Project Overview
For Students
For Faculty and Staff
Questions or Comments
SharePoint Project Site

The new Student Information System at Texas State University-San Marcos will change how students, faculty, and staff interact with the University's information systems, including common tasks such as billing, financial aid, grades, registration, housing, and other functions.

The primary mission of the project is to select a system that best meets the needs of the University community, including students. The number one mission statement is to "focus on the needs of our students through improved services that include web-based processes, e-commerce, and ease-of-access." The steering committee includes a wide variety of university community members, and we are working closely with faculty, staff, and students to gather input through all aspects of the project, including the following:

1. Current System Functions and Features: Discussing our current systems, including identifying parts of the system that work well, thoroughly documenting our current system, and identification of weaknesses in the current system.  This "as is" business process documentation is expected to be completed during the fall, 2007 semester and will include meetings with a wide variety of stakeholders from all campus divisions.
2. Ideal System: Discussing and brainstorming the ideal system that meets the University's various needs, including business processes, timely and effective access for students, faculty, and staff, and the commitment to remain a student centered system. All students enrolled at Texas State and all current faculty and staff will have the opportunity to participate in a survey.
3. Evaluation and Vendor Selection: A group of student, faculty, and staff representatives will provide input to the Project Sponsors and Executive Sponsors. All involved will view information and presentations from the top vendors selected for formal demonstrations and presentations.
4. Training: Faculty and staff will advise the SIS Project Team and training staff on the best methods to provide training and information about the new system.
5. Implementation: Students, faculty, and staff will help the SIS Project Team and Executive Sponsors with the announcement of the new system and will advise the staff on the best methods to roll out the new system.

SIS SharePoint Project Site

Technology Resources (TR) is hosting and managing the SIS project. To facilitate an easy flow of information among project participants and other faculty and staff interested in the SIS project, TR has created a Web site for document retrieval, information exchange, and archive. Access to the Web site is restricted, but all Texas State faculty and staff can log in using their normal authentication userid and password. To log in, you may need to preface your userid with the txstate domain name and a backslash, e.g., txstate\xx01.

The project Web site has the full project charter, minutes of all meetings, project schedule, individual workshop schedule, and lists of all workshop meetings. The SharePoint site (https://share.it.txstate.edu/sis) also has a complete list of staff and faculty involved in the project.

SIS Project Schedule

The full schedule for the SIS project is available from the SIS SharePoint Web site. In summary, the project is grouped into three stages:

• Phase I – Pre-Procurement Phase
  • Identification of current “As Is” business processes
  • Identification of future “To Be” business and technical requirements
  • Creation of the Request For Offers and the evaluation process

• Phase II – Procurement Phase
  • Evaluation and vendor selection
  • Business case development
  • Procurement of the Student Information System

• Phase III – Post-Procurement Phase
  • Formation of Project Team
  • Blueprinting of the Student Information System
  • Configuration
  • Testing
  • Training
  • Implementation

SIS Project Sponsors

Phase I Executive Sponsors

The SIS project is organized into several groups with documented roles and responsibilities. The highest-level functional group is the Executive Sponsor group. The Executive Sponsors are responsible for the overall direction of the project. They participate in senior-level University and project management meetings, represent the University on policy, budget, and/or project scope issues, and monitor project progress against published milestones. The Executive Sponsors also approve project plans, milestones and acceptance criteria. Executive Sponsors directly communicate the University’s long-term goals and visions.

Phase I Executive Sponsors are as follows:

• Dr. Perry Moore, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
• Mr. William Nance, Vice President for Finance and Support Services
• Dr. Joanne Smith, Vice President for Student Affairs
• Dr. C. Van Wyatt, Vice President for Information Technology

Phase I Project Sponsors

The Project Sponsors are the next level of project management and include staff members from a variety of campus offices, departments, and services. The Project Sponsors play essential problem solving, operational, support, and communications roles, remaining “in business” throughout Phase I of the SIS Project. The Project Sponsors help develop and review project plans, deliverables, and timelines proposed by the Project Manager. The Project Sponsors resolve issues that cannot be resolved by the Project Manager.

Phase I Project Sponsors are as follows:

• Dr. Michael Heintze, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management & Marketing
• Mark Hughes, Assistant Vice President for Technology Resources
• Kevin McCarty, Supervisor of System Services, Student Affairs
• Joe Meyer, Director, Institutional Research
• Bill Rampy, Director, Enterprise Systems
• Cindy Rodriguez, Director, Student Business Services
• Linda Safranski, Director, TR Project Management Office
• Don Volz, Director, IT Policy and Security
• Joe Williams, SIS Project Manager, TR Project Management Office
• Randy Young, Assistant Director, Enterprise Systems

Phase I Functional Leads

The Functional Area Leads are the next level of project management and are departments heads or senior managers in the primary services areas supported by the SIS system. This larger group will be the primary interface between the SIS Project Manager and the Functional Business Areas involved with Phase I of the Student Information System Project. Functional Leads provide direct information about the current "as built" system and the needs for new and changed processes for the new system. The lead will help ensure the overall project success by assisting in identifying workshop participants, actively participating and championing the workshops, and working with the functional team to review and revise the resulting documentation.

Phase I Functional Leads are as follows:

• Micky Autrey – Curriculum Management
• Rosanne Proite – Residence Life
• Mariko Gomez – Financial Aid
• Randi Simmons – Undergraduate Admissions
• Janet Moseley – Graduate Admissions
• Cindy Waggoner – Faculty Records 
• Lloydean Eckley – Registrar
• Ron Brown – Academic Advising
• Gary Springer – Degree Planning
• Cindy Kruckemeyer – Student Business Services 
• James Andrews – Extended and Distance Learning
• Joe Meyer – Reporting
• Sharon Nusbaum - Campus ID 
• Michael Farris - Learning Management
• Steve Prentice - Parking
• Dr. Verna Henson - Texas Success Initiative
• Isis Gomez - Study Abroad
• Bob Seese - International Students
• Linda Munoz - Texas State Intensive English
• Kolette Palacios - Continuing Education
• Lenee Lovejoy - College of Education
• Barbara Sanders - Department of Physical Therapy
• Patrice Werner - Curriculum and Instruction
• Paula Rechner - Department of Management

Who to contact: If you have questions about involvement in the SIS project, you should contact the functional lead that works in your area or department. If you do not see a functional lead that corresponds to your department or area, please contact one of the project sponsors. Dr. Michael Heintze can address concerns from faculty and academic staff. Ms. Cindy Kruckemeyer can respond to any questions or concerns from the division of Finance and Support Services. Mr. Kevin McCarty can respond to questions from the division of Student Affairs. Mr. Joe Williams can respond to questions or concerns from any other division or area not mentioned.

SIS Web Survey

The survey will provide several places for students to comment on current functions, processes, and services as well as features they would like to see in a new system.

The survey will be designed to allow each student to log-in only once to provide their comments. The survey will be publicized via e-mail to all students and through presentations at selected student organization meetings.