| >> Frequently Asked Questions |
General Information/Background
Q - What is the CUNYfirst Project?
A - FIRST stands for Fully Integrated Resources and Services Tool. ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning and for CUNY it means a massive change in how we'll do things in the future. ERP processes in Student Administration, Human Resources and Finance will change how we do everything from registering for classes to paying our bills.
ERP computer systems will replace aging legacy systems like SIMS and CUPS and help us streamline and standardize many of the things we do at our colleges. The PeopleSoft™ processes that our students, faculty and staff will interact with via the internet will be implemented in phases - we will create our base processes for business, HR and academic structure first, then add new elements (modules) in the next few years. This Project is planned to last until early 2012 with the processes and upgrades expected to last a long time.
Q - How will this affect me?
A - The implementation means that many processes we have used for years will be altered to meet the high standards of our students, faculty and staff. There will be subject matter experts from every campus who have and will analyze our current processes and look for ways we can improve. Every member of our CUNY community will participate in the implementation of the Project and everyone will be trained on the systems that will affect them. By the time all modules and applications are fully implemented every one of our students, faculty and staff will have access to CUNYfirst. All employees will have access via self-service when the Human Resources modules go live in a few months. They’ll be able to view their personal information (address, phone number, etc.) and current listing of benefits and report to their local HR office if their data is incorrect.
Q - How will I have access to CUNYfirst?
A -Everyone (faculty, staff and students) will be given an ID and an initial password to sign into the system. At the first sign on, you will be required to change your password to something familiar to you. You will then be asked to give answers to three security questions of your choice so you can get help if you forget your password. You will change your password many times in a given year to ensure the security requirement needed to protect this system.
Q - What are the processes under CUNYfirst?
A -There are three main areas at CUNY where new processes will be implemented – Finance, Human Resources and Student Administration.
Finance: General Ledger, Procurement (Purchasing, Accounts Payable, Expenses), Planning and Budgeting, Accounts Receivable, Asset Management, Cash and Deal Management.
Human Resources: Base HR Processes, Base Benefit Processes, Recruitment, Time and Labor, Leave Management and Payroll (interfaces with NY State and NYC).
Student Administration: Academic Structure, Course Catalogue, Schedule of Classes, Student Financials, Student Records, Financial Aid and Admissions.
Q - I work in a job that doesn’t require a computer. Does that mean I won’t have access to CUNYfirst?
A - No. CUNYfirst can be accessed from anywhere via your favorite internet browser. There are specific requirements for which browsers can be used, but if you have a computer at home, you can sign on to look at your personnel information or, in the future, fill out a time sheet. Campus IT teams are making available computers at various locations at the colleges for those who don’t use a computer in their day to day work.
Q - What backup systems are in place to make sure the data won’t be lost?
A -The CUNYfirst system is hosted by our partners from Oracle at a site in Atlanta, Georgia. That means our data and processes are going back and forth on the highest quality data lines from New York to there. Each day, current CUNY data is replicated at a second site every 15 minutes, also in Georgia, but far enough away to ensure that any compromises at the primary site (weather, natural disaster, etc.) will not be replicated because of proximity. The systems are backed up every night. In case of a shutdown at our primary site, a recovery plan has already been created to ensure a smooth transition to the backup data, and, when our technical teams have it available again, a smooth transition to our primary site.
Q - Do all colleges participate in CUNYfirst testing?
A - Yes and no. While some testing requires us to get a wide range of experiences as we put the processes through their paces, we may have some campus experts participate in one test while others are called for another. Since we are creating common business processes to be used across the university, we want to make sure we will use something that works across the university.
Q - What is the biggest difference between current systems and CUNYfirst?
A - The answer is right there - systems vs. system. Our current systems, which are numerous, operate to conduct all our business at CUNY. Very few of them interact with each other. CUNYfirst will integrate all our financial, HR and student processes so that data can be used instantaneous across department and across the university.
Q - Will we have two systems (old and new) up and running at the same time?
A - When we retire systems like CUPS (City University Personnel System) or SIMS (Student Information Management System), we will no longer be using both processes. The systems may be up for data reasons only until CUNYfirst stabilizes. But once we launch new CUNYfirst processes for Finance, HR and Student, there will be no need to do processes twice.
Q - If my campus is not involved in the current activities to implement Finance, Human Capital Management, or Campus Solutions, how will my ideas and concerns be addressed?
A - Each campus has identified campus liaisons who will be reviewing our activities. All decisions regarding new processes or procedures will be referred to these liaisons for input. Eventually, each campus will have the opportunity to participate in a "hands on" development phase of the system.
Q - Can't we just implement the software immediately? Why will it take so long?
A - If we had a community of only 50 people, possibly, but this is something that is affecting over 35,000 people on our faculty and staff and over 400,000 students at 23 campus locations. It'll take time. We have chosen to cut this up into phases - like a building, we must first build the base for our Financial work, our Human Resources, Payroll and Academic structures. Later, we'll add on more detail - Purchasing, Accounts Payable and Expense, Benefits Administration, Student Admissions, Financial Aid. The building will take time so we get everyone's input on what it should look like, and then train everyone on how to use what they need.
