Rate My Professor Tony Rac

Tony Rac is the IT Projects Manager within the Information Technology Services Division at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. In this role, he oversees key IT projects aimed at enhancing the university's technological infrastructure and operational efficiency. Notably, Rac served as the Project Manager for the University of Otago Digital Workspace Programme (OUDW), a major initiative that has significantly transformed IT management at the institution. Launched to modernize workstations and streamline IT support, the OUDW project achieved remarkable results, including halving the time staff spend on IT procurement, an 85 percent reduction in physical visits by staff to resolve IT-related queries, and a two-thirds decrease in resolution time for software installations. At its peak, the project conducted 90 thirty-minute workstation assessments and 130 IT device deployments per week. Staff satisfaction was exceptionally high, with very positive survey results consistently received on all indicators and the overall device replacement experience averaging a rating of 4.4 out of 5. Rac praised the deployment team's dedication to customer service and their ability to adapt under challenging circumstances. Additionally, the project promoted sustainability by redeploying 60 percent of recovered devices and responsibly managing 40 percent through e-waste processes.

Tony Rac also contributes as a Senior Analyst in the University of Otago's Project Management Office (PMO), which was established in 2018. An independent assessment by Crystal Consulting, using the Axelos P3M3 model, awarded the PMO an organizational maturity score of 3.15 out of 5. This score surpassed similar global education and academic organizations in all 21 elements and New Zealand state sector organizations in 20 of 21 elements. The PMO demonstrated particular strength in portfolio management (certification score of 3, diagnostic 3.45), project management (3.31, described as very strong), and financial management (above 3.40 across all areas). Programme management scored 2.6, with recommendations for increased utilization. The PMO provides centralized oversight of projects, programmes, and portfolios, focusing on benefits realization, risk management, stakeholder engagement, finances, and resource allocation. It operates within the Operations Group, aligning with the university's strategic vision to deliver outstanding experiences and enable key priorities.