From: technews <technews@ou.edu>
To: "'it-fyi@listserv.ou.edu'" <it-fyi@lists.ou.edu>
Subject: it-fyi: Oracle Says Student System Back on Track (Chron of Higher
Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 14:11:11 -0500
Oracle Says Its Student System Is Back on Track, but Aid Module Lags
By FLORENCE OLSEN
Oracle Corporation says its plans for building a student-administration
system are back on track, but colleges and universities will have to wait
until spring 2001 for a module that handles financial aid.
Although it raised expectations two years ago by hinting that it would add
large-scale student-administration software to its mix of applications, the
company spent months deciding whether to write its own application or
purchase the technology elsewhere. The delays have left Oracle facing
competition from other heavyweight administrative-software providers --
PeopleSoft Corporation, SCT Education Systems, and SAP AG. Each now has
multiple commitments from colleges and universities to use its
student-administration system.
In describing their plans to potential customers here at EDUCAUSE, Oracle
officials acknowledged that student-information systems are complex to build
and install. But Oracle will not be starting from scratch, said Carl Kelly,
senior vice-president and general manager of Oracle's higher-education
division.
A year ago, the company licensed the technology used in the Callista student
system developed in Australia by Deakin University. Deakin used Oracle's
data-base and programming tools to create Callista.
However, Callista was lacking two essential modules -- those for financial
aid and for marketing -- that are necessary components of student systems
sold in the United States, Mr. Kelly said.
Oracle is soliciting help from six U.S. colleges and universities to fill in
the missing pieces, said Patrick McElroy, executive director of marketing
for Oracle. Since March, he said, the university representatives and Oracle
developers have been holding meetings in cyberspace to vote on
specifications for the new software. Participating are George Mason
University, Santa Barbara City College, Skidmore College, the State
University of New York at Binghamton, Tulane University, and the University
of Maryland system.
Oracle officials said the company's Web-based student system would be
flexible enough to accommodate not only traditional students, but also those
who enroll in on-line and distance-learning programs.
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Copyright 1999 by The Chronicle of Higher Education