Wooster Contingent Attends DUG
dwaldron March 19th, 2008
The Datatel Users Group conference (DUG) is an annual event that brings together Datatel corporate employees with representatives of the more than 700 colleges and universities that utilitze Datatel’s software products. The conference offers hundreds of sessions devoted to a wide range of topics related to Colleague software modules and associated tools. Most of these sessions are conducted by employees of Datatel clients. DUG is also an excellent opportunity to hear Datatel officials discuss the future direction of the company and its products.
DUG 2008 took place between March 9th and 12th in Washington, DC. Despite the challenges posed by the snowstorm that struck Ohio in the days prior to the conference, folks from various offices at Wooster participated in the DUG conference. In addition to the Office of Information Technology, Human Resources, Development, Alumni Affairs, the Registrar’s Office and the Business Office were represented at DUG.
Given the resources and effort that has been and continues to be devoted to the OSCAR project, it is very important that the College fully leverage its investment in administrative software. DUG participation is intended to enable IT and other campus offices to utilize our new ERP system as fully as possible. Our implementation has been aggressive in terms of its compressed timeline, but the implementation has also been aggressive in terms of its scope and the determination to maximize the utilization of the sofware system’s features.
Wooster is among the very first institutions to implement Datatel’s new product to support development operations, Colleague Advancement. Wooster is also among the very first to implement Datatel’s new reporting strategy. This strategy entails the use of data warehouse-style tools for data retrieval and organization, and a complex suite of reporting tools. Chief Information Technology Officer David Waldron, OSCAR Project Manager Monica Crawford and Director of Applications Development Tabby Conwell met at DUG with Datatel Vice President Liz Murphy to discuss our early adoption of these systems, the progress of their implementations and ways to strengthen our collaboration in these arenas. The Wooster group had subsequent conversations with Datatel product managers and developers, and made a number of suggestions for product enhancements. Also at DUG, Tabby Conwell became the newest member of the Reporting Client Advisory Team. This group is charged with identifying and prioritizing reporting-related issues, and with working with the DUG Board Client Advocacy Council to bring these matters to Datatel’s attention.
OSCAR Project Manager Monica Crawford and Director of Development Support Services Pam Stanley participated in a well-attended panel discussion entitled “Implementing Advancement—The Before and After.” As Wooster is among the earliest adopters of Colleague Advancement, the pair were well-positioned to share valuable insights into issues related to implementation. At the conference Pam became a member of the Colleague Advancement Client Advisory Team.
Director of Applications Development Tabby Conwell (left), Datatel Vice President Liz Murphy (center), and OSCAR Project Manager Monica Crawford(right) discuss the progress of Wooster’s OSCAR project.
OSCAR Project Manager Monica Crawford and Director of Development Support Services Pam Stanley serve on a panel discussing issues associated with the implementation of Colleague Advancement.