USHE Teaching Technologies Council

Approval Date: Feb. 13, 2025

I. Role of the USHE Teaching & Technologies Council (UTTC)
The USHE Teaching and Technologies Council (UTTC) acts as a USHE Council providing advice to the Utah System of Higher Education Chief Academic Officers and Chief Information Officers. The purposes of the council are to assist with technology-enriched learning initiatives and provide input on consortium technology purchases. The council may assist with being a:

• Consortium for Technology in Education and Software Acquisitions
  • Promoting cooperation among and between units supporting teaching technology applications;
  • Providing a space for USHE institutions to discuss potential software purchases that will help students meet stated objectives in courses and the institution as a whole
  • Determine educational technology solutions that will support student success while at the institution
  • Maximizing limited resources by cooperatively licensing, developing and operating teaching technology platforms and avoiding expensive duplicate processes and purchases
  • Maximizing use of learning resources through integrated shared technology platforms and processes
  • Creating strategy for long-term purchasing recommendations for Utah institutions.
  • Investigating new and emerging technologies with potential for adoption.
  • Coordinating overall software cycle and billing structures with institutions and UETN. Request RFPs from UETN as needed.
• State-wide Educational Technology Information Center
  • Fostering research, innovation, effectiveness, and efficiency through cooperative teaching technology initiatives
  • Coordinate between institutions
  • Providing a means for the exchange of ideas and information on instructional technology practices and services
  • Maximizing use of learning resources and analytical data through integrated shared technology platforms and processes
  • Sharing ideas for excellence in teaching technology practices and services
  • Identify gaps in software and create recommendations for addressing those gaps
  • Investigate new and emerging technologies with potential for adoption

II. Membership of UTTC
On or before September 1st each biennium, the UTTC will verify membership by sending a memorandum to the institution’s chief officer over educational technology requesting that they consult with their respective CAO or the CAO designee and jointly appoint UTTC members for two-year terms. Of those appointed, one member should be identified as the voting representative.

The UTTC shall consist of:

• A voting representative, having broad responsibility for instructional and learning technology activities and initiatives within their respective institution
• Non-voting representation of other institutional leadership involved in learning technology activities as appointed by their institution’s CIO and CAO; the non-voting member may serve as a voting proxy for the voting member in the voting members absence
• A voting representative determined from the Utah Technical Colleges, decided by the group of Technical College representatives prior to September 1
• Non-voting representatives from the remaining the Utah Technical Colleges
• A non-voting advisory representative from the USHE CIOs; this person may be the CIO (or designee) from the Chair’s institution
• A non-voting advisory representative from the USHE CAOs; this person may be the CAO (or designee) from the Chair’s institution
• A non-voting advisory representative from the Utah Academic Library Consortium (UALC); this person may be the UALC representative from the Chair’s institution
• A non-voting advisory representative from the Utah Education Network

Representatives shall make efforts to participate in meetings, either on-site or via alternative methods. Representatives may designate a proxy to ensure the achievement of a quorum and voting representation for the institution represented.

Non-voting guests may attend meetings as invited by the chair. These may include representatives from USHE or USHE institutions.

III. Terms of UTTC Members
Term of service is at the discretion of the respective appointing Chief Officer for educational technology and CAO (or designee). The UTTC Chair shall request a renewal from each of the respective Chief Officer for educational technology every two years. The UALC and UEN representatives' term of service is at the discretion of their respective leadership. The UTTC Chair will request membership renewal every two years from these organizations.

IV. UTTC Chair
The UTTC Chairperson shall be appointed following the predetermined cycle posted in Appendix A of this charter. The Chair will rotate every two years. The Chair’s term shall run from September 1 through August 30. The Chair will serve for two consecutive years.

V. UTTC Chair-Elect
The UTTC Chair-elect shall shadow (e.g., help set agendas, attend CIO and CAO retreats with the Chair, etc.) the UTTC Chair during the last 6 months of the term before Chair-elect becomes the UTTC Chair.

VI. UTTC Chair Appointment and Responsibilities
A. Chair Appointment:
Before August 30, every two years, the Council will receive notice from the current Chair concerning Committee membership for the following term.

