For over 30 years, Texas State University-San Marcos has effectively developed and utilized a custom-built student information system (SIS).  The latest iteration of this system has been in use for 16 years and runs exclusively on a technical platform that is on the trailing edge of its life cycle and is no longer well supported in the marketplace.  While we have done a good job supporting and enhancing this system, its underlying technology is becoming increasingly more obsolete and more difficult and costly to enhance and maintain.  Technical support staff with the requisite skill sets are ever more difficult and expensive to find and hire.  Interfaces between the current SIS system and other systems are also increasingly more difficult to modify and enhance.
 

Today, fewer and fewer universities are choosing to custom build their own student systems, opting instead for vendor-supplied and supported systems.  Vendor-supplied systems are intended to provide easy to use Web-based interfaces in a highly configurable and flexible architecture.  They are designed to reduce the time and effort required for initial implementation, as well as the cycle time required to accommodate changes in business needs.  These systems are designed to achieve more rapid solution creation, modification, and implementation.  They utilize common, industry standard hardware, software, and SQL databases that are on the leading edge of their life cycles and are supported by multiple, mainstream vendors.  An easy to use, full featured, Web-based student information system is likely to be a significant asset in attracting and retaining a high quality student body.

Banner is a widely-used collegiate ERP system created by SunGard Higher Education.  It is composed of modules that support common functions in the business areas of student records, admissions, recruiting, financial aid, finance, human resources, and advancement.  It is a tightly-integrated suite of proven, scalable, enterprise-wide applications on a single database, designed to support institutions of all sizes and types.

Texas State University-San Marcos will implement modules that will support Student Recruiting and Admissions, Registration and Records, Financial Aid, Student Billing, and Enrollment Management.

Other modules will include the Luminis portal, Operational Data Store (ODS), Electronic Data Warehouse (EDW), Degreeworks, Campus Loan Manager, Cognos, Workflow, and Banner Document Management System (BDMS).  Working with these will be third party collaborative systems well as the applications created and supported directly by Technology Resources.

Existing business processes are currently being evaluated by the project team.  Current systems that are supporting business processes handled by Banner will be replaced, such as VMS (TEGAN, NYSSA).  DARS will be replaced by DegreeWorks.  RMS will be replaced by Adirondack, and Clancy will be replaced by T2.  Other systems will need to be retained and interfaces will be created to integrate to the SIS System.

The new Student Information System at Texas State 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 new SIS will provide the administrative and academic units timely and consistent data. Enhanced reporting capability will enable the university to meet ever-increasing needs for information.  In addition, electronic workflow and increased self-service will enhance communication and provide better customer service to students, faculty, and staff.

Click here to view the project schedule and milestones.

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. 

Executive Sponsors are as follows:

• Dr. Michael Heintze, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing
• 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

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.  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. 

Project Sponsors are as follows:

• Dr. Michael Heintze - Enrollment Management & Marketing
• Mr. Mark Hughes - Technology Resources
• Mr. Kevin McCarty - Student Affairs
• Mr. Joseph Meyer - Institutional Research
• Ms. Lloydean Eckley - Records and Registration
• Ms. Valarie Van Vlack - Student Business Services
• Dr. Chris Murr - Financial Aid
• Dr. Debbie Thorne - Academic Affairs, Non-Traditional Students
• Ms. Stephanie Anderson - Admission & Enrollment
• Dr. Susan Day - Colleges
• Dr. Sandhya Rao – Graduate College
• Ms. Janet Moseley - Graduate College
• Mr. Greg Steadman – IT Auditor
• Mr. Joe Williams - SIS Project Manager
• Mr. Bill Churchman - SunGard Project Manager

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 site is restricted, but all Texas State faculty and staff can log in using their normal NetID and password.

The SIS Project Web site contains the project charter, status reports, meeting minutes, project schedule, scheduled meeting calendars, and project presentations.  The SharePoint site also contains a complete list of staff and faculty involved in the project.

Please send an e-mail to SISProjectInfo@txstate.edu. A reply will be made directly to you, and we may post the question if it is a common question or concern.