In the 1990s, telephone charges subsidized the cost of the rapidly evolving data network. In 2000, UCIT created a new rate model to separate telephone and data charges. Over the past decade as the cost of telecommunication services declined, additional services were funded using the recharge rates.

In 2009, the Academic Technology Planning Committee recommended that the university review its current policy for recharge services/rates as they apply to networking services. They further requested the development of a new model that increased access to network services while reducing the amount of administrative overhead in managing those services.

How does the previous IT chargeback model fall short of meeting the current administrative and academic needs of the institution?

• Colleges and departments face unprecedented budget pressures causing units to disconnect IT services. This undermines our true mission and at the same time creates a potential adverse impact to chargebacks for those still connected.
• The existing billing approach requires a fair amount of administrative and clerical overhead in colleges and departments.
• There is no allocation of student fees towards funding the primary recharge services of the network, wireless and student e-mail.
• UCIT provides a substantial subsidy from the last time we altered the model in 2000. This only serves to escalate the data chargeback for everyone.
• The current model inhibits keeping UC in a competitive position with other top research institutions. Wireless is the best example where UC’s current model peaked around 700 wireless access points 3 years ago. In comparison, Ohio State embarked on implementing 10,000 wireless access points back in 2006.

What did the committee recommend to resolve these shortfalls?

The committee recommended moving away from the traditional “metered way” of telecom chargeback to a bundled suite of communication services recovered via a full time equivalent (FTE) chargeback. To accomplish this the committee made three key recommendations:

• Recommend a revenue-neutral implementation through reallocations and central subsidy across the institution.
• Recommend the university subsidize the student expense in the model and over time consider transitioning this expense into the student’s ITIE fee via future increases.
• Recommend an effective and participative governance process to oversee the technology evolution and annual costs for the bundled suite of services.

• Provides a consistent baseline level of service for the common good of the campus community.
• Is technically and financially sustainable
• Is simple, scalable, transparent, self-sustaining, and requires minimal administration.
• Fairly and equitably charges all users for the benefit of having the data network.
• Includes costs of technology transitions and lifecycle management.

July 1, 2011

All faculty and staff members (including student workers and co-ops) at the following locations: East Campus, West Campus, Victory Parkway, UC East 2nd floor and Reading Campus.

The model refers to an FTE as a communication user. Communication users are further defined as faculty, staff and students who use voice, data, e-mail, voicemail or wireless technology in the performance of their job or studies on campus.

Shared tenants, Carver Woods, Hoxworth-Anderson, Jefferson Ice House, 512 Maxwell Street, Reading Road Psychiatry, Shriner’s Hospital 5^th floor, Kroger Pharmacy, Court Street Clinic, Victory Parkway-Circuit paid for by UCP, UC Blue Ash College, Clermont College, UC East (1^st Fl).

UC Flex HR is the data source for all employment categories (HR 180U in BW). Institutional research is the data source for students.

We take a headcount once a year in November. 

View the FY11 Headcounts.

Students, both undergraduate and graduate, are carried in the model as 10% of an FTE.

This model was developed to be of minimal financial change to our users. Some use our services heavily, others lightly. This model takes into account the average, historical usage of services and applies a weight knowing that heavy users are still going to be heavy users and vice versa. This weight enables us to spread the costs of our services equitably across the university.

See here for list.

The current approved rate via Government Cost Compliance is $53.71/FTE. Keep in mind this is before the headcount adjustments and departmental weights have been applied.

The rate is subject to change as UCIT presents its complete rate proposal in September.

Assuming you are an eligible user, you will be billed for the one time cost of installation. You will not be billed additional monthly charges for the service. All service requests should be placed through GetIT.

Yes, with two caveats.

First, it is important to note that this model is meant to be equitable meaning that everyone chips in to pay the costs. So, if every department ups their usage, the rates will be adjusted and everyone will pay a higher rate. So we ask that you keep waste to a mimimum because it affects the entire university.

Second, we will occasionally audit usage and will contact you to shut off connections that aren't being used.

The cost of computer labs is built into the model.

No. The rate was established as a package so all employees have the same basic services available to them. The bundle of services must remain intact to simplify the billing and administrative processes as well as even out costs across the university (the model is weighted according to historical departmental usage, see above question on weights for more information).

A new GL account named "UCIT Bundled Services" (GL 531423) will be available for use July 1, 2011. Use that GL when you submit a request through GetIT.

Shared Tenants can be added to the system via the Shared Tenant category.

Shared tenant orders should now be requested via the Shared Tenant category.

See instructions.

No. The model is not intended to track employee changes in real time. UCIT will take a head count once a year in November. Any modifications to employee status will be noted at that time.

View spreadsheet.

Disclaimer: These rates are not final as they have not been approved by the Recharge Council and should be used for estimation purposes only. The next Recharge Council meeting is scheduled for early September 2011. An updated spreadsheet will be posted after official approval.  

Business Administrators (and their delegates) can modify staff allocations via the following application:  https://webcentral.uc.edu/bundledservices/home.aspx. You will log on to the application using your 6+2 and CLS password. If this is your first time, please take a moment to view the Video Tutorial contained on the first page. Note that this application is closed the last working day of the month to process updates into UCFlex FI.

Once you log into the application:

1. Click on your VP area
2. Find your org unit where your staff resides
3. Open up your org unit by clicking on the org unit name
4. This will open the entire org unit where you can apply one budget line and update all staff members.
5. Click apply

Or, if you want to only update one person:

1. Click on the pencil icon in the edit column
2. This opens each individual staff member where you can edit
3. Click on the pencil icon for the individual line and enter your edits
4. Close the line by clicking on the RED circle; this will save your edits

No. The model is not intended to track employee changes in real time. UCIT will take a head count once a year in November. Any modifications to employee status will be noted at that time.

Most grants do not approve telecommunications expenses, but every grant is different. Check with the granting agency.

No.  Employees are entitled to one personal email account.  Departmental and Generic Accounts are charged at the normal rate.

The statement is a reference to the Microsoft costs formerly distributed and shared by the VP areas of the university. It relates to the employee portion of the Microsoft Campus Agreement. The MS Campus Agreement covers the Office Suite, the Windows OS upgrades, Core CAL's for students, and e-CAL's for employees. However, it does not cover SQL server, SQL CAL's, Server OS (Windows Server), RDS, and VDA licensing.