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INDIANA UNIVERSITY TO RE-ENGINEER
INSTITUTIONAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Indiana University today (May 3) announced a major five-year initiative to completely re-engineer its central university-wide information systems.
These are the large computer systems that carry out the central administrative business of the university such as enrolling and registering students, managing personnel, and running the university's finances. Many of these systems are nearly 20 years old and based on obsolete technology.
Using state-of-the-art products from leading software companies PeopleSoft, Oracle and Compuware, as well as IBM hardware, the university will introduce the first components of a new, integrated environment for these university information systems beginning in the spring of 2000. This is the largest software development project that IU has ever carried out.
"Indiana University administrative and technology experts are joining forces as an integrated team to produce new systems that will revolutionize the way IU provides services to students, faculty, parents and staff on all campuses," said IU President Myles Brand. "These new systems will enormously expand the range of services and support that IU will be able to provide to all its constituents."
Major new systems to be developed include a student information system, a human resources management system, a library information system, financial systems, procurement systems and an electronic research administration system. Plans include a customizable, Web-based environment for students to register, pay fees, take part in advising, and check course and degree requirements.
Faculty and staff will be able to access and change their demographic data and get information about their current benefits and benefits options. Researchers will use an information system that facilitates submitting proposals for sponsored research. The university expects to complete the implementation of these new information systems by 2005.
IU's administrative units are responsible for the administrative practices and procedures that underpin the university's primary missions of teaching, learning, research and service, and these practices and procedures are reflected in IU's information systems. The development of the new systems will cause a major transformation over the next five years in the way IU does business, with the university becoming more responsive to its customers' needs and more effective and efficient.
Michael McRobbie, IU vice president for information technology and chief information officer, announced that the most immediate priority is a new student information system. "This system will make a significant contribution to Indiana University's goals for recruitment and retention. It will enable students to move through the administrative processes required with ease and absence of bureaucracy."
He noted that the university's Information Technology Strategic Plan calls for the university to give priority to a new student information system, adding that "for IU students, the quality of service and ability to access information is of paramount concern in a new student system."
IU is working closely with three of the world's leading software vendors in this initiative -- PeopleSoft, Oracle and Compuware -- and with the world's largest information technology company, IBM, to provide the hardware infrastructure. The model that the university is using to design, develop and implement these systems with vendor partners will be among the most advanced in higher education.
"PeopleSoft is providing leading-edge software solutions designed to streamline communications and administrative functions of higher education institutions, so that they can concentrate on their core mission of education," said Paul Salsgiver, president of PeopleSoft Education and Government. "Through our Web-enabled applications, Indiana University will be able to deliver more information and enhanced processing capabilities to faculty and staff with ease and efficiency, as well as deliver more self-service options to students and prospective students."
"Oracle is the overwhelming platform of choice by institutions implementing PeopleSoft products and is overall the leading platform for Internet-enabled solutions for corporations and universities," said Dr. Joseph A. Chalmers, vice president of Oracle Higher Education. He added that IU's acquisition of Oracle's leading-edge Internet platform will ensure the best implementation of these new information systems.
Compuware is a leading provider of software products and professional services that help improve productivity for information technology organizations. According to Compuware President and Chief Operating Officer Joe Nathan, "Our tools will be an integral part of the supporting architecture for the new enterprise information systems, and we are delighted to partner with Indiana University on this initiative."
IU is one of the oldest state universities in the Midwest and one of the largest universities in the United States, with more than 100,000 students, faculty and staff on eight campuses. For the third year in a row, IU Bloomington was ranked among the top 10 "most wired public universities" by Yahoo! Internet Life. The IU Financial Information System (FIS) transaction system was the first enterprise class client/server system implemented in higher education, and its functionality continues to meet or exceed that of competitive systems. IU also created the annual WebdevShare conference that focuses on Web-based administrative applications in higher education. For more information about IU, go to its Web site at http://www.indiana.edu
PeopleSoft (NASDAQ: PSFT) is a global supplier of enterprise application software for business and government. PeopleSoft solutions for manufacturing, supply chain, financial, project and human resource management are used by more than 3,000 customers worldwide. PeopleSoft is currently developing the PeopleSoft Business Network (PSBN), a network of e-business applications and content that unleashes the power of people to work and transact business in the Internet-enabled world. PSBN incorporates business transactions, knowledge and sophisticated analytics within and across enterprise boundaries, and makes all of this content available to employees, customers and suppliers through a personalized, easy-to-use Internet portal. Headquartered in Pleasanton, Calif., PeopleSoft employs more than 6,600 people and had 1998 revenues of $1.3 billion. For more information, go to http://www.peoplesoft.com
Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corp.
Compuware productivity solutions help 14,000 of the world's largest corporations more efficiently maintain and enhance their most critical business applications. Providing immediate and measurable return on information technology investments, Compuware products and services prove quality, lower costs and increase the speed at which systems can be developed, implemented and supported. Compuware employs more than 11,000 information technology professionals worldwide, including more than 7,000 in its professional services organization. With fiscal 1999 revenues of more than $1.6 billion, Compuware is the world leader in client/server development technology. For more information on Compuware, please contact the corporate offices at 800-521-9353. Compuware also can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.compuware.com
(Karen Adams, 812-856-5596, kadams@indiana.edu or DeAnna Hines, 812-855-0850, djhines@indiana.edu)