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CWRU continues to collect input on the data
needs of faculty, staff and students and will soon learn what
integrated, campus-wide software solutions are possible.
The nearly 250 people who participated in
the UWIN2, or University-wide Integrated Information System, readiness
assessment are expected to attend an on-campus retreat July 30
and 31, during which three Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
companies will provide an overview of their services. The companies
are Oracle, PeopleSoft and SCT.
Information from the retreat, as well as
from online surveys completed by hundreds of CWRU employees, will
then be used by the UWIN2 Planning Committee to spell out the
specifics of a new, campus-wide system for transactions, records
and data.
"This project will provide an information
technology system that will bring all the different areas of the
University together in a way that has never been done before,"
said Bob Jefferis, UWIN2 project director "The software suite
will support faculty, staff and students' efforts in ways that
will make their jobs easier and create numerous opportunities
for growth."
After the planning committee develops the
specifics of a system, an RFP, or request for proposal, will be
issued. The top two bidding vendors will return for a campus-wide
open forum in early October. Additional companies will then be
identified to meet any specific needs not covered by the main
software system.
"We are looking at integrated vendor solutions
but will almost certainly require more than one company to provide
all the different services our faculty, staff and students need,"
Jefferis said. "After a main vendor is selected, the committee
will begin soliciting input and look at 'best of breed' providers
who can interface with the main vendor and better fulfill unmet
functions."
Members of the CWRU community who have yet
to provide input as to their software needs can contact a member
of the planning committee for directions on how to access the
online survey or for an invitation to the retreat. The committee
is focusing on input from subject-matter experts.
"Faculty, staff and student input is so
important to this project. We are happy to see so many taking
advantage of the opportunities to participate in this open and
collaborative planning process," Jefferis said. "We can't do this
without them."
Employees also can provide input during monthly brown bag information
sessions the second Thursday of each month. The next forum is
from noon to 1 p.m. August 8 in 13 Crawford Hall. Information
on the initiative is also available online at http://www.cwru.edu/its/uwin2.
Christine Ash, associate dean of finance
and administration for the School of Engineering is chair of the
UWIN2 Planning Committee.
Committee members are: Donald Chenelle,
director of financial aid; Amy Hammett, University registrar;
Laurie Melville, assistant controller; Madelyn Miller, director
development services; Laura Tanski, director of University budgets;
Marian Hogue, dean of academic affairs, Weatherhead School; Edward
Bruss , director of finance and planning; Dan Dowhower, assistant
director undergraduate admission; Susan Frey; director of finance
and administration School of Nursing; Bob Kosek, director of administration
and budgets, College of Arts and Sciences; Lenore Kola, dean of
graduate studies; John Smolik, director of finance and operations,
School of Dentistry; Pat Coburn, research systems analyst; Tim
Dodd, associate dean undergraduate studies; Carolyn Gregory, director
of employee benefits; Wally Gingerich, associate dean, Mandel
School; Pat Kost, director of finance and administration, School
of Law.
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