Vice President for Information Technology Status and Activity Report for March 2026
Prepared by Timothy M. Chester, Vice President for Information Technology (VPIT)
1. Key Items for Faculty and Staff Meetings
• State of IT highlights university’s continued investment in AI: At his 2026 State of IT address on February 25, 2026, VPIT Dr. Timothy Chester, announced the university’s continued, campuswide investment in artificial intelligence, emphasizing that UGA is “all-in” on the transformative technology. The university has committed $8 million to high-performance computing to advance AI-driven research and is expanding access to tools such as Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and Claude. Chester also highlighted new AI pilot programs and the development of policies and training to support responsible, effective use across campus. In addition, he shared updates on major initiatives including the implementation of the Workday ERP system and expanded data capabilities through Microsoft Power BI and Fabric. More information is available at https://eits.uga.edu/state-of-it-highlights-universitys-continuedinvestment-in-ai/.
• Spring Network Maintenance on March 8: The spring 2026 network maintenance will be on Sunday, March 8, 2026, from 4 a.m. to midnight. Students, faculty, and staff should expect intermittent service outages throughout the day. EITS conducts biannual network maintenance each fall and spring to support the university’s infrastructure and ensure sufficient bandwidth and internet capacity. For additional details about the impact on services, please read our full update on the EITS website: https://eits.uga.edu/prepare-for-spring-network-maintenance-on-march-8-2026/. For more information, contact Rayid Tartir.
• FY26 User Access Verification Preparation Begins on March 26: In preparation for the financial state audit for fiscal year 2026 (FY26), EITS will conduct a verification of all user accounts for several systems. The FY26 verification will kick off on March 26, and will include Banner systems, the UGA Financial Management System, the UGA Budget Management System, OneUSG Connect, and UGAJobs. The deadline to verify and approve access to systems is May 1. This year’s verification process will feature an updated user interface and a more streamlined workflow. For more information, contact Stacy Boyles.
• Biannual UGA SSO Upgrade Planned for March 20: UGA’s single sign-on service (UGA SSO) will undergo scheduled maintenance on March 20, 2026. This upgrade is necessary to move the service to the latest version and apply important security updates. To prepare for the upgrade, as of February 20, 2026, EITS has paused moving any new applications into production UGA SSO until the maintenance is complete in March. UGA SSO upgrades are conducted twice a year, in March and September, to ensure reliability and security. For more information, contact Wes Merrill.
• School of Medicine Systems Readiness Support: Following the preliminary accreditation approval of UGA’s new School of Medicine, EITS has completed foundational configuration and process alignment within Banner to support admissions processing, fee assessment, student records management, identity provisioning, and academic
program structure. The effort included extensive business and data mapping to ensure medical education workflows align with institutional systems and compliance requirements, as well as direct participation in the accreditation review to demonstrate system readiness and data governance. With core milestones complete ahead of the first admitted cohort, EITS continues to validate workflows and coordinate with School of Medicine leadership to ensure a seamless launch. For more information, contact Ilir Hasko.
• New Associate CIO for SIS and IAM Named: Kristi Wall has been selected to serve as Associate CIO with oversight of the Student Information Systems (SIS) and Identity and Access Management (IAM) teams. In this role, Wall will provide strategic and operational leadership for both areas, ensuring strong alignment between student systems, identity services, and broader institutional priorities. The SIS and IAM teams play a vital role in supporting the university’s academic, administrative, and security objectives. Wall’s appointment reflects a proven record of leadership across complex, university-wide initiatives and a strong commitment to collaboration and operational excellence. Appreciation is extended to the many colleagues and stakeholders who supported this selection process and continue to advance these critical services.
• New Digital Accessibility Services Hub Launched in February: The EITS Digital Accessibility Services Team launched the new Digital Accessibility Services Hub website in February. This site serves as a central resource for training and support on digital accessibility and includes a feature for reporting accessibility issues across UGA’s websites. The launch is part of a broader effort to comply with the new federal digital accessibility policy, which takes effect on April 24, 2026. For more information about the Digital Accessibility Hub visit the DASH Website or contact the Digital Accessibility Services team.
2. Services for Teaching Faculty:
• New Digital Accessibility Tool for eLC Launched: Ally for eLC launched on October 15, 2025, to help instructors improve the accessibility of their course content. Ally is a tool that scans instructional materials for accessibility issues and provides clear visual indicators and feedback to guide improvements. This launch supports compliance with a new federal rule from the U.S. Department of Justice, which requires all state entities to ensure their websites and mobile apps are accessible to individuals with disabilities by April 24, 2026. Starting with Summer 2026 courses, all instructional materials must comply with the new federal standard. Students will also benefit from alternative file formats offered through Ally, which support diverse learning needs. Weekly standing DAS office hours will take place every Friday at 10 a.m. Participants can register and view past session recordings on the DASH Website. For more information, contact the EITS Digital Accessibility Services team.
