Departments
Administrative Services
Administrative Services is made up of two key areas: Financial Services and P3/M. Together, the team delivers essential administrative and non-IT operational support for CTS. Their work spans financial management, procurement, IT planning, and project management ensuring that CTS operations run smoothly and efficiently.
Financial Services
With oversight of more than $38 million each year, Financial Services safeguards CTS’s financial health and ensures resources are managed responsibly. Beyond day-to-day accounting, budgeting, and reporting, the team drives efficiency through targeted initiatives. These efforts not only accelerate workflows but also enhance accuracy and reduce operational costs, strengthening CTS’s capacity to serve the university system more effectively.
P3/M
P3/M (Procurement, Project, and Planning Management) plays a central role in aligning CTS operations with strategic priorities. The team develops and issues the mandated IT strategic plans, manages all CTS procurement, and oversees purchasing. In addition, P3/M guides some of the most complex projects across NDUS and provides Major IT Project Oversight for all NDUS IT initiatives with projected costs of $500,000 or more. Through this work, the team ensures that large-scale investments are transparent, compliant, and positioned for long-term success.
Campus Connection
Campus Connection is the official student information system for the North Dakota University System, serving as the system of record for more than 47,000 active students. The Campus Connection team is responsible for maintaining, supporting, and enhancing this vital platform, ensuring that it remains reliable, secure, and responsive to the needs of students, faculty, and staff across all 11 NDUS institutions.
The platform manages nearly every stage of the student lifecycle. From the moment a student applies for admission, through enrollment, financial aid disbursement, course registration, grading, program and degree tracking, tuition billing, and payment processing, Campus Connection provides the framework for success. It also supplies the data and reporting tools institutions rely on for performance monitoring and informed decision-making.
Beyond its core modules, Campus Connection connects to more than 40 campus systems, including housing, parking, facilities management, scheduling, and student support platforms such as Blackboard Learn and Starfish. These integrations create a seamless digital ecosystem that automates routine administrative tasks, reduces paperwork, and allows for greater self-service options.
For students, Campus Connection means access and transparency. They can view their financial aid, pay bills, register for classes, check grades, and monitor their degree progress all in one place. For institutions, it means efficiency, accuracy, and the ability to focus staff time on supporting student success rather than manual processes.
Enterprise Services
Enterprise Services (ES) designs, develops, implements, and supports enterprise information technology solutions that advance teaching, learning, and business operations across the North Dakota University System (NDUS). The department provides strategic leadership, planning, training, and ongoing system administration to ensure technology solutions remain secure, reliable, and aligned with institutional needs.
Supported services include document imaging, electronic signature solutions, secure managed file transfer, learning management systems, collaboration tools, web solutions, and system integrations. Enterprise Services teams work collaboratively to deliver comprehensive, integrated solutions that support NDUS campuses and system operations.
Financial Systems
The Financial Management (FIN) module serves as the system of record for North Dakota University System (NDUS) business operations. It supports all 11 institutions with daily operational processing and comprehensive budget management functionality. The system includes multiple integrated modules, including General Ledger, Commitment Control, Accounts Payable, Procurement, Grants, and Travel and Expense (T&E).
The FIN team provides ongoing operational and technical support for the Financial Management system and related ancillary systems for all 11 institutions, the NDUS System Office, and Core Technology Services (CTS). Centralized responsibilities include annual 1099 processing for all institutions, fiscal year-end processes, monthly purchasing card and bank statement extracts and uploads, and system updates required to remain compliant with regulatory and government reporting requirements.
In addition to daily system support, the FIN team provides application management leadership, delivers training to campus partners, and actively participates in FIN and Controller user groups to promote collaboration, consistency, and continuous improvement across NDUS.
Human Capital Management
The Human Capital Management (HCM) team supports the enterprise human resources system for all 11 NDUS institutions, the NDUS System Office, and Core Technology Services (CTS). The system supports the full employee lifecycle, including recruiting, onboarding, benefits administration, payroll processing, and separation.
The HCM team is responsible for ongoing system maintenance and regulatory compliance, including scheduled updates and critical patching cycles throughout the year. Centralized services provided to campuses include semi-monthly payroll processing, W-2 and 1095-C generation, Total Rewards statements, open enrollment administration, and required annual reporting.
