NewSouth Solutions: Main Page

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NewSouth Solutions: Overview

In 1997 the Committee for Information Technology Implementation (CITI) was established to improve The University's administrative systems. CITI is an outcome of the UNSW 2000 review process and, in particular, is a consequence of recommendations in the reports of the Working Parties on Chancellery Services and Administrative Technology, and Education Technology, and the Retreat on Information Technology for VCAC and Chancellery Managers held on 25 July 1997.

Its Terms of Reference are:

To advise the Vice-Chancellor on the steps necessary to implement the recommendations adopted from the report of the Working Parties of UNSW 2000 as they apply to information technology and education technology.
To develop processes by which UNSW can benefit from modern data management technologies and to overview the implementation of these in a timely and efficient fashion. This activity is to be known as NewSouth Solutions.
To oversee the activities of the Project Director of NewSouth Solutions who will have day-to-day responsibility for UNSW management of the project and direct liaison with external consultants.
Where appropriate, to vet invitations to tender and to select preferred external consultants and suppliers for administrative process restructuring, hardware, software, implementation and training.
To ensure that the process of change commands the necessary commitment from the University's Executive and Senior Managers and that staff and other resources are made available to enable NewSouth Solutions to be completed in a timely and cost effective fashion.
To oversee the implementation of such recommendations of the Working Party on Education Technology as adopted by the Vice-Chancellor.

Progress Thus Far

CITI has met regularly since August 1997 and is currently focussed on the implementation of new administrative systems at UNSW. The goals of NewSouth Solutions are to find, install and successfully commission an integrated and comprehensive suite of administrative systems, which provides client-based services, which are cost-effective and flexible. The scope of NewSouth Solutions includes the definition of management information needs, the redesign of administrative processes, the assessment of desired organisational change, and the implementation of third-party client-server software and associated technology in the critical administrative areas - Student Administration, Human Resources, Financial Management, Facilities Management and Research and Consultancy. To date CITI has overseen the following activities:

NewSouth Solutions Stage 1

Project Identification of a future state vision for administration at UNSW; Development of a Request for Information (RFI) for a suite of integrated package software products for administrative systems; Selection of the preferred software solution; Development of a Migration and Implementation Plan (high level); Development of a Business Case.

CITI approved the deliverables of the Phase 1 project in January 1998 and the preferred software vendor is PeopleSoft. Modules expected to be implemented as part of NewSouth Solutions are listed below. Functionality, which is not included in the core PeopleSoft solution, is identified by the use of brackets []. Note that functionality, which is not in the core PeopleSoft solution will be resolved by either custom, developed add-ons or integration with other 3rd party software packages:

Student Administration

- Academic Programs Structure & Planning Admissions Advanced
- Standing Enrolments Student Fees, Charges and Loans Subject
- Timetabling & Class Registration Student and Community
- Information Booth Assessments Examinations Progression Research
- Studies Student Person Maintenance Graduations Student Support
- Alumni and Supporter Reporting

Human Resource Management

- Position Management and Budget Charging
- Personal Information Recruitment and Selection
- Employment and Termination Leave Management
- Performance Management, Training and Development
- Occupational Health and Safety, Workers' Compensation and
- Rehabilitation Payroll Processing

Financial Management

- General Ledger
- Budget and Resource Allocation
- AccountsPayable, Purchasing and Store
- Billing and Accounts Receivable
- Cash Management (and Investment)

Research and Consultancy

- [Funding Scheme Details]
- [Funding Applications]
- Contract and Project Management
- [Ethics and Safety]
- [Publications and Other Research Outputs]
- [Intellectual Property and Commercial Development]

Facilities Management

- Asset Management
- Program Management
- Work Orders and Project Management
- [Preventative Maintenance]
- Stock Control
- [Occupational Health & Safety - Hazardous Chemicals / Incidents]
- Space Management

NewSouth Solutions - Stage 2 Project

In February 1998 CITI released a number of requests for information seeking organisations to assist with the following:

- RFI for an Implementation Partner to assist UNSW in the implementation of the new administrative systems. The contract has been awarded to Andersen Consulting.

- RFI for a database management system to support the new
- administrative - systems. The contract has been awarded to
- Oracle.

- RFI for technology (including hardware and operating system) - to support - the new administrative systems. The contract
- has been awarded - to SUN microsystems.

The NewSouth Solutions Stage 2 Project commenced in April 1998, primarily focussed on the following projects:

- Finance Systems (Design Project) - General Ledger, Accounts - Payable - and Purchasing

- Human Resources System (Design Project) - HR and Payroll

- Student Administration System (Pre Design Project and
- PeopleSoft - Student Systems Australia/New Zealand
- localisation Project)

- Technical Infrastructure Project.