• Section 1 - Summary
• Section 2 - TEQSA/ASQA/ESOS Alignment
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Definitions
• Section 5 - Policy/Regulation
• Section 6 - Procedures
• Part A - Summary of Roles and Responsibilities
• Part B - Procurement
• Procurement of IT Assets
• Procurement of Software
• Part C - IT Support
• Part D - Disposal of IT assets
• Return of IT assets 
• Transfer of IT assets 
• Disposal of an IT asset
• Damaged or lost IT asset
• Sale or donation of an IT asset 

Section 1 - Summary

(1) This Procedure supports the IT Asset Policy and defines the procedures for the procurement, support, management and proper disposal of University IT assets and software.  

Section 2 - TEQSA/ASQA/ESOS Alignment

(2) HESF: Standard 2.1 Facilities and Infrastructure, 7.3 Information Management.

Section 3 - Scope

(3) This Policy applies to:

1. Victoria University (VU) employees, students, contractors and third party service providers;
2. University procured and supplied Information and Communications Technology computer equipment, hardware and electronic devices;
3. Software and applications used with University computers, laptops, servers, devices, personal devices or through a virtual desktop environment. 

(4) This Procedure excludes cloud storage and similar services. The Cloud Storage Procedure applies to the use of cloud solutions for sharing or storing University files and data.

(5) This Procedure excludes the procedures for the evaluation, selection, procurement and management of business and research applications either in-house or outsourced. See Business Application Procedure.

Section 4 - Definitions

(6) Managed Operating Environment (MOE): A MOE (Managed Operating Environment) is where software is mediated by the central management/deployment server. This means that most software requests, modifications, and/or fixes, can be delivered remotely.  

(7) Staff

Section 5 - Policy/Regulation

(8) IT Asset Policy

Section 6 - Procedures

Part A - Summary of Roles and Responsibilities

Part B - Procurement

Procurement of IT Assets

(9) DCS conducts periodic reviews and testing of brands of IT assets including computing equipment, peripheral items, smartphones, tablets and IT accessories to ensure products meet University requirements.

(10) DCS tested and recommended IT assets and accessories can be purchased for VU employee and student use from University preferred suppliers by completing a Procurement form (Mobile Phone Order form or PC Hardware Purchase form) from the IT Service Catalog via the VU Support Hub.  

(11) All requests for new IT assets must be authorised by an approved cost-centre delegate.

(12) Staff will be allocated one computer asset and standard peripherals for business needs under the single computer asset rule. Upon receipt of a new IT asset, staff are required to return the existing asset and/or peripherals.  

(13) Laptops should be equipped with a docking monitor, docking station or port replicator to connect to a monitor, keyboard, mouse and other peripherals. Business units are responsible for purchasing any additional equipment or peripherals for new laptops.

(14) The configuration of workstations in new or refurbished spaces will be setup to support a single computer asset and standard peripheral desk setup as listed in the product catalogue.

(15) Requests for University procured smartphones or tablets will only be granted based on a demonstrated business need and commitment from the employee’s business unit to fund the purchase and on-going costs associated with the allocation of a device.

(16) Where appropriate, and in keeping with VU’s Sustainability Policy commitments, an IT asset that is available for redeployment or can be reused may be provided to staff instead of fulfilling an order for a new IT asset. 

Procurement of Software

(17) A standard suite of software will be installed on University procured IT assets including computers, laptops and devices. A standard suite of software will also be installed on University computers located in physical computer laboratories. 

(18) DCS maintains a catalogue of software and applications that can be installed on University IT assets and provides assistance with the acquisition of other software packages that are not part of the University's standard software suite or software catalogue to ensure reduced costs.

(19) Requests to install or purchase software from the catalogue or requests for other software for business, research or academic purposes can be made submitting a Software Install Request form from the IT Service Catalog via the VU Support Hub. Lead times apply for all software installation requests. All new software will be tested by DCS to ensure that it is compatible with the University IT asset infrastructure. 

(20) Installation of some software and applications including administrative software will only be installed on IT assets for use by staff who require it for their job duties, project responsibilities, and other business activities and may be subject to business owner approval. See Information Security - User Access Management Procedure.

(21) License costs may apply for some software or applications. Where a cost is associated with the acquisition, installation or use of a software product or application, the request must be authorised by an approved cost-centre delegate.

(22) All users must comply with any licensing terms and conditions and make themselves aware of their obligations when installing and using any software or application on a University IT asset including but not limited to any installation requirements or usage restrictions.

(23) Staff should inform the IT Customer Support Desk of software that has been previously purchased or installed on an IT asset and is no longer required so that it can be removed. 

Part C - IT Support

(24) DCS will provide support and assistance services for staff and students using University IT assets including hardware and software installation, configuration and technical support.

