Distinctives

Garland C. Elmore, Lead Consultant of Indiana IT Associates, has 40 years experience leading information technology organizations in higher education and serving as a tenured faculty member in the fields of informatics, computing and communication. He most recently was Indiana University deputy chief information officer and dean for information technology. His interests and expertise includes strategic planning, organization effectiveness, instructional systems, higher education administration, assessment, and IT services and support. In Lead Consultant he works with college and university leaders to assemble associates who complement his expertise in providing team assessment and consulting services using a peer review process.

Although Indiana IT Associates may help solve a particular problem or difficulty, it is often engaged to help make good organizations and services even better. The working arrangement is best described as a partnership in which the Lead Consultant listens, conducts a preliminary assessment, considers options in consultation with a college or university leader, and proposes a course of action. The approach may include an on-site visits by individuals or the full team. Associates may be identified to carry out specific actions with or without site visits but under the guidance of the lead consultant. All such decisions are made by mutual agreement and will be included in a proposal that meets institutional requirements before proceeding.

Indiana IT Associates assembles teams of Information technology executives, specialized professionals, and skilled technical experts to assess the organizational effectiveness and technology capability of colleges and universities. Associates are specifically recruited to meet the needs of colleges and universities as defined by their leaders. In selecting associates, the Lead Consultant draws on 40 years experience of working with many of the nation's finest IT staff in Indiana and throughout the United States. The team provides on-site assessment and consulting, as well as follow up work and reporting, in a wide variety of management and service areas.

The Indiana IT Associates team approach provides an opportunity for responding to a wide variety of needs. Recruiting associates with unique specialties and backgrounds, and with experience at different levels of organizations, provides breath that ranges from strategic planning and IT governance, business practices and cost, network infrastructure and systems, to IT staffing, support, security and policy. It's all about teamwork.

Providing the appropriate depth is also about teamwork. Indiana IT Associates may focus on one or several specific services or organizational components and engage a team of specialists in that area. An example is IT security. A security assessment and audit may very well be the singular purpose of a team visit.

Indiana IT Associates will work with college and university leaders to determine to appropriate breath and depth of the engagement. There are no limits to the possibilities since associates may be recruited nationally to meet unique institutional requirements.

Indiana IT Associates operates as a Limited Liability Company, a separate and distinct legal entity, without any employees or overhead costs. Associates are recruited base on their qualifications to meet specific institutional needs. The Lead Consultant negotiates the best possible rate with potential associates, and works with college or university leaders to review candidates and their hourly, daily or weekly rates. Accepted rates for associates as approved in a proposal do not include any percentage or overhead costs imposed by the LLC. The Lead Consultant is a member of the team whose rates are also presented as part of the proposal. Actual expense incurred during the engagement are paid by the institution without any processing or overhead costs. The LLC manages the disbursement of fees and expenses, providing a single point of contact.