Frequently Asked Questions
- What is The BATTERY Project?
- What is an ERP System?
- Why do we need The BATTERY Project now?
- What is the Scope of BATTERY?
- Who is responsible for the BATTERY Project?
- When will the BATTERY Project take place?
1 . What is The BATTERY Project?
The BATTERY Project is a multi-year, multi-million dollar effort to choose and implement a new suite of computer programs that will provide greater access for faculty, staff and students, and improve the operations of the College in areas such as admissions, financial aid, student records, finance and advancement.
An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System is an integrated suite of administrative software systems that will serve the entire campus. One main component of an ERP System is a common data source – a single database that will be connected to all users and systems.
3 . Why do we need The BATTERY Project now?
Our primary computer systems were 'mature' when implemented at the College in 1989-90. Now they are, in a word, obsolete. So obsolete, in fact, that the vendor is discontinuing support of them in 2010. The new, up-to-date technology will provide better and expanded services. It will provide easier access to information, increase levels of confidence in data accuracy, eliminate labor-intensive manual processes and streamline critical business processes for many departments.
4 . What is the Scope of BATTERY?
All the current administrative information processing at the College is within the scope of the BATTERY project. Specifically included are the student and finance and human resources programs provided by the vendor SunGard SCT (SIS, FRS, HRS); the imaging / processing prototype programs (FRED); Recruitment Plus used by Admissions; Raiser’s Edge and Net Community used in Institutional Advancement; and the tens of ‘shadow’ systems created independently by administrative offices to creatively supplement the primary, but inadequate, application programs.
5 . Who is responsible for the BATTERY Project?
The BATTERY Project is led by cross-functional teams comprised of leaders from various functional, technical and academic areas.
Priscilla Burbage, Vice President for Fiscal Affairs, is the Project Manager for BATTERY.
The Executive Steering Committee consists of Senior Vice Presidents Bob Cape (Information Technology), Steve Osborne (Financial Affairs), Sue Sommer-Kresse Institutional Advancement), Victor Wilson (Student Affairs) and Provost Elise Jorgens.
The College has also enlisted Collegiate Project Services to provide professional project management consulting services throughout the BATTERY Project. Collegiate Project Services will act as a partner to the College and will work with the selected ERP vendor to deliver a successful implementation.
- See roles and responsibilities for BATTERY teams and leadership.
- Learn more about Collegiate Project Services.
6 . When will the BATTERY Project take place?
The College initiated the planning phases of the BATTERY Project in the Fall of 2006. The planning phase will continue thru the winter of 2008, which includes conducting a detailed ERP Readiness Assessment, completing a review of current business processes, identify and prioritizing requirements for the new system, and ultimately selecting the new ERP system and vendor.
Implementation is targeted to begin in March of 2008. The new system implementation will be complete by December 2010.