University Governance || Faculty || Staff || Students || Financial Resourses || Budget Process
Business Processes and Information Systems || Physical Resourses
Organization and Deployment of Resources

Business Processes and Information Systems: M-Pathways

(http://www.mpathways.umich.edu/)

In March 1995, the University of Michigan’s Strategic Data Plan (SDP) (http://www.umich.edu/~uip/SDP/), presented recommendations for extensive revamping of core business processes and information systems of the University. As approved by the Executive Officers, these recommendations are the basis of the University’s M-Pathways Project.

M-Pathway’s goals include:

• Improve processes, simplify policies, and eliminate policies and procedures that do not add value.
• Change the organization to support innovations in policy and procedure.
• Create a new technical and data infrastructure to support the University's administrative processes.
• Capture data at the source and share it across the University to support decision making.

Bridging the gaps between departments, schools, colleges and administrative units, M-Pathways seeks to integrate processes in the following areas: General Ledger, Purchasing, Accounts Payable, Inventory, Budget, Accounts Receivable, Asset Management, Space Management, Project Costing, Plant Management, Human Resources, Benefits, Payroll, and Time and Labor, Admissions and Recruiting, Student Records, Academic Advising, Student Finance, Financial Aid, Campus Community, Notification of Research Opportunities, Assistance with Proposal Preparation, and Managing Proposals and Awards.

The University has contracted with PeopleSoft, Inc., to use their integrated software for Human Resources and Financial Systems, while working with PeopleSoft to develop new Student Information and Research Administration Systems. The University has also created a Space Management system to complement PeopleSoft’s suite of programs.

The M-Pathways Project will affect faculty, students and staff in a number of ways:

• The administrative systems that support faculty and staff efforts to report and retrieve information are being streamlined. Data will be captured onetime, at its source, and shared across departments, schools, and colleges.
• Students will find it easier to register, change classes, apply for financial aid, check tuition payments, view grades, and access other student services.
• Researchers will be able to prepare, submit, and manage grants electronically.

These transformations in how the University carries out its day-to-day business requires every unit's participation. Representatives from schools and colleges helped design the University's new systems by sitting on advisory boards, co-development teams, and implementation teams. Schools and colleges are working with technical team leaders to define the computer equipment needed to support the new systems. Faculty, students and staff in every college and school are being trained to use the new systems.