdesk at Computer User Services (cus@reed.edu). 

In preparing for any technical project, it is helpful to assess the primary goals of the project (i.e., what are the most critical problems being solved, what are the largest benefits to your office in doing this).  This information does not have to be entered on the form, but keeping these goals in mind during the implementation will help ensure that the project is a success.

If technical, financial, staffing, privacy protections and other requirements are met, approval to adopt the new technology will be provided very quickly. If there are issues that need to be addressed, the director of IT - Administrative Computing Services,  the Chief Information Officer, and/or others in IT will work with you to resolve them.

New Technology Adoption Questions

1. Is this technology required for legal or regulatory compliance?
2. Is this technology required to fulfill institutional priorities? (if so, please identify)
3. Are you seeking:
   1. internally developed software or software modifications?
   2. external technology (if so, please identify possible and preferred products if known; may be commercial, open source, or other)
4. If costs can be estimated, please provide that information.
   1. initial costs
   2. annual costs
5. Please identify how costs will be met. (Note: if a capital allocation or new operating funds are required, they must be requested during the regular budget cycle.)
   1. existing departmental operating budget
   2. new operating budget request
   3. capital budget request
   4. other (describe)
6. Please identify departments and individuals who:
   1. will be involved in implementation
   2. will use the technology once it has been implemented
7. How will this technology impact existing systems, practices, and other offices?
8. To ensure that the technology meets the Americans with Disabilities Act standards, please ask the software vendor for their Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT). If it’s available, please attach it here.  If you need assistance, please consult: https://www.itic.org/policy/accessibility/vpat 
9. Please identify the proposed timeline for this implementation and any known deadlines that are driven by internal or external factors.

Last reviewed 3/16/2020; updated 11/15/2022, approved by the CPPC 3/27/23