For Immediate Press Release- ERP Plan
Clovis Community College
For Immediate Release
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Mindy Watson Executive Director, Planning and Sponsored Projects
Clovis Community College
417 Schepps Blvd.
Clovis, NM 88101
February 1, 2021
Five New Mexico Public Colleges Launch Innovative Collaboration, New Partnership to Serve Students and their Communities
Colleges announce Shared Services Enterprise Resource Planning Collaborative and Request for Proposals
Clovis, NM, February 1, 2021 – Five public New Mexico colleges today announced a ground-breaking partnership that will fundamentally change the higher education student experience. Clovis Community College, Central New Mexico Community College, Northern New Mexico College, San Juan College, and Santa Fe Community College have come together to develop a single, shared system of student, continuing education, workforce, financial, and human resources services. The first of its kind in the nation, this Enterprise Resource Management (ERP) project will transform the student experience. It has received endorsement from New Mexico Independent Colleges, the New Mexico Higher Education Department and institutional leaders. Their leadership will serve as a model for other higher education initiatives.
“About three years ago, as the leadership of these institutions talked about the biggest challenges we were facing, it was clear that it was critical to address our ERP and student information systems,” said Charles Nwankwo, president of Clovis Community College, one of five public colleges in the state participating in the unique collaboration. “We realized we could and should explore this collaboratively.” By working collaboratively, the presidents of the five institutions understand that they have an opportunity to transform higher education and create life-changing experiences for their students, improving the education and quality of life for New Mexicans.
Prior to the pandemic, these five colleges had the foresight to acknowledge a new approach was not only necessary, but imperative, and have committed to work together to identify a solution: The Shared Services Enterprise Resource Planning system. There are many benefits to sharing an integrated system across colleges, most important of which is to better serve students. Once actualized, the Shared Services ERP will eliminate the need for multiple applications for admission or employment; reduce duplication of student and employee records; streamline student transfer; provide academic programming and staff reinforcements when needed; increase interaction with prospective and current students, community members, business partners, public officials; and more. All five colleges will share one system while protecting personal information and managing data in a secure environment. To further advance the project and provide guidance, the group is in the process of forming a nonprofit.
The Shared Services ERP will support students by breaking down barriers and eliminating obstacles for students as well as saving degree-seeking students time and money. The solution will provide students more flexibility and allow the colleges to improve communications and relationships with students, faculty, staff, and their communities. Participating colleges will share decision-making, data and processes, resulting in more effective and efficient operations and cost savings all while maintaining their independence which allows them to directly address the unique workforce needs in their own communities. All users will find the new platform more agile and more intuitive. For more details on how the Shared Services ERP will positively impact student success, visit Frequently Asked Questions.
Multiple teams comprised of dozens of representatives from participating colleges with expertise in specific areas have been collaborating for many months to develop a comprehensive Request for Proposals. The five-college collaborative is currently soliciting proposals from qualified vendors and system implementers to provide a comprehensive, state-of-the-art ERP solution and configure and implement this product as a single, shared ERP, with a single, shared data repository for all the participating institutions. This solution will increase modernization, accessibility, and mobility resulting in higher enrollments and better student retention; increase college productivity, efficiency, capacity, collaboration, and access to data and reporting; share staff and skillsets across institutions to support hiring specialized technical talent across the state and prevent delays in continued service to students, faculty, and staff; and contain technology costs by leveraging economies of scale by together selecting a single system, allowing for modern technology currency and reducing the need for many third-party systems.
Responding proposals will address recruitment, admissions, registration, financial aid, advising, and student services systems as well as student records, accounts, and scheduling transactions in addition to aligning human resources and financial operational processes. The phased implementation is a multi-year project that will serve as a long-term solution. Shared student records will safeguard privacy while providing college-specific restrictions as needed. The deadline to submit proposals is Fri., Feb. 12, 2021.
For more information about the Shared Services ERP RFP, contact Gerrie Becker, Chief Procurement Officer, 505-224-4551.
Clovis Community College (CCC) provides high-quality education and training improves the lives of all students and ignites economic vitality in the Eastern New Mexico Region. CCC offers over 66 associate degree and certificate programs, community development, and customized business training and adult education in face-to-face or online format. Whether the courses on campus or online, they are taught by dedicated and qualified faculty.
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