2025 IT Organization, Staffing, and Financing

This survey contains questions about IT organization, staffing, financing, and services. You will be asked to enter data that describe your IT environment during the prior fiscal year (FY 2024–25), unless otherwise specified. "Prior fiscal year" is defined as the most recent fiscal year ending before September 1, 2025.

Throughout the survey, "central IT" refers to the centralized information technology services and support organization reporting to the highest-ranking information technology administrator/officer in the institution.
"Distributed IT" refers to all staff with IT responsibilities who do not report to the highest-ranking information technology administrator/officer and to all IT resources that are not within the highest-ranking information technology administrator/officer purview.
Please refer to the CDS glossary for definitions of other terms in the survey.

Please provide the name and email address of the person to contact regarding your institution's responses to this survey.

Name: _________________________________________________
Email: _________________________________________________

Institutional Information

1a. Fiscal Year Month End

"Prior fiscal year" is defined as the most recent fiscal year ending before September 1, 2025.
In the United States, most higher education fiscal years end in May, June, or August.

In which month and year did your institution's prior fiscal year end?

( ) September 2024

( ) October 2024

( ) November 2024

( ) December 2024

( ) January 2025

( ) February 2025

( ) March 2025

( ) April 2025

( ) May 2025

( ) June 2025

( ) July 2025

( ) August 2025

( ) Other ____________________________

(non-U.S. institutions only) Currency and Exchange Rate

1b. (Non-U.S. institutions only) Currency and Exchange Rate

If your institution primarily uses a currency other than U.S. dollars, we ask that you convert all amounts from your local currency to USD.
In an effort to ensure consistency across exchange rates, we ask that all respondents use the same currency conversion tool with the rate effective on August 1, 2025.p>
- Please use the currency converter tool from OANDA.
- Select your local currency and enter "1."
- Select US Dollar from the menu. In the "Date" field, select August 1, 2025.
- The amount that appears in the box under US Dollar should be entered below as your response to question 1b. Please also enter the name of your local currency.

Exchange rate for 1 U.S. dollar on August 1, 2025: __________

Name of your local currency: ________________

Multi-Campus Systems

2. Multi-Campus Systems

A system is an organization of two or more institutions of higher education under the control or supervision of a common administrative governing body. Governing bodies generally have the power to act in their own name, to hire and fire personnel, enter into contracts, etc. A coordinating body without these powers or a section of a state agency usually would not be considered a system office.
A system institution refers to a single institution within a multi-campus organization.
An administrative unit is the system or central office in a multi-campus organization.
A system institution/administrative unit is an institution of higher education within a multi-campus organization that also acts as the administrative unit for the multi-campus organization.

Please select the statement that best describes your institution and your completion of this module:

( ) Single institution, not part of a system. My institution is not part of a multi-campus organization. The response to this module represents all IT expense, staffing, and service data for a single institution and any associated campus sites.

( ) System institution; responding for my institution only. My institution is part of a multi-campus organization but is not the administrative unit for the multi-campus organization. The response to this module represents all IT expense, staffing, and service data for ONLY my institution.

( ) System institution/administrative unit; responding for my institution only. My institution of higher education is also an administrative unit for a multi-campus organization. The response to this module represents all IT expense, staffing, and service data for ONLY my institution and the administrative unit.

( ) System institution/administrative unit; responding for all institutions within my system. My institution of higher education is also an administrative unit for a multi-campus organization. The response to this module represents all IT expense, staffing, and service data for all institutions within the multi-campus organization, including my institution and the administrative unit.

( ) Administrative unit only; responding for my unit only. My organization is an administrative unit for a multi-campus organization. The response to this module represents all IT expense, staffing, and service data for ONLY the administrative unit.

( ) Administrative unit only; responding for all institutions within my system. My organization is an administrative unit for a multi-campus organization. The response to this module represents all IT expense, staffing, and service data for all institutions within the multi-campus organization, including the administrative unit.

Central IT Prior Fiscal Year Spending

3. Central IT Prior Fiscal Year Expenditures

Please enter the total amount of funds that central IT spent during the prior fiscal year:

Please exclude all depreciation or amortization expenses if they are allocated to IT.
"Prior fiscal year" is defined as the most recent fiscal year ending before September 1, 2025.
If your institution completed the CDS survey in 2024, last year's data will appear below for reference and cannot be edited.

Fiscal Year 2023-24

Fiscal Year 2024-25 _________________________________

Central IT Expenditures by Expense Type

4a. Out of the total amount of central IT expenditures reported in question 3, what amounts were spent in the following areas (USD) in the prior fiscal year?

