'New, all encompassing' University technical system to be completed by January 2011
By: Paige Hayter
Issue date: 10/29/09 Section: News
Over the next year the University technical system is getting a make-over.
After 15 years with the current University system, an upgrade is already underway that will encompass the entire campus including University finances, financial aid, human resources and a student administration section which will handle admissions, registration, records and accounts receivable.
The new all encompassing program is called SFA Axcess Project and was purchased from Banner, the same company that provided the current system.
The change to the Axcess Project format was started in 2007 when training began for the finance and student administration departments. The technical team has completed the most training at 94 percent, but the student administration and finance departments are close behind with 84 and 86 percent complete, respectively.
The human resources team was the last to start training, and will be the last to be included in the changeover.
Melinda Colby, assistant project director and communications specialist for the changeover, said she plans for the University to be completely on board by January 2011.
Currently the new system for the finance and student administration departments went into effect in September.
"Hours and hours have been spent creating the system," Colby said. "We are talking about thousands of records; not just students, but faculty and staff, too. It is not just flipping a switch."
Building the program to fit the University was also started in 2007, and the Information Technology (IT) team has been "such an integral piece to making it work," Colby said.
The process will take four years to finish, and that time will be spent finishing training sessions for each department and tweaking the system.
Sunguard, the makers of Banner, provide a university with the tools, software and training to get the program started, but it is up to each school to individualize the process.
Next week, there is another training session for the accounts receivable department. For three days, usually a Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the employees will be training from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
"When you're talking about all that goes into this program and how involved the process is, it's monumental," Colby said. "They provide software and assistance, but it is our responsibility to make it work for SFA."
"Banner is an internationally used system with many connections in times of trouble," Colby said. Since the current system is from Banner, there is a history and familiarity with the programs as well.
The Course Catalog, which not only includes the classes currently being offered at SFA, but also includes any class that has been or will be offered, will also be moved into the new system and is being worked on currently.
The next department to change over will be financial aid in February 2010, followed by student records in April 2010 and accounts receivable in August 2010.
For more information, contact the Axcess Project office at 468-6045 or 468-6046 or email them at Axcess@sfasu.edu.
After 15 years with the current University system, an upgrade is already underway that will encompass the entire campus including University finances, financial aid, human resources and a student administration section which will handle admissions, registration, records and accounts receivable.
The new all encompassing program is called SFA Axcess Project and was purchased from Banner, the same company that provided the current system.
The change to the Axcess Project format was started in 2007 when training began for the finance and student administration departments. The technical team has completed the most training at 94 percent, but the student administration and finance departments are close behind with 84 and 86 percent complete, respectively.
The human resources team was the last to start training, and will be the last to be included in the changeover.
Melinda Colby, assistant project director and communications specialist for the changeover, said she plans for the University to be completely on board by January 2011.
Currently the new system for the finance and student administration departments went into effect in September.
"Hours and hours have been spent creating the system," Colby said. "We are talking about thousands of records; not just students, but faculty and staff, too. It is not just flipping a switch."
Building the program to fit the University was also started in 2007, and the Information Technology (IT) team has been "such an integral piece to making it work," Colby said.
The process will take four years to finish, and that time will be spent finishing training sessions for each department and tweaking the system.
Sunguard, the makers of Banner, provide a university with the tools, software and training to get the program started, but it is up to each school to individualize the process.
Next week, there is another training session for the accounts receivable department. For three days, usually a Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the employees will be training from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
"When you're talking about all that goes into this program and how involved the process is, it's monumental," Colby said. "They provide software and assistance, but it is our responsibility to make it work for SFA."
"Banner is an internationally used system with many connections in times of trouble," Colby said. Since the current system is from Banner, there is a history and familiarity with the programs as well.
The Course Catalog, which not only includes the classes currently being offered at SFA, but also includes any class that has been or will be offered, will also be moved into the new system and is being worked on currently.
The next department to change over will be financial aid in February 2010, followed by student records in April 2010 and accounts receivable in August 2010.
For more information, contact the Axcess Project office at 468-6045 or 468-6046 or email them at Axcess@sfasu.edu.
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