The University of Windsor is engaging in a process to update its software infrastructure to support the long-term needs of the institution. The campus will be embarking on an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation.  The initial focus of the project will be on a Student Information System, a new Financial Information System, and a Customer Relationship Management System.

This initiative reflects the reality that the University’s current software backbone no longer meets the needs of students today and into the future.  Systems that support student success will be the primary focus of this initiative.  In addition, the current Financial Information System (FIS) will be upgraded to provide improved financial support for the University’s stakeholders.      

The system solution will be guided by the following University strategic priorities:

• Exceptional undergraduate experience – Build a student support network that emphasizes independent learning, interdisciplinary opportunities, flexibility in degree completion pathways, and successful year-to-year transition.
• Strengths in research and graduate education – Provide a system to support the needs of graduate education that allows administrators to track student progress, properly comply with research grant requirements, and ensure flexibility in degrees and programs. 
• Recruit and retain the best faculty and staff – Provide faculty with a cohesive view of student information not currently available and empower faculty to manage administrative activities such as course management, thus lessening the administrative burden. 
• Engage the community in partnerships – Provide a system that can track and give insight to data from community partnerships and joint initiatives. 
• Promote international engagement – Support and enhance the University’s global recruitment and use administrative systems to improve efficiencies for international applicants. 

A Steering Committee has been established to provide oversight to this important initiative for the campus.  Members of the ERP Steering Committee include:

1. Sandra Aversa, Co-Chair, Vice-President, Planning & Administration
2. Alice Miller, Co-Chair, Registrar
3. Douglas Kneale, Provost and Vice-President, Academic
4. Rita LaCivita, Vice-President, Human Resources
5. John Coleman, Director, Public Affairs and Communications
6. Bala Kathiresan, Executive Director, Information Technology Services 
7. Ryan Kenney, Assistant Director, Information Technology Services (Project Lead)
8. Jaydee Tarpeh, President, UWSA

A Core Working Group has been established for this initiative and includes individuals from across the campus.  This Working Group will be dedicated to the project on a full-time basis and will work with the students, faculty and staff during the implementation. Members of the Core Working Group include:

1. Ryan Kenney, Assistant Director, Information Technology Services – Project Lead
2. Cathy Crowley, Systems Analyst
3. Elizabeth Felet, Financial Systems Supervisor
4. Lorraine Grondin, Assistant to the Dean – Administrative & Financial
5. Chris Lanoue, Manager – Student Accounts & Receivables
6. Paula McAllister – Office of the Vice-President, Planning & Administration – Special Projects
7. John Osborne, Internal Audit Manager
8. Part-time Communication Person – to be appointed

The Steering Committee is committed to engaging the campus as it works through the implementation.  A website is currently under development and will seek to provide updates on this initiative.  At the current time, the Steering Committee is developing a Request for Proposal that will identify the best system solution for UWindsor.  This stage of the project is targeted for completion by Winter 2016.    

We look forward to working with the campus on a system solution that will meet the needs of the University’s students, faculty and staff in delivering an exceptional student experience.