Please exclude all depreciation or amortization expenses if allocated to IT.
If your institution has spending in an area but you are unable to estimate a dollar amount, please select "unable to estimate."
While these areas are mutually exclusive, the total of your estimates below does NOT need to sum to the "prior fiscal year expenditures" figure from question 3.
Please include compensation for all student employees, regardless of funding source.
Please include compensation for all permanent and non-permanent staff. Non-permanent staff may include fixed-term employees, outsourced employees, and/or contingent workers. See "Fixed-term employees" in the CDS glossary.
"Prior fiscal year" is defined as the most recent fiscal year ending before September 1, 2025.

4.1.a Software: Includes consumption-based pricing services, software as a service/SaaS, perpetual software licenses, and on-premise software licenses.

( ) Amount _________________________
( ) Unable to estimate

4.2.a Hardware: Physical components and devices that make up computing and electronic systems, enabling the processing, storage, and communication of data. The components include laptops, desktops, classroom equipment, servers, network switches, and other infrastructure equipment.

( ) Amount _________________________
( ) Unable to estimate

4.3.a Compensation: This includes salaries and benefits for all central IT staff and students (regardless of funding source).

( ) Amount _________________________
( ) Unable to estimate

4.4.a Central IT Staff Professional Development (training, education, and training-related travel)

( ) Amount _________________________
( ) Unable to estimate

4.5.a Memberships and Subscriptions (e.g., Gartner, EAB, EDUCAUSE, etc.)

( ) Amount _________________________
( ) Unable to estimate

4b. Please also indicate any anticipated changes in spending (not due to inflation) for the current fiscal year as compared to the prior fiscal year.

"Current fiscal year" is defined as the fiscal year ending before September 1, 2026.

	Plans to increase spending	Plans to keep spending as is	Plans to decrease spending	Unsure of plans
4.1.b Software: Includes consumption-based pricing services, software as a service/SaaS, perpetual software licenses, and on-premise software licenses.	( )	( )	( )	( )
4.2.b Hardware: Physical components and devices that make up computing and electronic systems, enabling the processing, storage, and communication of data. The components include laptops, desktops, classroom equipment, servers, network switches, and other infrastructure networking equipment.	( )	( )	( )	( )
4.3.b Compensation: Salaries and benefits for all central IT staff and students (regardless of funding source).	( )	( )	( )	( )
4.4.b Central IT staff professional development (training, education, and training-related travel)	( )	( )	( )	( )
4.5.b Memberships and subscriptions (e.g., Gartner, EAB, EDUCAUSE, etc.)	( )	( )	( )	( )

Central IT Expenditures and Staffing: AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Expenditures and Staffing

The following questions ask you about your institution's current investments in AI, particularly in terms of expenditures and staffing. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to AI in higher education, so institutions may differ in how they prioritize and implement these efforts.

For the purposes of this survey, we define AI as simulated human intelligence in machines or computers that are programmed to undertake tasks usually thought to require human cognitive processes and decision-making capabilities. AI has been in use in higher education for some time, and common uses of AI span across the campus including personalized learning, virtual assistants and chatbots, learning analytics, grading, language translation, content and syllabus creation, research, and the admissions process.

AI-Specific Expenditures

5a. Which of the following best describes your institution's current overall level of investment in AI-related areas?

( ) No current investment
( ) Early exploration or pilot projects with limited funding
( ) Moderate investment with growing adoption in select areas (e.g., strategy, governance, technologies and infrastructure, staffing, workforce, and/or teaching and learning)
( ) Significant, strategic investment across multiple areas (e.g., strategy, governance, technologies and infrastructure, staffing, workforce, and/or teaching and learning)
( ) Institution-wide integration with sustained and recurring funding
( ) Don't know

5b. For the following areas of AI expenditures, please enter the total amount of funds that central IT spent during the prior fiscal year (USD).

If central IT had no expenditures for any of the following areas in the prior fiscal year, please select "N/A."
If your institution has spending in an area but you are unable to estimate a dollar amount, please select "unable to estimate."
"Prior fiscal year" is defined as the most recent fiscal year ending before September 1, 2025.

Important Note:

Please only include staff compensation and/or benefits in the amount listed for category 5.1.b.
Please only include costs associated with AI tools and technologies in 5.4.b.

AI Expenditures: Workforce and Strategy

5.1.b Dedicated staff compensation (e.g., salaries and/or incentives for newly hired or reallocated staff supporting AI implementation and operations)

( ) Amount ___________________________
( ) Unable to estimate
( ) N/A: We have no AI-specific staff compensation expenditures.