(25) DCS will provide support for the standard suite of software installed on University IT assets and software purchased or installed from the software catalogue. Installation only support will be provided for other software. DCS does not install trial versions as part of the installation process and will only install software on an IT asset which can be shown to be licensed.  

(26) Computing equipment, devices and IT accessories that are not purchased or leased through University preferred suppliers may not be compatible with the University’s IT asset infrastructure and therefore cannot be fully supported by DCS. 

(27) Limited technical support and IT assistance is provided to staff and students using personal devices and computing equipment and devices not purchased or leased through University preferred suppliers.

(28) IT assets should be replaced at regular intervals due to obsolescence or as a result of major upgrades. Computing equipment including laptops under lease agreement will be replaced at the end of lease.   

Part D - Disposal of IT assets

Return of IT assets 

(29) Staff must return all IT assets in their possession to the University upon termination of their employment. It is the staff member’s line manager’s responsibility to ensure all IT assets are returned to the University and recorded in the Offboarding checklist. 

(30) IT assets that are no longer required or returned at end of employment can be returned to Asset Management Office (Finance).  

1. Organisational units may contact the Asset Management Office (at VU.Assets@vu.edu.au) to book the University’s nominated removalist service to arrange for the collection and delivery of IT assets to the Asset Management Office.
2. IT assets may be left at designated drop off points on University campus for return to the Asset Management Office. 

(31) All University data and information including University software and applications must be removed from personal devices at end of employment or enrolment at VU.

Transfer of IT assets 

(32) All IT assets transferred to a new custodian, organisational unit or location must be reported to Strategic Capital Management. 

(33) The IT Asset Transfer/Disposal Form must be completed for the transfer or relocation of IT assets in accordance with Finance policies and associated procedures.

(34) Smartphones may be transferred from one staff member to another within the same department if approved by the head of Department. Permanent transfers to another staff member must be reported to IT Customer Support Desk. 

Disposal of an IT asset

(35) The sanitisation, destruction and disposal methods and techniques used to dispose of IT assets must ensure that access to or recovery of University information and data is impossible or impractical.

(36) IT assets must be sanitised including removal of all University information and data prior to disposal, destruction or return at the end of a lease agreement in accordance with the Information Security Policy and IT Security Standards. 

(37) IT assets should be decommissioned prior to end of the hardware manufacturer or software last day of support (LDOS) and removed from the University network.  

(38) The University’s nominated disposal service contracted to dispose of IT assets will provide a certificate of data destruction as part of the disposal process.

(39) IT asset disposal/transfer forms must be completed for the disposal of IT assets in accordance with Finance policies and associated procedures.

Damaged or lost IT asset

(40) In the case of loss, destruction or damage of a leased or University-owned IT asset by burglary, housebreaking, larceny, theft or any such attempt, the police are to be notified immediately and a police report recorded.

(41) All damaged and lost IT assets must be reported to the IT Customer Support Desk and Strategic Capital Management. The IT Asset Transfer/Disposal Form must also be completed for a damaged or lost IT asset in accordance with Finance policies and associated procedures. 

(42) IT assets under lease agreement will be covered for the replacement of damaged or faulty IT equipment. 

Sale or donation of an IT asset 

(43) The sale or donation of an IT asset must be reported to Strategic Capital Management and all sales and payment processes are followed including the completion of the IT Asset Transfer/Disposal Form in accordance with Finance policies and associated procedures.

(44) IT assets under lease agreement must be returned to the University and cannot be sold or donated. 

(45) The sale of an IT asset to a VU employee must produce maximum benefit for the University and meet the following criteria:

1. The sale is authorised by the employee’s line manager and final approval from the Chief Digital Officer and Executive Director Campus Services;
2. Evidence of the determination of the sale price as well as the original purchase price of the IT asset is to be documented. 
3. The final sale price of an IT asset is set according to:
   1. Original value based on 100% of the original purchase price of the item if the item is 4 years old or less; or
   2. Current market value of the item taking into consideration the age, condition and remaining use of life of the item if the item is more than 4 years old and out of warranty.
   3. Include all costs and charges associated with preparing an IT asset for final sale or donation.
4. There is no perceived conflict of interest in the sale of an IT asset to the employee in accordance with the Appropriate Workplace Behaviour Policy. 

(46) The IT asset must be sanitised in accordance with the disposal clause within this procedure, regardless of the asset value, including: 

1. A complete erasure of all data or reset to factory settings is to be performed on the IT asset and verified by DCS and signed-off by a senior member of DCS prior to finalisation of the sale or donation. 

(47) The person receiving the sold or donated IT asset is responsible for the maintenance, set-up and connectivity of the asset including all costs, charges and fees associated with operating system support, software and subscriptions.