Lots of Data! No Information! (Why Universities and Colleges Do Not Take Full Advantage of Their Information Systems)

Abstract

Over the past five years, ACIS Consulting Group has worked with over 200 colleges and universities to establish strategic plans for academic and administrative information systems. From these studies, a common set of problems has emerged.Most schools originally automated paper systems without making the necessary changes to take full advantage of their investment. The primary reason that these changes did not and do not occur is an unresolved power/authority struggle. Most often, the authority to automate is delegated to director(s) of information systems, yet power to change the approach to tasks resides with administrators whose knowledge of technology varies. Furthermore, many essential changes require collaborative efforts across work groups unaccustomed to collaborating.This presentation will examine three key changes which need to occur for schools to fully utilize their information systems. These include changes in: organizational structure; resource allocation; and approaches to academic and administrative tasks.