Joanne M' DeStefano

1

• Joanne M. DeStefano
• NERCOMP
• Kuali Open Community Source
• Not Drinking Kool-Aid
• February 7, 2006

2
Overview

• Community Source as a model
• Existing Financial System
• No Plans for New System
• Here Comes Kuali!
• Economic Model for Kauli
• Why Consider Kuali
• Benefits to Cornell

3
Unique Private University

• NYS land grant institution
• Seven endowed colleges
• Medical college in NYC and Qatar
• Four colleges managed under contract with the
  State University of New York
• One experiment station
• Eight subsidiaries

4
Community Source as a model?

• How in the world can six schools agree on a
  system design?
• Can a private university participate with a group
  of public schools?
• Who makes decisions?
• Are we crazy?

5
Reality for Cornell

• Started ERP Implementations in 1995
• Original budget to implement all five major
  administration systems was spent on our first
  installation HR/Payroll
• Completed 2nd system in 2004
• Working on 3rd system Student implementation
  planned for FY08
• Financial systems were scheduled to be the last
  of the ERP systems

6
Existing Financial System Situation

• Online and batch Natural/ADABAS system developed
  in 1970s
• Data model flaws
• System intended for central use only
• Forces decisions based on system capabilities not
  business requirements
• Poor use of current database technology

7
No Plans for New System

• Not on the docket until 2011
• Unsure of PeopleSoft/Oracle merge impact
• Worked on porting existing system to newer
  technologies
• Cornell required us to stop felt risk too great
• We had no options with a huge need for improved
  functionality

8
Here Comes Kuali!

• President willing to consider Kuali if it means
  better reporting capabilities sooner than 2011
• We took time to better understand community
  source and the Kuali system
• Realize that we did NOT understand community
  source

9
Economic Model for Kuali

• Lower cost of production
• Design work complete
• No proprietary code
• Internet allows successful remote collaboration
• Better economies of scale
• Leverage of functional and technical expertise
• Developed by and for higher education

10
Why Consider Kuali?

• System design and chart of accounts structure
  solved major issues
• No additional resources, ability to leverage the
  efforts of others
• Workflow and labor distribution were better than
  we could design
• Implementation costs less than an ERP system

11
Recognized Risks

• Partnership may not meet delivery dates
• Software doesnt provide functionality
• Partnership doesnt work

12
Benefits to Cornell

• No additional cost for partnership
• Workflow an enterprise solution
• Learning how to do business differently
• Campus is ready for a non-ERP solution
• IU system designed with PeopleSoft interfaces
• Community source consistent with higher education
  culture