Division of Student Affairs IT

About DSA IT

The Division of Student Affairs Information Technology (DSA IT) is built on two key pillars: operational excellence and a people-first mindset.   Our team is dedicated to supporting staff, fostering cross-departmental trust, and delivering exceptional service to students, faculty, and staff. 

We focus on clear roles, thoughtful leadership, and providing the tools necessary to succeed. By aligning around shared goals, supporting IT onboarding/offboarding, and encouraging ongoing feedback, we foster a collaborative and responsive environment focused on growth and development.

Our mission is to optimize available resources while staying in tune with the evolving needs of Division of Student Affairs departments and the wider university community. We’re guided by three core values:

Mission-Focused

DSA IT is strategically positioned to support the missions and priorities of both the Division of Student Affairs and the University of Maryland. Our technology operations are designed to enable success at every level, ensuring our tools, systems, and services help departments achieve their goals in alignment with the broader institutional mission, vision, and values.

People-Focused

We put people at the center of everything we do. That means designing and delivering technology solutions that are easy to use, support diverse needs, and empowers our Student Affairs colleagues and their teams to do their best work.   

Solutions-Oriented

While departments have unique needs, all technology solutions must meet a high standard of quality, usability, and consistency. We combine the expertise of our IT professionals with user input to build innovative, practical solutions. Our goal is to deliver tools that are secure, adaptable and scalable, while helping ensure critical systems remain secure and fully operational so our students and staff can thrive.

Teams 

DSA IT Leadership

Guided by Director of IT Dai-An Tran   and supported by the Associate Directors listed below, the DSA IT leadership brings a collaborative, people-centered approach to technology strategy and service delivery. Together, they provide oversight across five key functional areas:

• Client and Workplace Services
• Enterprise Application Services
• Information Security and Compliance
• Platform and Infrastructure Services
• Strategic Management

Driven by partnership, innovation, and responsiveness, this leadership team ensures IT solutions are aligned with departmental needs and the broader goals of the division.

Client & Workplace Services

This team delivers high-touch, user-centered IT support by staying closely connected to departments, often working on-site to enhance service delivery.  They serve as a first point of contact, advocate for IT resources and escalate specialized or larger-scale needs to IT Strategic Management. 

Core services include:

• Centralized help desk and on-site support
• Training, and technology consulting
• Workstation configuration and deployment, software and OS, and system patching
• Asset inventory management, including Designated Non-Capital Asset tracking
• A/V, and conference room technologies
• Endpoint support (point-of-sale systems, tablets, smartphones, and campus phones) 

This team may also assist with specialized tech needs, including event-related A/V systems, digital signage, and other department-specific technologies, in coordination with IT leadership.

Enterprise Application Services

The Enterprise Application Services (EAS) team supports Student Affairs through enterprise and in-house applications that fit the unique needs of each department. We collaborate with colleagues on digital transformation initiatives, manage system operations for optimal performance, and develop custom software solutions to drive innovation. Through these efforts, the EAS team empowers the diverse communities we serve and ensures technology enhances student and staff success.  

Services include:

• Data integration
• Data architecture
• Digital transformation
• Technical advising
• Custom software engineering

Information Security and Compliance

This team proposes and sets IT security standards, policies, and guidelines for the division and oversees their implementation. Our mission is to protect data, ensure compliance and reduce risk across all systems. 

Key responsibilities:

• Administration and oversight of IT security activities across DSA
• Ensure compliance with PII, FERPA, PCI, and HIPAA regulations
• Conduct audits and independent IT reviews
• Actively monitor and manage information security incidents and issues
• Collaborate with campus-level offices for Data Privacy, IT Security, and Compliance

Platform and Infrastructure Services

This team is responsible for maintaining the engineering, operation, and maintenance of the division’s physical and virtual IT infrastructure to ensure secure, high-performing systems. Our priority is to deliver secure, reliable and adaptable infrastructure that meets the evolving needs of our division.

Key responsibilities:  

• Monitoring, patching, and updating server operations
• Manage system processes and generate alerts when performance thresholds are exceeded
• Oversee firewalls in collaboration with the Information Security and Compliance team
• Ensuring secure network environments and system security
• Support web hosting platforms across departments

Strategic Management

This team delivers dedicated liaisons focused on building strong, departmental relations to provide tailored IT solutions that align with both divisional and departmental mission and goals.  Our priority is to bridge strategy and technology to drive smarter, more responsive IT services across the division.

Key functions:

• Understand departmental processes, cultures, and strategy
• Provide informed, tailored IT guidance and solutions
• Align departmental business needs with IT resources and/or recommend new tools
• Lead cross-functional IT project and deliver project management support
• Support procurement activities, software license management, budgeting, and IT financial planning
• Overseeing IT staff professional development strategies and IT Change Management processes

Connect with Us

• Email: dsa-ithelp@umd.edu
• Call: 301-314-TECH (4-8324)
• Call Center Hours of Operation -  Monday through Friday - 8:30 AM -5:00 PM.  Outside regular hours, 301-314-TECH (8324) for emergencies to on-call team monitoring voicemails.