Benefits of replacing the student information system are outlined in the Student Information System Replacement Project charter and white paper.

What a new system will do

In brief, a new system will provide easily usable and always accessible 24/7 online tools in support of learning.

• Enable delivery of improved services for students, staff and faculty, including extensive self-service capabilities for many tasks that require staff intervention today.

• Provide significantly improved user access to information and reporting tools and integration with other systems and advanced technology.

Due to technology innovations of recent years – innovations that will only accelerate – students, staff and faculty have understandable expectations for easily usable and always accessible 24/7 online tools in support of learning. While these capabilities exist in our current system, they have been developed as add-ons to the base system and exist as a patchwork of additional software, hardware and interfaces with different platforms, systems and data. Thus, the applications are highly complex and require both staff and down time for maintenance and to meet ever-updated regulatory requirements vs. what would be the case with a new, integrated system.

Benefits of a state-of-the-art SIS system

• Standardize business processes and streamline administrative tasks, thus saving time and resources, reducing operating expenses and providing of best practices solutions for faculty and staff.

• Keep pace with peer institutions in the recruitment of students, faculty and staff and in the administration of key programs and services.

• Develop real-time analytics to assist in achieving key strategic objectives, such as tracking and improving learning, student retention and more.

• Meet rapidly changing regulatory requirements in a timely manner.

• Provide modern self-service interfaces (portals and dashboards) for all users.

• Improved support and maintenance of business systems, minimizing disruptions of service to the campus community.

Risks of not replacing the SIS

• Competitive disadvantage with peer institutions that are able to more efficiently access data to support student recruitment, allocate student financial aid and pursue other mission-related activities. (Only nine percent of all higher education institutions build their own homegrown SIS systems.)

• Lack of flexibility to address changing needs of constituents and evolving business needs.

• Sole liability for maintaining data security and integrity, which is costly and time consuming.

• Inability to hire staff familiar with this system.

• Difficulty in meeting rapidly changing regulatory requirements, which could place federal and state aid at risk and create challenges in meeting reaccreditation standards.

• Difficulties and cost to integrate web interfaces with limited functionality.

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