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Executive Summary
The University has initiated an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) project, a University-wide initiative which was recommended by the Administrative Technology Committee and approved by the Board of Trustees. With a wide consensus in a participatory selection process, SunGard Banner has been selected as the core software to replace AIMS, along with various other software products that will support University business objectives. The University has also select Strata Information Group to provide implementation services which includes both project management services as well as functional area training and consulting.
On June 28, 2010 the following message from President Bob Weisbuch was sent to the campus community:
June 28, 2010
Dear Colleagues,
This week, the university will embark on an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) project, a long overdue campus-wide initiative that will replace AIMS, our 30-year-old administrative software, with SunGard Banner, a suite of newer, more advanced programs. Some of the benefits we can expect from this new system include:
- A portal that allows individual students, faculty and staff to see information that is specific to their identities and interests
- An online purchasing and procurement process, including online approvals
- A degree planning tool that allows students and advisors to plan and manage a student's entire program of study
- Online applications that tie directly into our admission databases
- The ability to offer students online room selection
The implementation effort will be overseen by an executive committee, which I have asked Alan Candiotti, assistant vice president, university technology, to chair. It will include members of both his staff and Cabinet.
The ERP Executive Committee's first task will be to identify project leaders for each of the major administrative areas. These individuals will serve on the front line throughout the process as members of a cross-functional Implementation Lead Team. I ask that vice presidents, deans and directors support this effort by making sure their departments are represented as needed and participate fully. The project includes a budget for supplemental staffing in areas that are severely impacted by the increased workload.
I have also asked the executive committee to ensure that the conversion process includes a thorough review and updating of our business processes. We would be missing a major and multifaceted opportunity if we did not explore how they might be streamlined or improved upon to better serve students, staff and faculty.
While we have a lot of work ahead of us, I am confident in our community's ability to meet the challenge and am excited about the enormous benefits it will yield for Drew. The leadership of the project is committed to its successful completion and will do its best to keep everyone informed about progress. Alan will be writing with more detailed information in the coming weeks.
Best,
Bob
Project Objectives
The expectations and objectives for the ERP project are:
- Replace functionality provided by AIMS and to retire the AIMS system by December, 2012
- Preserve the security and integrity of University data
- Leverage the investment in a new system by assessing and improving current practices and policies wherever practical and possible
- Improve staff access to reliable, consistent, and timely data; and eliminate redundancies
- Provide timely and accurate reports to the Board of Trustees, Executive Staff, and other Drew University constituents
- Enhance decision-making capabilities via accurate and timely access to appropriate data
- Deliver individualized information to students, faculty, and staff via a portal
- Preserve identity management and single sign-on functionality via a portal
- Streamline the purchasing and procurement process with online procedures, including online approvals
- Provide a degree planning tool that allows students and advisors to plan and manage a student's entire program of study
- Tie online application data directly into the admissions database
- Provide user offices with the tools for self-reliance, including reporting tools and distributed printing
- Create an environment that encourages quality and continuous improvement
Measures of Success
The Banner ERP implementation will be deemed successful when:
The University's faculty and staff can perform their job responsibilities effectively in Banner or other ancillary software without making use of AIMS by the production live dates described under Project Timeline.
The need for duplicate data entry and shadow databases has been greatly reduced or eliminated.
Ad hoc reporting capabilities are made available to departments.
All students, faculty and staff are provided direct access to a single integrated view of personalized information from the Luminis portal.
The University is able to communicate effectively with prospective students and applicants.
Project Scope
Banner modules and other Sungard Higher Education software purchased are:
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