Decentralized and centralized it support at Tulane University: a case study from a hybrid model

The decentralized- versus centralized-computing debate has raged for years; a survey of SIGUCCS papers and presentations from the past 25 years will confirm that fact. A new paradigm is emerging at Tulane University - a collaborative approach in which decentralized IT groups work with central IT to implement university-wide projects. One such project was Tulane's recent successful implementation of Exchange. Key to the success of this major university-wide change was the inclusion of 2 major decentralized computing groups - the Law School and the Business School - as pilot projects. These groups, both from academic departments, brought a new view to the project planning table. This paper describes how this new collaborative approach has worked at Tulane, how it came about, what has worked (and what has not worked), and how such an approach provides a foundation for future benefits.