3. Services for Students:
• Wireless Upgrades Work Continues on More Than $1M in Campus Wireless Upgrades: EITS continues to work on more than $1 million in wireless upgrades across campus, with this year’s efforts focused primarily on large classrooms to address connectivity issues experienced by students during class. These recent upgrades have been completed in the Instructional Plaza Auditoriums A and B, as well as several classrooms in the
Miller Learning Center. Work will continue until wireless capacity has been enhanced in all large classrooms. These improvements are part of an ongoing effort to strengthen wireless connectivity and coverage to support teaching, learning, and student life. The $1.2 million annual project, funded by Student Technology Fees, includes refreshing and redesigning wireless networks in many campus buildings. In addition to the ongoing classroom upgrades, EITS is addressing other student areas with weak wireless coverage as issues are identified or reported. Upgrades have been completed at the Health Sciences Campus, the Lucy Cobb Complex (home to the Carl Vinson Institute of Government), the Rhodes Animal and Dairy Sciences Buildings A, B, and C, River’s Crossing, the Poultry Diagnostic Research Center (PDRC), and locations on the Tifton and Griffin campuses. EITS is also supporting the UGA Police Department by installing wireless access points in the new emergency call stations as they are deployed, supporting the university’s broader efforts to enhance campus security. For more information, contact David Stewart
• Student Premium AI License Pilot Launched in February: The University of Georgia has launched the Student Premium AI License Pilot Program to expand student access to advanced artificial intelligence tools and further strengthen workforce readiness. Beginning in Spring 2026, a limited number of students across all degree levels and colleges are being provided premium licenses for OpenAI’s ChatGPT Edu and Google’s Gemini Pro for Education through a structured application process designed to ensure broad and equitable distribution. The interest form closed on February 18, 2026, with selections announced at the end of February, and licenses will remain active through the 2026–2027 academic year contingent upon active use and completion of brief end-ofsemester feedback surveys. This initiative builds in-demand AI fluency and digital skills while allowing students to help shape how UGA evaluates and invests in AI technologies to enhance the academic experience. Because licenses are limited, participation and engagement will inform future expansion decisions. For more information, contact Stacy Boyles. To learn more about AI at UGA, visit the Student Premium AI License Pilot Program page on the AI Hub.
4. Services for Researchers:
• GACRC Buy-In Program: The Vice President for Information Technology will continue the GACRC Buy-In Program for Fiscal Year 2026. This program helps faculty expand their use of UGA’s high-performance computing and AI cluster at the Georgia Advanced Computing Resource Center (GACRC). To support this effort, the Vice President for IT is providing $250,000 in matching funds. These funds will cover part of the cost for faculty or research groups who purchase dedicated computing resources on the GACRC system. For full program details, including eligibility requirements, matching structure, allowable purchases, and timelines, contact Guy Cormier.
5. Other General Services:
• Review and Update Your DNLs by April 3: EITS is conducting its annual audit of Departmental Network Liaisons (DNLs) to ensure every school, college, and unit has designated contacts for network and cybersecurity incidents. DNLs are IT professionals who serve as the primary contacts with EITS for network and cybersecurity-related issues. In March, vice presidents, deans, department heads, and IT directors will receive a memo requesting that they review their assigned DNLs and make any necessary updates. Changes should be submitted via the Departmental Network Liaisons (DNL)
form and confirmation that no updates are needed can be sent to infosec@uga.edu. Departments will have until April 3, 2026, to complete the audit in compliance with the University System of Georgia policies. EITS will conduct an online training session for all DNLs on Friday, April 17, 2026, with the time to be announced later. For more information, contact Ben Myers
• Unified ERP Update: By replacing our current systems for financial and human capital management, the Unified Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Project intends to improve the user experience for faculty and staff, streamline core business processes, and unify technology into a single Software as a Service (SaaS) solution. Project Coordinators have been identified for each major unit and “change champions” are currently being finalized. These individuals will be key in ensuring robust communication through each unit over the course of this project. A change network is also being established including faculty and staff across UGA in the areas of Faculty Affairs, Finance, Human Resources, Reporting, and Sponsored Projects. UGA’s Huron engagement is actively underway: Huron has reviewed UGA organizational data and conducted stakeholder focus groups with more than 200 faculty and staff members from across the UGA community. As part of the Huron Administrative Activity Study (HAAS), Huron is surveying approximately 330 central office practitioners and 380 distributed office practitioners across UGA to gather additional input. The HAAS aims to better understand how administrative resources are allocated across the university. Results will be aggregated to inform project implementation and will not be used to evaluate individual job performance or duties. This engagement will help assess UGA’s current resource allocation and create a roadmap, resource plans, and training plans for the Workday implementation. For updates and information about project activities, visit the UGA Project Website. For more information, please contact UGA’s Unified ERP team.