B. Responsibilities of officers:
The Chairperson shall

• Schedule, coordinate agendas and lead all meetings of the Council
• Ensure that the Council functions smoothly and meets obligations, as outlined in the Charter
• Report Council actions and recommendations to the USHE CIOs and CAOs
• Represent UTTC at UEN Advisory Committee meetings or designate replacement when unable to attend Represent the Council where appropriate
• Establish a schedule of regular meetings and call special meetings with at least seven business days’ notice to Council members

The Chair-elect shall

• Participate in all meetings of the Council
• Coordinate closely with the current chairperson to learn the roles and processes of the meetings
• Represent the Chair when needed/assigned

VII. Responsibilities of UTTC
The Council's responsibilities are to review and provide recommendations to the USHE CIOs and CAOs on learning and technology issues. In so doing, the Council serves as a supportive body that helps to create, validate, and prioritize learning and technology agendas that lead to timely and appropriate attention to further the advancement of institutions of higher education throughout the State of Utah. Such activities may include:

• Project proposals and operational issues that may be brought to the Council by any voting or non-voting member, or by the USHE leadership
• Appropriate criteria for selecting and evaluating the feasibility and value of statewide learning technology initiatives
• Appropriate benchmarks and ongoing metrics to measure the effectiveness and value of USHE’s activities in teaching and learning with technology
• Create and oversee sub-committees and workgroups to further the work of the UTTC.
• Approve requests to add, modify, or remove responsibilities addressing other matters of common concern

VIII. Committees & Task Forces
A. Working Committees:

• Service to a working committee can be fulfilled by voting members of the Committee, non-voting and ex-officio members of the Committee, or other persons deemed appropriate by the Committee
• There are no limits on consecutive terms
• There will be a minimum of three members for each standing committee
• The maximum number of members is determined for each standing committee
• UTTC members, by majority vote, may create or disband standing committees concerned with activities consistent with the purpose of the UTTC.

B. Task Forces

• UTTC or a working committee may sometimes form task forces focused on satisfying specific needs.
• Task force participation can come from any qualified persons deemed necessary by the Council or committee commissioning the task force
• Task forces will have clearly defined scope, tasks, timelines, and deliverables. The task force is dissolved upon acceptance of the deliverables by the commissioning body.

IX. Council Meetings

• The UTTC will meet monthly unless a vote is taken to postpone a meeting one month into the future. Only one month postponement will be allowed. Most meetings will be held via the Chair institution’s approved digital platform. The UTTC shall meet face-to-face at least one time annually. Remote participation is acceptable when available.
• With a vote of the committee, the summer months may be excluded from hosting regular meetings.
• A quorum for Council action shall consist of a majority (half + 1) voting members of the UTTC, which is necessary to hold regular and/or called meetings. Proxy or designated representatives do not count toward a quorum.
• Council agendas should consist of the following items: Reports, Discussion, Action.
• Council action requires a majority of those attending any meeting at which a quorum is present.
• Council actions results will be summarized and reported to the USHE CIOs and CAOs by the Council Chair

X. Amendments
This Charter may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the voting members of UTTC at any regular or called meeting at which a quorum is present. UTTC members must be given notice of proposed amendments at least two weeks before the meeting at which they are considered.

Appendix A.
Rotation Schedule

• Rotation for each term will run from 1 Sep through 30 Aug.
• The UTTC Chair rotation will follow the following institutional order unless circumstances arise requiring an amendment to the schedule:
  • University of Utah: 2014 - 15 (Cory Stokes)
  • Utah State University: 2015 - 2017 (John Louviere)
  • Weber State University: 2017 - 2019 (Shelly Belflower)
  • Utah Tech University: 2019 - 2021 (Ryan Hobbs)
  • Utah Valley University: 2021 - 2023 (Jason Hill)
  • Snow College 2023 - 2025: (Justin Thorpe)
  • Southern Utah University 2025 – 2027 (Jill Mallek)
  • Salt Lake Community College 2027 – 2029 (Gavin Harper)
  • The order will begin again with University of Utah starting 2029-2031