Funding requested for IT modernization
Feb. 4, 2022
The State of Alaska has requested $20 million in federal infrastructure funding to overhaul student information technology systems for the Â鶹´«Ã½ system.
The Â鶹´«Ã½ requested this funding from the state late last year. Funding for this project will ensure modernization of the Â鶹´«Ã½ student’s higher education experience. Our current system was implemented in the 1990s, and while modern at the time, it is now outdated and inefficient.
This funding would permit implementing a new student information system (SIS) to serve the entire university system, while allowing autonomy, when possible, where business practices are differentiated between campuses. Through this solution, Â鶹´«Ã½ would retain the benefits of a single SIS system and a common reporting structure, while allowing each university to innovate and adapt the system more quickly to their changing requirements.
As part of this effort, Â鶹´«Ã½ will:
- Identify the best SIS vendor partner
- Seek opportunities to retire legacy customizations
- Identify new opportunities for each university to align the system to their needs
- Fully implement a modern student-facing online user interface
- Improve the operational model that supports upkeep of the systems
Enrollment is key to serving Alaska and to Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s future budget stability. Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s student information technology system needs to be modernized to compete well in the post-COVID environment. This one-time investment would allow Â鶹´«Ã½ to transition to a cloud-based, modern student information system, improve our online services, reduce barriers to enrollment and registration, and remain competitive in the modern marketplace.