September, 2008
Dear Hobart and William Smith Community,
I am pleased to provide this update on our Enterprise Information Systems Program and the PeopleSoft implementation. At the time of my update letter on this program last year, members of the implementation teams had recently completed their initial training and were beginning the work of configuring and preparing PeopleSoft for HWS operational use. I am happy to report that the teams have completed much of the initial planned implementation of the PeopleSoft suite across key areas of Admissions, Finance, Human Resources, Student Services, and the Office of the Registrar.
In the Fall of 2007, our colleagues in Admissions completed the first phase of the PeopleSoft implementation, which provided new tools and processes for managing prospects and applications. Also implemented in Admissions were new reporting capabilities that enabled real time analysis of inquiry and application information and trends. Admissions is currently completing the second phase of their implementation which will allow for web-based, customized communication with prospects.
The Office of the Registrar began their phased implementation with the publication of Course Catalog in the Spring of 2008. In April, they delivered the ability to monitor advisor holds during registration on PeopleSoft while registrations continued to take place in our legacy systems. In June, all new incoming students were registered into classes using PeopleSoft - and as we begin the new academic year - all student records are now available in PeopleSoft. This enables all students and faculty to process add/drop and other academic transactions using PeopleSoft. Over the next few months, training will be provided for Advising and Grading, and in November we plan to complete the final milestone for the Registrar’s Office with all students using PeopleSoft to complete their Spring registration.
In June of 2008, Human Resources launched Human Resources Management for managing employee information, benefits information, and payroll. At the same time, the Business Office went live with a suite of financial applications including general ledger, budgeting, ePurchasing, and accounts payable. During the summer, Residential Education began using PeopleSoft and Odyssey Housing Management to manage the placement of incoming students in their residences.
Each of the implementation teams will continue to roll out new capabilities during the coming year. I encourage you to check this web site from time to time for key project updates. The Enterprise Information System Program and the PeopleSoft implementation are transformative events, and we will continue to learn how to use these new tools and processes, as we proceed on a path of continuous improvement.
This has been a major undertaking and I would like to acknowledge the commitment, participation, and support that we have seen from faculty, staff, and students during the project. On behalf of our Board of Trustees, I want to thank the entire community for advancing the Colleges in this important area.
Sincerely,
If you have questions or comments about the Enterprise Information System, contact Jeremy Trumble at jtrumble@hws.edu.
