ERP Assessment
Ohio University is assessing its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platforms and closely related applications that support three core university capabilities: human resources, finance, and student administration. This assessment will focus on the effectiveness of business processes (hiring, onboarding, paying invoices, enrolling for classes, etc.) and their implementation in a system (Oracle E-Business Suite, Workforce, Concur, BobcatBuy, PeopleSoft, Faculty and Advising Center, OCEAN, etc.).
This assessment is the first phase of a multi-phase approach to evaluating, selecting, and eventually implementing a new digital ecosystem to support core university functions and modernize how Ohio University works to support the student, employee, and community experience.
Goals
The purpose of this assessment is to develop a comprehensive, long-term strategy for our ERP ecosystem. During the assessment, we will:
- Evaluate how modern technology and business processes can improve our operations and experiences
- Create a roadmap for replacing our ERP systems
- Analyze the resources and costs required to replace our ERP systems
Timeline and Activities
The ERP assessment work began in summer 2024 and will be completed in late fall 2024. After recommendations are received, the steering committee will review and determine the next steps. Decisions about specific technology platforms will be made in a later phase, after the assessment is complete.
Activities planned for the assessment include:
- Interviews with leadership to understand OHIO’s strategies and needs
- Interviews with technical staff to assess current technological capabilities
- Business process analysis to identify areas for increased efficiency and improvement
- Functional diagnostic questionnaire to understand how the systems are currently used
- Organizational readiness assessment to evaluate potential risks and OHIO’s readiness for change
Leadership
The ERP Assessment is governed by a steering committee made up of university leaders in finance, human resources, research, student services, and information technology.
| Member | Title |
|---|---|
| Julie Allison | Associate Vice President, Finance |
| Chris Ament (co-sponsor) | Chief Information Officer |
| Deb Benton | Associate Provost for Student Success Technology Strategy |
| Candace Boeninger | Vice President for Enrollment Management |
| John Day | Interim Chief Financial Officer and Vice President for Finance and Administration |
| David Koonce | Dean of Graduate College |
| Donald Leo | Executive Vice President and Provost |
| Mary Elizabeth Miles (co-sponsor) | Vice President of Human Resources |
| Eric Muth | Vice President of Research and Creative Activity |
| Sarah Poggione | Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education |
| Lyn Redington | Vice President for Student Affairs |
| Megan Vogel | Chief of Staff, VP for Student Affairs |
Our Partners
OHIO has partnered with the Huron Consulting Group, a firm with higher education ERP system expertise, to complete the ERP Assessment. Huron’s OHIO team is led by the following individuals:
- Matt Jones – Managing Director, mjones@hcg.com
- Jonathan Krasnov – Functional Advisory, jkrasnov@hcg.com
- Ty Duval – Technical Advisory, tduval@hcg.com
- Melanie Smith – Project Director, mesmith@hcg.com
- Rory Pavach – Manager, rpavach@hcg.com
- Ashley Pierce – Project Consultant, apierce@hcg.com
Previous Communication
| Date | Channel | Communication |
|---|---|---|
| August 14, 2024 | Business Process Analysis introduction | |
| July 24, 2024 | OHIO News article | OHIO to assess key business practices and supporting technology |
| July 23, 2024 | Organizational Readiness Assessment introduction | |
| July 23, 2024 | Functional Diagnostic Questionnaire introduction |