5.2.b Consulting (e.g., third-party support for AI planning, policy development, governance, integration, or operations)

( ) Amount ___________________________
( ) Unable to estimate
( ) N/A: We have no AI-specific consulting expenditures.

5.3.b Workforce development (e.g., AI training programs and/or professional development, AI course design, curriculum development)

( ) Amount ___________________________
( ) Unable to estimate
( ) N/A: We have no AI-specific workforce development expenditures.

AI Expenditures: Technologies and Infrastructure

5.4.b AI technologies and infrastructure (e.g., software licenses and subscriptions, generative AI tools trained with your institution's data, cloud computing, AI platforms, data storage and management, AI tools for instruction)

( ) Amount ___________________________
( ) Unable to estimate
( ) N/A: We have no AI-specific technologies and infrastructure expenditures.

5c. Please also indicate any anticipated changes in spending (not due to inflation) in the following AI investment areas for the current fiscal year as compared to the prior fiscal year.

For categories with no prior AI-specific technology or infrastructure spending, but planned spending for the current fiscal year, please select "Plans to increase spending."
For categories with no prior AI-specific technology or infrastructure spending and no planned spending for the current fiscal year, please select "No prior or current spending."
"Current fiscal year" is defined as the fiscal year ending before September 1, 2026.

	Plans to increase spending	Plans to keep spending as is	Plans to decrease spending	Unsure of plans	No prior or current spending
5.1.c Dedicated staff compensation (e.g., salaries and/or incentives for newly hired or reallocated staff supporting AI implementation and operations)	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
5.2.c Consulting (e.g., third-party support for AI planning, integration, or operations)	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
5.3.c Workforce development (e.g., AI training programs and/or professional development, AI course design, curriculum development)	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
5.4.c AI technologies and infrastructure (e.g., software licenses and subscriptions, generative AI tools trained with your institution's data, cloud computing, AI platforms, data storage and management, AI tools for instruction)	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )

5.d If you indicated plans to increase spending in any AI investment area(s) for the next fiscal year, please indicate the source(s) of that additional funding. (Select all that apply.)

( ) Reallocation of existing operational funds
( ) New operational funds allocated specifically for AI
( ) Capital funding (e.g., one-time or multi-year capital investments)
( ) Grant funding
( ) Industry or solution provider partnership or funding
( ) Other (please specify): ____________
( ) Don't know

AI-Specific Staffing

5e. Which of the following best describes your institution's current level of investment in AI-specific staffing?

( ) No dedicated staffing for AI
( ) Early-stage staffing efforts (e.g., pilot projects, part-time, or reallocated roles)
( ) Moderate staffing investment with growing services or support in select areas
( ) Significant, strategic staffing investment across multiple service or support areas
( ) Institution-wide staffing integration with sustained areas of service or support
( ) Don't know

5.1.f Approximately how many full-time equivalent (FTE) central IT staff positions at your institution were dedicated to AI-specific responsibilities (e.g., AI strategy, governance, implementation, support) in the prior fiscal year?

Consider the number of full-time and any part-time positions under central IT in the prior fiscal year. In other words, do not consider whether a position was filled the entire year or whether there was turnover. For example, if you had 10 FTE in central IT at the start of the fiscal year and one FTE departed but no replacement had been hired by the end of the fiscal year, that still counts as 10 FTE.
Please include permanent and non-permanent staff FTE. Non-permanent staff FTE may include fixed-term employee FTE, outsourced employee FTE, and/or contingent worker FTE. See the CDS glossary.
"Prior fiscal year" is defined as the most recent fiscal year ending before September 1, 2025.

( ) Amount ___________________________
( ) Unable to estimate
( ) No central IT full-time equivalent (FTE) staff were assigned to this area in the prior fiscal year.
( ) This role did not exist within our central IT organization in the prior fiscal year.

5.g Please also indicate any anticipated changes in AI-specific staffing for the current fiscal year as compared to the prior fiscal year.

"Current fiscal year" is defined as the fiscal year ending before September 1, 2026.

	Plans to increase spending	Plans to keep spending as is	Plans to decrease spending	Unsure of plans	No prior or current spending
5.1h Staff FTE: AI-specific roles	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )

Central IT Current Fiscal Year Budget

6. Please enter the total amount of funds that central IT is expected to spend, or has budgeted to spend, for the current fiscal year (USD).

