Do you operate a budget that includes IT services and/or licensing? With shared IT services you can optimize your spending, get discounted software and hardware, and contribute to a more efficient IT environment at UW.
Let’s thrive together!
Contact UW-IT to find ways to save
In support of Together We Thrive, UW-IT is aligning with UW Finance, Planning and Budgeting by committing to “enhancing both operational excellence and employee experience” through the thoughtful consolidation of the institution’s IT services.
We are taking a phased approach to this initiative to ensure potential outcomes meet our quality standards and align with our broader strategy. The goals of this initiative are to reduce cost, reduce risk, and reduce effort being duplicated across local and central IT, to help local IT teams more directly focus on their unit’s unique and specialized needs.
- Units with similar IT needs can reduce costs by consolidating and sharing services.
- If your unit provides local IT support, consider shifting to centrally managed services—especially when facing IT staff vacancies.
- You may be able to replace locally-supported business systems (i.e., financial or HR applications) with centrally managed enterprise systems .
For Software:
- Many popular software titles are available at a discounted rate—or free—through the UWare catalog.
- The UW-IT Service Catalog offers a variety of services for students, faculty, and staff, often at no extra cost.
- Including productivity tools like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace.
For Hardware:
- Laptops, desktops, and peripherals are available at reasonable or discounted prices through UW Procurement Services.
- UW-IT-hosted servers and cloud-based solutions can offer:
- Lower total cost of ownership (TCO)
- Enhanced risk management
In January 2025, the Executive Office initiated the Together We Thrive program to put the University on a path to reduce expenses, increase revenues, and focus on operational and administrative alignment opportunities to improve the UW’s long-term financial health.
In January 2024, the Executive Office charged the Information & Technology Governance structure to define shared information technology goals, strategies, and services and prioritize resourcing and funding of shared IT services. I&T Governance has made several decisions about shared services and is actively pursuing opportunities for consolidation. To submit an idea to governance, visit this page.
APS 2.3 requires all IT acquisitions to be reviewed by the Chief Information Officer and to use the University governance process in order to avoid duplication of institutional resources, ensure high value, and mitigate risk. The Vice President for UW-IT and CIO has established the IT Sourcing process to review major IT projects to ensure good stewardship for the UW.