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From Silos to Sharing: An Institutional Research View of the Conversion to an ERP

This case study describes the events from 2003 to the present surrounding the implementation of a relational student information Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. The introduction and implementation of an ERP to a campus that previously engaged separate stand-alone administrative computer components is indeed a cultural and philosophical shift. Campus leaders must not discount the importance and to some degree, acceptance, of these shifts. Multiple factors have to come together to make the ERP a successful venture. We found that continuous communication and a sense of ownership aided the cultural shift. At the beginning of any institution-wide project, all the stakeholders should have a seat at the table and a role in the decision-making processes. As in any undertaking, best practices and the lessons learned served as both formative and summative types of evaluation in this experience. This case is not meant to serve as a “how to” guide, but a narrative of prominent issues that other institutions may find helpful if a conversion is in their future.