Reporter 23/10/02: Cambridge Student Information System Project (CamSIS): Notice

Cambridge Student Information System Project (CamSIS): Notice

In July 2002, on the recommendation of the Information Strategy Group and the Planning and Resources Committee, the Council agreed that the Cambridge Student Information System Project should proceed to the stage of identifying a software supplier for the new system. It is expected that this process will be completed by the conclusion of the Lent Term. If successful, approval may then be given for the procurement of a student information system capable of supporting all aspects of student information management throughout the University, Colleges, and Academic Departments. Access to, and manipulation of, all information held on the system will be strictly regulated according to agreed 'need-to-know' principles and Data Protection legislative requirements. These approvals follow the acceptance of the recommendations of the CamSIS Project Definition Study, completed at the end of May 2002.

A Project Board has been set up comprising Professor B. F. G. Johnson (in the Chair); Mr G. P. Allen, Academic Secretary and Project Sponsor; Mr D. Barrington-Light, Project Director; Mr S. Barton, Bursars' Committee; Dr P. O'Hanlon, Senior Tutors' Committee; Mr D. Sandham, Acting Director MISD; Mr J. Matheson, Council; Professor J. C. Gray, General Board; and Mr J. Kenworthy, Adviser and Secretary. This body will supervise the CamSIS project up to, and including, final implementation. The initial phases of the project are expected to last about two and a half years, though support and continuing development work will remain a feature of the future management of the system.

The Project Board are committed to involving all interested parties in every stage of the project. The Chairman is accordingly writing to all Heads of Houses inviting close participation in the project as it develops. Initially, the Board wish to involve interested parties in setting up Special Interest Groups to advise the Board, interact with the software suppliers and the Project Team. These 'SIGs' will aim to build on the successful involvement of special interest groups in the Business Process Analysis component of the CamSIS Project Definition Study and the Project Director will shortly be writing to all those previously involved to solicit their continuing involvement in the CamSIS project proper.

In particular, the Project Board wish to engage interested parties in the selection of the software package to be purchased. Two potential suppliers have been short-listed to respond to an Invitation to Tender and will, as part of the selection process, be invited to give demonstrations of their products, showing how they would operate in the Cambridge environment. These demonstrations, which will provide opportunities for software familiarization, together with Question and Answer sessions, will be open to members of the interest groups and any others who wish to attend. The dates for the first two preliminary presentations and discussion sessions have been fixed for the weeks beginning 4 and 11 November 2002. Further sessions will be held later in the programme. The Project Director will be releasing further details of the administrative arrangements, venues, etc., on the CamSIS website at http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/cam-only/offices/misd/camsis/.

Mr D. Barrington-Light (e-mail dbl21@cam.ac.uk) has been appointed Director of the CamSIS Project. Mr Barrington-Light will report to the Project Board on the progress of the project, and to the Academic Secretary.

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