• Digital Accessibility Tool for Websites Launched: In November, UGA launched Ally for Web, a new digital accessibility tool designed to help identify and address accessibility issues in website content. This initiative supports compliance with a federal rule from the U.S. Department of Justice requiring all state entities to make their websites and mobile apps accessible to individuals with disabilities by April 24, 2026. Ally provides clear visual indicators and actionable feedback to guide improvements in accessibility. As part of the rollout, the Digital Accessibility Services team contacted Digital Accessibility Liaisons (DALs) to collect a list of their unit's website domains. Once accounts are provisioned, DALs will gain access to Ally and can begin updating their sites to meet compliance standards. Weekly standing DAS office hours will take place every Friday at 10 a.m. Participants can register and view recordings of past sessions on the DASH Website. For more information, contact the EITS Digital Accessibility Services team.
• Tentative Fall Biannual Network Maintenance Date Announcement: The 2026 spring biannual network maintenance will be completed Sunday, March 8, 2026. The next maintenance is currently being planned for Sunday, October 25, 2026. EITS conducts biannual network maintenance in the fall and spring each year to support the network and provide ample bandwidth and internet capacity to the university. For more information, contact Rayid Tartir at rayid@uga.edu.
• Spring Cybersecurity Awareness: Spring Cybersecurity Awareness Training will take place in April and must be completed by all State of Georgia employees, including UGA faculty, staff, and student workers. This required training occurs twice each year in
April and October in accordance with University System of Georgia policy and the Governor’s executive directive. Delivered online through the KnowBe4 platform, the course provides practical, actionable guidance to strengthen cybersecurity awareness and help protect university systems and data. Employees will receive reminder emails during April until the training is completed. Faculty, staff, and student employees with questions may contact the EITS Help Desk.
• Teams Phone Available for Campus Units: EITS now offers Teams Phone, a cloudbased, next-generation phone system provided by Microsoft. Teams Phone allows UGA employees to communicate and collaborate anytime, anywhere, on any device. It integrates seamlessly with the Microsoft Teams application on laptops, tablets, or mobile devices, allowing employees to access all calls, chats, calendar invites, and meetings in one place. EITS will transition all phone lines off the legacy PBX and onto Teams Phone by March 2026. Telephone Services is scheduling departments that have not already scheduled their transition to Teams Phone. DTRs should fill out a Teams Phone Onboarding Request for their unit as soon as possible. Upon receiving the onboarding request, approximately six weeks prior to the port date, Telephone Services will schedule a large group meeting to address any concerns and answer questions. The Teams Phone transition does not affect AT&T Centrex/HVS users or phone lines outside of the Athens area. Users should note that they will lose access to their voicemail if they are not transitioned over to Teams Phone before the March 2026 deadline. As part of this project, Telephone Services has successfully transitioned around 5,000 extensions off the UGA PBX and approximately 6,000 phone extensions now on Microsoft Teams Phone with 2,500 remaining. Furthermore, there has been a reduction in PRIs resulting in significant cost reductions due to this transition. For more information, contact Steven Duffee.
• Microsoft Office 2021 Reaching End of Life in October: Microsoft has announced that support for Microsoft Office 2021 will end in October 2026. After this date, the software will no longer receive updates or security patches. To prepare, EITS will work with departmental IT teams over the next nine months to ensure all Office suites are upgraded to the latest version. For more information, contact Justin Sackett.
• AI Purchase Program Now Available: EITS launched the AI License Purchasing Program in fall 2025 to provide a centralized, streamlined way for UGA units to purchase premium versions of generative AI tools for faculty and staff, with the first licenses provisioned in February 2026. The program ensures these tools are covered under the university’s data protection and privacy agreements, offering enhanced safeguards not available in individual or consumer versions. It also simplifies procurement by eliminating the need for departmental CESS requests, UGAMart purchase requests, Pcard transactions, and reimbursements, reducing administrative burden and improving efficiency. EITS will contact Chief Business Officers (CBOs) and IT Directors this month with information about the next onboarding cycle, and units must request additional licenses by May 1, 2026. The next opportunity to request new licenses will be July 1, 2026. For more information, please contact the EITS Help Desk at helpdesk@uga.edu or visit the EITS Knowledge Base.
• OIR Advances Phase 2 of Tableau to Power BI Report Conversions: The Office of Institutional Research (OIR) is continuing its multi-phase effort to transition institutional reporting from Tableau to Power BI. Last semester, OIR converted most
census-based reports on the OIR website. During Phase 2, OIR is focusing on studentrelated operational reports and collaborating with end users to convert existing Tableau reports. This phase will conclude on or before May 8, 2026. Following this milestone, OIR will begin the third and final phase of the project, which will focus primarily on financial and HR-related reports. Updates will be posted on the OIR website at oir.uga.edu. For more information, contact Kelly Slaton.
6. Did you know?
• EITS participates in annual Staff Resources Fair: On March 10, 2026, EITS will participate in the 7th Annual Staff Resources Fair. This event is a wonderful opportunity for staff of UGA to engage with departments across campus and learn about their respective resources and opportunities. This year's event will feature participants from more than 50 UGA units and departments. EITS offers an array of tools for staff, including UGAMail, MyIDs, wireless networks, technical assistance, and much more. For more information about IT resources for staff, visit our Faculty and Staff Guide.
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