Central IT current fiscal year budget may or may not include funds that were carried over from the prior fiscal year.
"Current fiscal year" is defined as the fiscal year ending before September 1, 2026.
If your institution completed the CDS survey in 2024, last year’s data will appear below for reference and cannot be edited.

Fiscal Year 2024-25
Fiscal Year 2025-26 _________________________

IT Organization, Staffing, and Financing - 2025 Survey

7a. Distributed IT Expenditures and Budget

7a. Did your institution have distributed IT spending during the prior fiscal year and are you able to estimate a dollar amount?

We did have distributed IT spending and are able to estimate.
We did have distributed IT spending and are unable to estimate..
Our IT was mostly or completely centralized (i.e., 75-100% centralized), so there was very little or no distributed IT spending.

7.1.a. Please enter the total amount of funds that distributed IT spent during the prior fiscal year (USD).

Please exclude all depreciation or amortization expenses if allocated to IT.
"Prior fiscal year" is defined as the most recent fiscal year ending before September 1, 2025.
Recommendations for measuring the cost of distributed IT were developed by ECAR Working Groups and are published in Calculating the Costs of Distributed IT Staff and Applications.
If your institution completed the CDS survey in 2024, last year's data will appear below for reference and cannot be edited.

Fiscal Year 2023-24
Fiscal Year 2024-25 ________________________
( ) Unable to estimate

7b. Distributed IT Budget

7b. Does your institution have distributed IT spending during the current fiscal year and are you able to estimate a dollar amount?

We do have distributed IT spending and are able to estimate.
We do have distributed IT spending and are unable to estimate.
Our IT is mostly or completely centralized (i.e., 75-100% centralized), so there is very little or no distributed IT spending.

7b. Please enter the total amount of total amount of distributed IT expenditures budgeted for the current fiscal year (USD).

Current fiscal year budget may or may not include funds that were carried over from the prior fiscal year.
Please exclude all depreciation or amortization expenses if allocated to IT.
"Current fiscal year" is defined as the fiscal year ending before September 1, 2026.
Recommendations for measuring the cost of distributed IT were developed by ECAR Working Groups and are published in Calculating the Costs of Distributed IT Staff and Applications.
If your institution completed the CDS survey in 2024, last year’s data will appear below for reference and cannot be edited.

Fiscal Year 2024-25
Fiscal Year 2025-26 ____________________________
( ) Unable to estimate

Spending Section Feedback

8. Please provide any additional information/context you may have about the Spending section.

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Central IT Staffing Prior Fiscal Year

9a. How many full-time equivalent (FTE) staff and student positions were in central IT in the prior fiscal year?

Consider the number of full-time and any part-time positions under central IT in the prior fiscal year. In other words, do not consider whether a position was filled the entire year or whether there was turnover. For example, if you had 10 FTE in central IT at the start of the fiscal year and one FTE departed but no replacement had been hired by the end of the fiscal year, that still counts as 10 FTE.
Please include permanent and non-permanent staff FTE. Non-permanent staff FTE may include fixed-term employee FTE, outsourced employee FTE, and/or contingent worker FTE. See the CDS glossary.
"Prior fiscal year" is defined as the most recent fiscal year ending before September 1, 2025.

How to Calculate Student FTE

Student staffing data should be entered in FTE. This may be different from the total number of student workers in central IT. For example, 4 students working 10 hours a week each would count as 1 FTE. The following methods may be used to calculate this number:
- If you know the total number of student worker hours allocated to central IT during the fiscal year, divide that number by 2,080 (number of hours per year, based on a 40-hour work week).
- If you know the total number of dollars used for student workers, divide that number by the average hourly wage and then divide the result by 2,080.

9.1.a Central IT staff FTE

( ) Amount _________________________
( ) Unable to estimate

9.2.a Central IT student employee FTE

( ) Amount _________________________
( ) Unable to estimate

9b. Please also indicate any anticipated changes in staffing for the current fiscal year as compared to the prior fiscal year.

"Current fiscal year" is defined as the fiscal year ending before September 1, 2026.

	Plans to increase staffing	Plans to keep staffing as is	Plans to decrease staffing	Unsure of plans
9.1.b Central IT staff FTE	( )	( )	( )	( )
9.2.b Central IT student FTE	( )	( )	( )	( )

Central IT Staffing by Role

Tracking staffing in the following roles helps us understand the changing business structures of higher education IT.