In addition to operational support, the HCM team delivers training, implements new system functionality, manages development requests, supports help desk services, and maintains integrations with third-party campus systems. The team also participates in governance, user groups, and special interest groups to promote collaboration, share expertise, and support continuous improvement across NDUS.
Information Security
The Information Security (InfoSec) department is made up of three specialized teams – Security Operations, Security Engineering, and Application Security – who work together to protect CTS and NDUS institutions. Their responsibilities span security services, policy development and planning, incident response, and application access management.
InfoSec also leads the NDUS Information Security Council (ISC), a collaborative body with representatives from CTS and every NDUS institution. The ISC provides guidance to the NDUS CIO Council on information security policies, programs, priorities, and initiatives, ensuring a coordinated and systemwide approach to protecting data and digital assets.
Institutional Research
Institutional Research (IR) serves as the hub for data, reporting, and analytics across NDUS. The department supports systemwide research and development for SBHE reporting, while also fulfilling data requests from the state legislature, governor, and commissioner.
IR maintains and analyzes key datasets covering enrollment, retention, degree completion, productivity, and more ensuring decision-makers have timely and accurate information. The team also provides reporting services to NDUS institutions and the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI), collaborates on statewide data initiatives, and coordinates federal reporting for North Dakota’s public, private, and tribal institutions.
Information and Data Executive Governance (IDEG)
IR also oversees the operations and data initiatives of the Information and Data Executive Governance (IDEG), reinforcing a systemwide commitment to reliable, transparent, and actionable data. Guided by the oversight of the NDUS Chief Information Officer (CIO), this governance framework ensures a cohesive and unified approach to information and data management across the entire system.
Infrastructure & Operations
Infrastructure & Operations (I&O) forms the foundation of the NDUS technology environment. The division includes Identity and Access Management, Data Center Operations, Network Services, System Administration, Database Administration, and Endpoint Services. Together, these teams deliver a stable and secure platform on which every application and service depends.
Working in partnership with CTS colleagues, campus staff, vendors, and the North Dakota Information Technology (NDIT) team, I&O ensures that NDUS has a technology framework that is reliable, resilient, and adaptable. Their efforts safeguard sensitive data, support uninterrupted processing, and provide the operational stability needed for students, faculty, and staff to thrive.
IT Service Management
ServiceOne is dedicated to improving how CTS delivers and supports products and services for NDUS institutions. Using the ITIL® framework, the department creates an IT environment that is secure, stable, agile, and cost-effective. Its six-member team, which includes a Communications Specialist, focuses on providing excellent client service, managing the CTS ServiceDesk, building strong campus relationships, and maintaining effective processes and controls.
These efforts are reinforced through transparent communication, structured change management, and consistent stakeholder engagement. Through continuous improvement of IT Service Management practices, ServiceOne streamlines operations, enhances client satisfaction, and ensures technology support across the university system is consistent, reliable, and user focused.
ODIN Library Services
The Online Dakota Information Network (ODIN) supports two unified library systems serving more than 60 libraries across North Dakota, including all 11 institutions within the North Dakota University System (NDUS). Participating libraries also include private higher education institutions, K–12 schools, public libraries, and special libraries.
ODIN provides authentication services for nearly 70 licensed, full-text databases and other online resources. These electronic resources are available to over 300 libraries statewide and support users at every stage of learning, from early childhood through higher education and lifelong learning. Together, these services create a robust and accessible digital library environment.
ODIN’s mission is to deliver innovative, sustainable solutions that ensure essential and affordable access to library resources across North Dakota.
Office of Human Resources
The Office of Human Resources (OHR) is a small but vital team comprised of a director, one full-time staff member, and two part-time staff members who provides Administrative and HR services across CTS and support for the Chief Information Officer (CIO). Core responsibilities include employee development, performance management, conflict resolution, salary administration, and day-to-day HR operations. This team also manages all CTS travel requests/travel planning and provides basic admin assistant functions for our Fargo and Grand Forks offices.
OHR also assists CTS in shaping personnel policies and procedures, while offering coaching and mediation to supervisors and staff. Through recruitment, the office helps attract, develop, and retain a highly qualified and diverse workforce that strengthens the mission of CTS and NDUS.
Beyond CTS, the HR Director is a member of the NDUS Human Resource Council and advises the CIO on HR policies. Together, these efforts ensure consistent, effective, and people-centered HR practices across CTS.