Finance
Q - How much data will we have at the beginning?
A - For the General Ledger, we have converted two years of financial datA - When we launch the Human Resources processes, we will convert all historic employee data. With student systems, we'll have six years of information available live, and 24 years archived.
Q - Will there be tracking of purchases, budgets?
A - Yes. The new procurement module, which is now in its business process configuration and validation phase, will have a tracking feature that will allow everyone who is involved in a procurement, from requestors to those who will track packages and deliveries, as well as the payment for procurements, will be able to see its status. There is also a feature in the Procurement system that will allow checking of budgeted funds against the purchase order. A screen in the module will be the LifeSpan page (see graphic below). That shows the timeline of a procurement from Requisition to Payment.
Human Resources (includes recruitment and benefits)
Q - What will the Human Resource processes allow me to do?
A - A major feature of the CUNY ERP will be its self-service functions, allowing faculty and staff to view portions of their HR records, including a listing of current chosen benefits.
Q - W ill Research Foundation employees be part of the CUNYfirst system?
A -If their work is such that they need access to CUNYfirst processes, then yes. If an RF employee manages CUNY or campus people, then they’ll need access to the managerial functions in HR. Otherwise, they’ll be part of a group of employees that have a tangential relationship to CUNYfirst, as they do now.
Q - I heard about Employee Self-Service and the ability to work with HR to make sure my personal information is correct. Is there anything that cannot be changed?
A - When the CUNYfirst Human Resource module is available to all employees, we will encourage everyone to check to make sure their data is correct from spelling of name, to addresses, family information and current listing of benefits. If anything is not correct, employees should contact their local HR office to make sure it is correct. In that data, information like a social security number, which is needed for tax reasons, name changes, new degrees, etc. must be confirmed by HR professionals.
Q - C an I have more than one role in CUNYfirst?
A - Yes. For example, let’s say you are faculty chairperson. You will have access to CUNYfirst Student processes needed to do your job in your department. You may also have access to Human Resources processes in your role as someone who manages people or can hire new employees. You may also have access to Finance processes for purchasing material for your office or getting expenses reimbursed. Access to all functions with one sign-on in one integrated system.
Student Systems
Q - Will students/staff have to log onto the CUNY portal to access CUNYfirst like they do now in SIMS?
A - No. CUNYfirst is being hosted (where the servers and data reside) outside of CUNY. Currently, General Ledger users log into CUNYfirst, via their internet browser, directly into their processes. There is no second step.
Q - I’m a student who is used to dealing with the bursar, financial aid and registrars offices. Will they all have access to my information?
A - Anyone who is given security access to assist students in their careers will be able to refer to a student’s record and look at the same information. They could even look at the data at the same time, but only one person can update a student’s record at a time. This will improve service as everyone will be on the same page – no more “he told me that and she told me this.”
Q - If I am a student at the Graduate Center, but teach as an adjunct at Queens College, does that mean I will have two ID’s and have to remember two passwords?
A - Every person in the CUNYfirst system has one record. That means you will be identified in the system for all that you are to CUNY. This allows for your information to follow you wherever you go. If you take classes at multiple campuses, you have one record. It will also speed up new employee procedures if you move to a new job at another campus.
Q - Under the Student/Campus Solutions module, I see that Financial Aid and Admissions is not a part of the initial Go-Live. When will they be added?
A - Our student implementation comes in four phases or waves. The first is the Vanguard Colleges (Queens and Queensborough CC). During the second wave, the plan is to have a new CUNYfirst Financial Aid system for the Vanguard and Wave Two Colleges. Wave Three and Four schools will implement FA with their other students systems. CUNYfirst Admissions is planned for Wave Three and beyond.
Training
Q -How will I be trained to use the system?
A - In a number of ways. If you have a job that will require you to have everyday access to the system, you will be trained in a classroom setting by your peers. CUNYfirst Training is based on a model called “Train the Trainer”. Professionals from throughout CUNY learn how processes work, and train individuals how to do their work. Training occurs at five Borough Training Centers at The City College, Hostos CC, Queens College, Brooklyn College and the College of Staten Island. This allows training close to your campus or your home. If you don’t use CUNYfirst every day, training for processes you need will come from Web Conferences, Computer Based Training, and at the One Stop kiosks (for students).
Q - Will I receive training on all CUNYfirst Processes?
A - No. In CUNYfirst everyone is assigned roles based on the work they do. Those are determined by managers and supervisors who are translating current work into CUNYfirst functions. When that has been determined, you will receive training to perform the exact tasks you need to do your job. No more, no less. If it is determined you need training on functions outside your role, your bosses will make sure you get it.
Don't see your question answered here? Submit it to: cunyfirst@mail.cuny.edu
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