10a. To whom did the highest-ranking IT administrator/officer in your institution report? (Select all that apply). If the individual reported jointly to more than one leader, please select each applicable option. NOTE: VP/VC = vice president or vice chancellor

( ) President, chancellor, or CEO
( ) Highest-ranking academic officer (provost, academic VP/VC, dean)
( ) Highest-ranking administrative officer (administrative VP/VC, executive VP)
( ) Highest-ranking business officer (VP/VC, business officer, CFO)
( ) A second-level academic or administrative officer (e.g., associate/assistant provost or VP/VC)
( ) Other (please specify)

10b. Was the highest-ranking IT administrator/officer a member of the president's or chancellor's cabinet?

( ) Yes
( ) No
( ) Not applicable—position was vacant

10c. Of those central IT FTE specified in the prior fiscal year (excluding students), how many FTE were in each of the following roles?

The total FTE in the rows below do not need to total to the number of staff FTE listed in question 9a.
If your institution has FTE staff in an area but you are unable to provide an estimate, please select "unable to estimate."
If your institution had no FTE staff in an area, please select "no central IT full-time equivalent (FTE) staff were assigned to this area in the prior fiscal year."
"Prior fiscal year" is defined as the most recent fiscal year ending before September 1, 2025.

10.1.c Application Programmer Analyst: Performs analysis, design, development, testing, and debugging of software ranging from operating system architecture integration and software design to assisting in the transition from a legacy database system to a university-wide cloud-based academic resource management system. Designs, codes, tests, develops and documents critical and complex application programs for computer systems.

( ) FTE amount _________________________
( ) Unable to estimate
( ) No central IT full-time equivalent (FTE) staff were assigned to this area in the prior fiscal year.
( ) This role did not exist within our central IT organization in the prior fiscal year.

10.2.c Audio/Visual Technician: Supports audio/visual equipment in a vast range of venues e.g., huddle spaces, conference rooms, classrooms, multi-purpose event locations, and auditoriums. Transports, sets up, installs, configures, operates, maintains, and troubleshoots audio/visual equipment and support tools.

10.3.c Business Analyst: Responsible for creating, enhancing, and documenting maintainable analytical solutions in solving strategic problems for a business unit, department, or school. May lead or assist in gathering stakeholder requirements, translating those requirements to technical solutions and providing support for application enhancements and products. May work with outside vendors in developing solutions. Collaborates with stakeholders in communicating solutions and iterating on project efficacy.

10.4.c Business Intelligence Specialist: Strategically designs and implements BI software, systems, and analytics, including integration with databases and data warehouses. Selects, blueprints, gathers requirements, designs, and rolls out BI solutions to end users. Maintains existing BI capability through support functions and in-depth testing.

10.5.c Database Administrator: Maintains effective and efficient operation of a computer database. Ensures database runs properly, keeps database current, makes access readily available and timely, and formulates and designs new database applications. Makes decisions regarding procedures for set up of, access to, and operation of database. Refers decisions relating to major policy changes or the purchase of new software to the supervisor.

10.6.c Data Analyst: Collects, evaluates, and prepares research and/or other statistical data for unit, cross-functional, or institutional purposes. Prepares statistical and narrative reports and recommendations, and participates in the analysis and interpretation of data as appropriate. Engages with technical and nontechnical leaders across campus to identify data needs, triage data, perform data analysis, and develop data visualizations.

10.7.c Data Scientist: Responsible for analyzing complex data and providing data-driven advice for the unit. Manages statistical data and creates predictive models based on the unit's needs. Possesses advanced analytical skills, as well as oral and written communication abilities. Processes research information for easier consumption and transforms it into actionable plans. Provides value to the unit through findings and thoughtful insights.

10.8.c Desktop Support: Provides technical support for desktop and laptop computer users, including supporting, maintaining, monitoring, updating, troubleshooting, and repairing computer systems, network components, software, and applications. May also work closely with other information technology teams to develop, coordinate, integrate, implement, and support technology solutions throughout the institution.

10.9.c Help Desk Specialist: Responsible for front-line support of enterprise applications, desktops, networks, and information resources, as well as working and/or supporting the IT help desk. Provides product support and training to faculty, staff, and students, including answering questions, troubleshooting technical issues, and producing training materials.

10.10.c IT Architect / Technology Architect: Administers the integration of the IT department's various computer applications and provides direction for the IT architecture. Based on overall enterprise plans, proposes the architecture and integration for all infrastructure, including storage, servers, networking, data center, and various software-based systems.

10.11.c Instructional Designer: Works collaboratively with faculty, other instructional designers, and other staff to build and maintain online, remote, hybrid, and enhanced courses and programs, focusing on innovative techniques and practices. Provides support and assistance to faculty and students in the use of teaching and learning technologies through workshops, documentation, email, and real-time support.

