About the Project

About the Project

How did the project begin?

Charting the Future identifies information technology as an area for investment and calls for an integrated system to replace the assorted software UNC uses. In September 2004, a task force including UNC assistant vice presidents for Enrollment Management, Information Technology and Financial Services began work to assess what type of integrated system would be best for UNC. At the Board of Trustees’ suggestion, the task force worked with the Governor’s Office of Innovation and Technology and an independent consultant. In October 2004, the Board of Trustees reviewed the task force’s proposal for an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, a series of interconnected software modules designed for specific tasks. UNC collaborated with Colorado School of Mines and Colorado Community College System, which were also looking for integrated systems, to get the best system at the best price. The institutions agreed on software from educational technology specialist SunGard SCT Higher Education.

Why does UNC need an integrated information system?
The assorted incompatible information systems now scattered across campus make it difficult to track expenditures or share data. As these systems age, and technical support and hardware are also increasingly hard to come by.

What will be the benefits of an integrated system?

An integrated system will allow us to make better, data-driven decisions about budgets, staffing and programs. It will bring together information from UNC’s financial, human resources, student and financial aid systems. Using a new online access point called Ursa, students, faculty and staff will have secure 24/7 access to information and tools with a single sign-on. Records will be kept in a secure, up-to-date database of unduplicated data. The ultimate benefit will be better serving students.

Who will be affected?

When the system is fully implemented, students, faculty and staff will have easier access to information that is more accurate, consistent and up-to-date.

When will the system be implemented?

UNC will gradually transition to the new system from 2005-2007. The Finance Module will be implemented first and launched July 1, 2005. The payroll function of the Human Resources Module will launch Jan. 1, 2006, and other Human Resources functions will follow near the end of FY05-06. The Financial Aid and Student Module will launch in time for Fall 2006 registration.

What is Ursa?

Ursa is the online access point to UNC’s new integrated system. The acronym for “university resource for systems access” and Latin for “bear”—Ursa offers secure, real-time online access to tools and information for faculty, staff and students. When fully implemented, it will replace myUNC and Webster.

What is Banner?

Banner is software owned by SunGard SCT Higher Education that processes, stores, retrieves and reports information from one integrated set of data. Banner integrates student, financial, human resources and financial aid information in a database that allows real-time, online access.

What are the project objectives?

Working in phases over two years, the project will create a fully integrated information system. It will enhance the university’s core administrative systems through the implementation of ERP software. Specifically, the project will:
• Provide secure and reliable systems that are easy to use and maintain
• Provide management and decision information when and where needed
• Provide departments the ability to enter and process business transactions and to directly access core administrative data
• Enable data to be entered and edited only once and be shared across the enterprise systems
• Provide additional business functionality
• Provide secure Internet access to the university’s administrative systems
• Provide individual employees and students access to a variety of self-service capabilities
• Allow standardized training and documentation of the system
• Provide a more secure electronic environment.