Inside Higher Education
Overview
This lecture discusses Ohio State University's decision to abandon its new cloud-based student information system project, highlighting broader challenges universities face in updating SIS technology.
Ohio State's SIS Project Decision
- Ohio State dropped plans to implement Workday Student, a cloud-based student information system (SIS).
- The decision caused concern across higher education due to Ohio State’s status as a major research institution.
- The university likely incurred sunk costs in the tens of millions of dollars.
SIS Importance and Implementation Challenges
- SIS platforms handle key student functions and define much of the student experience.
- Next-gen SIS are expected to offer personalized, Amazon-like course and service recommendations.
- Implementing an SIS is described as highly complex and risky, especially for large universities.
Market and Technology Issues
- Major SIS vendors (Workday, Oracle, Thesis) have all struggled with significant launch delays.
- The higher education sector requires highly customizable, cloud-based SIS, which are difficult to build.
- Existing university SIS systems are often over 20 years old, designed for outdated technology environments.
- Upgrading comes with extreme costs—sometimes potentially hundreds of millions or more.
Current Strategies and Outlook
- Many universities are hesitant to switch SIS platforms due to high costs and risk.
- Some institutions add smaller specialized software to existing legacy systems rather than fully replacing them.
- University leaders and experts expect it will take 5–10 years for the SIS market to stabilize and for costs to decrease.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Student Information System (SIS) — A software platform that manages student data, registration, grades, and administrative processes.
- Cloud-based SIS — A student information system hosted and accessed via the internet, allowing improved scalability and personalization.
- Legacy system — An outdated software system that remains in use, often due to high replacement costs.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Monitor developments in SIS technology and vendor progress.
- Review institutional needs for SIS modernization and potential incremental upgrades.
- Consider financial planning for eventual SIS transitions or improvements.