10.12.c Instructional Technology Specialist: Collaborates with faculty to develop and implement strategies to promote the effective use of IT in support of teaching and learning. Identifies technologies that enhance learning in on-campus, online, and hybrid courses; provides support for online programs; teaches faculty to use new technology through workshops and tutorials.

10.13.c IT Project Manager: Works with user departments, programmers, and programmer analysts to develop, monitor, and manage large-scale IT projects.

10.14.c Security Compliance Specialist: Reviews security standards risk assessment results and analyzes security procedures; suggests changes for increased efficiency and security including recommending new technologies or policy modifications. Creates action plans to address issues, monitors performance of action plans, and elevates exceptions for resolution.

10.15.c Systems Administrator: Installs, configures, monitors, upgrades, and maintains systems, including email, web servers, operating systems, and security tools. Monitors data integrity and system security.

10.16.c Systems Programmer: Analyzes, documents, installs, develops, and maintains operating system software. Provides technical support to users concerning system software and utilities.

iscal year.

IT Leadership Roles:

10.17.c Associate/Deputy Chief Information Officer (CIO): Provides leadership and guidance in critical areas of technology administration, including budgeting, resource development and allocation, policy formation, technology evaluation, and service development, delivery, and deployment. Provides assistance to the CIO in managing business operations to improve cost-effectiveness, service quality, and information technology operational effectiveness.

10.18.c Chief Information Officer (CIO): Serves as the organization's top technology infrastructure manager. Runs the organization's internal IT operations. Works to streamline business processes with technology. Focuses on partnerships (leaders of functional units) and collaborates and manages vendors that supply infrastructure solutions. Aligns the organization's technology infrastructure with business priorities and develops strategies in support of the organization's desired outcomes.

10.19.c Director, Strategy and Transformation: Advances the university's strategy and vision through change initiatives that deliver measurable business improvement. Direct change management operations to ensure business capabilities and operating models are as efficient and effective as possible, being fit-for-purpose in achieving strategic aims.

10.20.c IT Manager: Manages people, business, and technical aspects of an information technology functional area. Collaborates with other business units within information technology as well as across the institution. Responsible for the business of delivering technology solutions for their particular domain. Responsibilities may include project and portfolio management and service level management.

10d. Please also indicate any anticipated changes in staffing for the current fiscal year as compared to the prior fiscal year.

For roles with no prior staffing, but planned staffing for the current fiscal year, please select "Plans to increase staffing."
For roles with no prior staffing and no planned staffing for the current fiscal year, please select "No prior or current staffing."
"Current fiscal year" is defined as the fiscal year ending before September 1, 2026.

	Plans to increase staffing	Plans to keep staffing as is	Plans to decrease staffing	Unsure of plans	No prior or current staffing
10.1.d Application programmer analyst	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
10.2.d Audio/Visual technician	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
10.3.d Business analyst	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
10.4.d Business intelligence specialist	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
10.5.d Database administrator	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
10.6.d Data analyst	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
10.7.d Data scientist	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
10.8.d Desktop support	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
10.9.d Help desk specialist	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
10.10.d IT architect / technology architect	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
10.10.d IT architect / technology architect	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
10.12.d Instructional technology specialist	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
10.13.d IT project manager	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
10.14.d Security compliance specialist	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
10.15.d Systems administrator	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
10.16.d Systems programmer	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )

IT leadership	Plans to increase staffing	Plans to keep staffing as is	Plans to decrease staffing	Unsure of plans
10.17.d Associate/deputy chief information officer (CIO)	( )	( )	( )	( )
10.18.d Chief information officer (CIO)	( )	( )	( )	( )
10.19.d Director, strategy and transformation	( )	( )	( )	( )
10.20.d IT manager	( )	( )	( )	( )

Central IT Staff Turnover

11a. During the prior fiscal year, how many staff FTE (exclude students) departed central IT?

By "departed," we mean an employee's voluntary separation, involuntary termination, permanent layoff, a fixed-term employee's term running out, or transfer to another campus unit so that the position no longer reports under central IT. Please do NOT include temporary furloughs or any kind of leave of absence/sabbatical.
For part-time employees, record values as decimal points relative to their number of hours in a 40-hour week. For example, a departing part-time employee who worked 20 hours per week would be recorded as .5. If central IT had a total of 2 full-time employee departures and one 20-hour-week employee departure, the total value would be 2.5.
The total should represent the number of staff who left in terms of the FTE hours they were working before departure. In other words, do not take into account the time of year in calculating an FTE value. A full-time employee who departed in October counts the same as one who departed in March.
Enter the number of FTE below. If you are unable to provide an estimate, please select "unable to estimate."
"Prior fiscal year" is defined as the most recent fiscal year ending before September 1, 2025.

