Higher Education Institutions Improve Efficiency and Enhance Service with Oracle® Applications and Technology

Redwood Shores, CA 26-MAR-2007 08:08 PM

Oracle today announced that more than 17 leading U.S. colleges and universities recently purchased or implemented Oracle(r) applications and technology to help improve operational efficiency and enhance service to key constituents, including students, faculty, staff and alumni. These institutions are transforming their campuses by consolidating and protecting essential data, advancing efforts to recruit and retain students and adding timesaving self-service features.

"Oracle is committed to helping higher education institutions meet efficiency and accountability requirements, as well as constituent demands for high quality technology and superior service," said Oracle Higher Education Vice President Jim McGlothlin. "We are working with institutions of all sizes to improve the business of education."

University of Central Florida Upgrades Financials to Manage Growth

The University of Central Florida (UCF), the seventh largest university in the country, implemented Oracle's PeopleSoft Enterprise Financial Management using Oracle infrastructure to build a more flexible financial management platform. The university, which has a complex financial system and a budget of $817.5 million for 21 campuses, worked with Oracle to implement the new financial system and become one of the first universities to devolve from the state's legacy system.

UCF used the PeopleSoft system to streamline requisition and purchase order processes, enhance purchasing card and vendor tracking information, increase reporting capabilities, reduce costs, eliminate unnecessary paper trails and minimize redundant procedures. With PeopleSoft's Web capabilities, UCF centralized system management while localizing access, allowing individual departments and employees to create online reports and freeing IT staff to focus on other activities. UCF also integrated its financial and supply chain management systems with PeopleSoft Enterprise applications for human capital management and campus solutions, further enhancing efficiency and improving constituent service.

"One of our five strategic goals, established by our president, is to become America's leading partnership organization. To that end, we are pleased to partner with Oracle by joining its Early Success Program, allowing us to accelerate our product upgrades to further improve the university's business systems," said Rebecca Vilsack, associate controller, UCF.

Kentucky Community and Technical College Systems Add Online Student Center

Kentucky Community and Technical College Systems (KCTCS), an Oracle customer for several years, recently upgraded to Oracle's PeopleSoft Enterprise Campus Solutions 8.9 to gain new functionality for an online student center. With Campus Solutions, KCTCS offers students convenient, "one stop shopping" online, allowing them to log on and easily view financial aid information, check application status, pay bills, add or drop classes, update personal information and review degree progress information. Campus Solutions' Web functionality was especially valuable to KCTCS because its system includes 16 colleges and 65 campuses statewide. The system provides a common look and feel, as well as a common set of information for all users, improving collaboration.

"Oracle PeopleSoft is hands-down the leader in higher education administrative software, and we have benefited greatly from its increased automation and self-service functionality," said Paul Czarapata, chief technology officer, KCTCS. "Campus Solutions, along with our PeopleSoft Enterprise Financial Management and Human Capital Management applications, help us meet and quickly adapt to the changing needs of our students, faculty and staff."

University of Virginia Gains Insight into Procurement

The University of Virginia (UVa), a public university with more than 20,000 students, implemented Oracle iProcurement, Oracle Procurement and Oracle Financials, along with SciQuest Spend Director, Order Manager and Settlement Manager to develop an electronic procurement system. The university completed the implementation campus-wide in just seven months, also extending the new system to College at Wise, a campus in southwestern Virginia that previously operated on a completely paper-based system. UVa has now enabled a critical mass of suppliers that provide up-to-date catalog data and streamline order management. With an integrated supplier base, the university's goal is to maximize on-contract spending and gain real-time visibility and reporting capabilities throughout the entire order process.

"We have been able to integrate Oracle iProcurement and SciQuest to facilitate increased efficiency and enhanced insight that will save us money and allow us to operate more effectively, said Virginia Evans, assistant vice president for integrated system deployment and support, UVa.

Oracle's Higher Education Community Continues to Expand

Other U.S.-based higher education institutions that have recently selected, implemented or upgraded Oracle technology or applications include: Brandeis University, Waltham, Mass.; California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, Calif.; California State University Sacramento, Sacramento, Calif.; Career Education Corporation, Hoffman Estates, Ill.; University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo.; DePaul University, Chicago, Ill.; Rhema Bible College, Tulsa, Okla.; San Francisco State University, San Francisco, Calif.; San Jose State University, San Jose, Calif.; University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.; University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minn.; University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas; Virginia Community College System, Richmond, Va.; and Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Mich.

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