Weekly Update for the Week of March 11, 2013

ESUP at the Board of Regents
University President Kaler and Vice President and Chief Information Officer Scott Studham presented at the Board of Regents meeting on March 8, 2013. Vice President Studham addressed ESUP in his presentation, acknowledging the time is now to discuss business process changes due to the vast scope of the project. He concluded his ESUP remarks with confidence stating, “I’ve never seen a project in this good of shape at this point in time in the project.”

Vice President Studham’s presentation transcript is available online through the IT@UMN Google Group, along with a video recording of his Q&A portion. To join the group, click here and select ‘Join the Google Group’.

Changes to the HRMS Earnings Codes
According to Kris Hause, project director from the HRMS work stream, the Payroll team is inactivating over 130 earnings codes as a move toward easier user entry and process. The team hopes to identify additional opportunities for reducing the number of earnings codes as they move through Phase Two: Analyze and Design. Congratulations to the Payroll team and the user community representatives that worked with them!

Student Work Stream Reflects on IDP sessions
Participants in the monthly Student work stream meeting were asked to reflect on the past 6 weeks of IDP sessions. The group identified what has worked well, areas that have been difficult for participants, and what groups do to bring fun into IDP sessions. Some highlights include:

• Working well: Removing/retiring modifications, group dynamics, the collaborative nature of sessions, great participation from system campuses, better/higher quality technology, having developers in the room, and snacks. 
• Areas of difficulty: A lot of reporting and meetings/time management, varying commitments to project, tough schedule, location/environment concerns, communications (levels and volume), and time.
• Incorporating fun: joke of the day, gourmet food and chocolate malts on the Crookston campus, stickers, homemade scones, coffee, laughing, basketball, breaks, and more food.

Second Program Quality Review Coming in mid-April
Next month, CCI’s independent consultant for higher education, Vickie Cleary, will return to the University for the second Program Quality Review (PQR). This quality assurance tool is intended to ensure proper processes and structures are in place and will continue through the life of the Program.

Quick Hits and Reminders From Across the Work Streams

• The Portal work stream hosted the first Design Thinking workshop last week on the St. Paul campus. This successful workshop travels to the Morris campus next, arriving on Tuesday, March 12th. Registration is required and information is available online at z.umn.edu/portal.
• The HRMS work stream will begin some IDP sessions this week but the majority of sessions will begin the week of March 18th. Click here to see the ESUP calendar for more information.