( ) FTE amount _________________________
( ) Unable to estimate
( ) None

11b. During the prior fiscal year, how many staff FTE (exclude students) were hired into central IT in the following situations?

For part-time employees, record values as decimal points relative to their number of hours in a 40-hour week. For example, a newly-hired part-time employee who works 20 hours per week would be recorded as .5. If central IT had a total of 2 full-time employee hires and one 20-hour-week employee hire, the total value would be 2.5.
Enter the FTE or if you are unable to provide an estimate, please select "unable to estimate."
"Prior fiscal year" is defined as the most recent fiscal year ending before September 1, 2025.

To fill a vacancy, regardless of how long that vacancy had been open (i.e., the data scientist resigned in December and we hired a new one in March)

( ) FTE amount _________________________
( ) Unable to estimate
( ) None

Into a position new to central IT during the prior fiscal year (i.e., a new role was created or posted for the first time, or an FTE that reported to another unit on campus was transferred to central IT)

( ) FTE amount _________________________
( ) Unable to estimate
( ) None

Distributed IT Staffing: Prior Fiscal Year

12. Please specify the number of FTE staff and FTE students who held distributed IT roles during the prior fiscal year.

Student staffing data should be entered in FTE. This may be different from the total number of student workers in central IT. For example, 4 students working 10 hours a week each would count as 1 FTE. The following methods may be used to calculate this number:
- If you know the total number of student worker hours allocated to distributed IT during the fiscal year, divide that number by 2,080 (number of hours per year based on a 40-hour work week).
- If you know the total number of dollars used for student workers, divide that number by the average hourly wage and then divide the result by 2,080.
Please include permanent and non-permanent staff FTE. Non-permanent staff FTE may include fixed-term employee FTE, outsourced employee FTE, and/or contingent worker FTE. See the CDS glossary.
If IT at your institution is mostly or completely centralized (75–100% centralized), meaning there is very little or no distributed IT, enter "0". Otherwise, enter the number of FTE. If your institution has distributed IT FTE but you are unable to estimate the number, select "unable to estimate."
Recommendations for measuring the cost of distributed IT were developed by ECAR Working Groups and are published in Calculating the Costs of Distributed IT Staff and Applications.
"Prior fiscal year" is defined as the most recent fiscal year ending before September 1, 2025.

12a. IT staff FTE outside central IT

( ) FTE amount _________________________
( ) Institution has distributed IT FTE staff, but I am unable to estimate the number
( ) IT at the institution is mostly or fully centralized (75–100% centralized), with little to no distributed IT staff

12b. IT student employee FTE outside central IT

Staffing Section Feedback (Optional)

13. Please provide any information/context you may have about the Staffing section.

IT Services, Responsibility, Spending, and Staffing

This section asks about responsibility for the eight IT service categories from the IT service catalog, with further detail on spending and staffing for those services for which central IT is responsible. The structure of the categories and services is outlined below.

Category: Administrative and Business—Services that support the administrative and business functions of an institution. Includes business capability and process automation, financial and procurement systems, human resource systems, library systems, and student information systems.
Category: Communication and Collaboration—Services that facilitate institutional communication and collaboration needs. Includes conferencing and telephones, email and collaboration services, media and audio/visual, and web services (including both internet and intranet web services).
Category: Desktop and Mobile Computing—Services that support access and use of community members' devices and related peripherals. Includes desktop and mobile device support, printing and related services, and software and applications distribution.
Category: Infrastructure—Foundational services that support the operation and management of the enterprise IT environment. Includes data center services, database management, network and connectivity management, and server and storage management (including on-premise, remote, and cloud-based data centers).
Category: IT Professional Services—People-based services that support the management of IT for the institution. Comprises consulting services not related to specific services identified in other categories. Includes enterprise architecture, continuous improvement and innovation, digital accessibility, IT communication and documentation, IT service delivery and support, portfolio and project management, and training and outreach.
Category: Research—Services supporting the institution's research activities, including advanced or specialized storage and applications, research data services and software, and lab management systems.
Category: Cybersecurity and Privacy—Services that provide security, data integrity, and compliance for institutional activities. Includes identity and access management, security consulting and education, incident response and investigation, and security policy and compliance.
Category: Teaching and Learning—Services providing instructional technology and resources directly supporting teaching and learning. Includes learning management systems, instructional technology and design, assessment and learning analytics, lecture capture, and polling and surveys.

14a. From the options described below, please indicate the one that best describes how each of the categories is structured at your institution:

Central IT (the institutional central IT unit reporting to the highest-ranking IT administrator/officer in the institution) primarily funds, organizes, staffs, and delivers these types of services. This option is best for institutions in which central IT staff and leadership make decisions about which software/service vendors to offer to campus users (faculty, staff, students), own the cost center for such services, ensure that services are successfully installed/delivered to new users or on new campus hardware (as applicable), and are responsible for end-user support in most cases (there may be non-IT staff who also offer some end-user support, especially for large campuses).
Another campus unit (that does not report to the highest-ranking IT administrator/officer) primarily funds, organizes, staffs, and delivers these types of services. This option will make the most sense for some service categories over others. For example, at some institutions, services under teaching and learning are managed by academic affairs or library services. By selecting this answer, you indicate that a non-IT campus unit makes decisions about which software/service vendors to offer to campus users, owns the cost center, and is responsible for installing/delivering the service.
An external organization/vendor (but NOT another campus unit—you may also refer to these scenarios as "outsourcing" or "contracting") primarily organizes, staffs, and delivers these types of services. Some institutions have situations in which staff from the external organization are responsible for managing a service, supporting end users, performing maintenance, and the like.
Mixed responsibility: This option should be selected when you cannot reasonably select one of the above categories because responsibility is split between more than one unit (a combination of central IT, other campus units, and outsourced organizations). Central IT should have at least some responsibility for aspects of this service area—you will be asked to enter expenditure data. If you cannot attribute at least 75% of the service category responsibility to one of the options above, select this option.
Unable to estimate: Select this if, after examining the description of the service area, you cannot report expense or staffing data related to the service area.

	Central IT primarily funds, organizes, staffs, and delivers these types of services.	Another campus unit primarily funds, organizes, staffs, and delivers these types of services.	An external organization/ vendor primarily funds, organizes, staffs, and delivers these types of services.	Mixed responsibility - Central IT shares funding, organization, staffing or delivery of these types of services with another campus unit or an external vendor.	Unable to estimate
14.1.a Administrative and business	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
14.2.a Communication and collaboration	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
14.3.a Desktop and mobile computing	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
14.4.a Infrastructure	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
14.5.a IT professional services	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
14.6.a Research	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
14.7.a Cybersecurity and privacy	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )
14.8.a Teaching and learning	( )	( )	( )	( )	( )

IT Services - Name of Unit (optional)

14b. Name of campus unit that primarily funds, organizes, staffs, and delivers these types of services:

Administrative and business services ___________________________________
Communication and collaboration services _______________________________
Desktop and mobile computing services __________________________________
Infrastructure services _________________________________________________
IT professional services services ________________________________________
Research services ____________________________________________________
Cybersecurity and Privacy services ___________________________________________
Teaching and learning services _________________________________________

IT Service Category Spending and Staffing

14c. Please enter the total amount of funds that central IT spent on service categories indicated as "Central IT" or "Mixed responsibility" in the prior fiscal year.

Include:

Software licenses and any related expenditures that make key applications and other technology available (for example, maintenance costs and hardware costs that support the application)
Installation, maintenance, and any related costs that directly support hardware needed for these services (i.e., for things such as data center and network connectivity)

Do NOT include:

Salary/compensation expenditures for staff supporting the service area (often, staff support more than one area or are part-time in one area, etc., making compensation expenditures too difficult to estimate; instead, we collect data on the number of FTE that support the service category)
Line-item expenditures that are intended to support multiple IT service categories (e.g., Microsoft 365 licenses and related expenditures)

To review service category definitions, please see the IT service catalog.
Select "N/A" for any service category where central IT had no expenditures in the prior fiscal year.
If your institution completed the CDS survey in 2024, last year's data will appear below for reference and cannot be edited.

	Yes - expenditures in the prior fiscal year	No - expenditures in the prior fiscal year
14.1.c.1 Administrative and business services	( )	( )
14.1.c.2 Communication and collaboration services	( )	( )
14.1.c.3 Desktop and mobile computing services	( )	( )
14.1.c.4 Infrastructure services	( )	( )
14.1.c.5 IT professional services	( )	( )
14.1.c.6 Research services	( )	( )
14.1.c.7 Cybersecurity and privacy services	( )	( )
14.1.c.8 Teaching and learning services	( )	( )

14.2.c.1 Administrative and business services*