 Benefits
Timeline
Preparing
for change
Methodology
To
learn more
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Program Link is a multi-year, campus-wide initiative launched in
fall 2003 to replace the Reynolda Campus administrative computing
systems with a fully integrated solution and enhance the University's
delivery of services and information to students, faculty, staff,
alumni, parents, and friends.
Visit this page, which will evolve over the life of Program Link,
for staff-oriented information about Program Link.
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Benefits for Staff
A fundamental goal of Program Link is to ensure the delivery
of outstanding services and information to Wake Forest students,
faculty, and staff. Among the benefits
that will most directly affect staff are the following:
- Better integration of information. By moving Wake
Forest from a variety of discrete record systems to a model focused
on integration, Program Link will reduce inefficiencies and inconveniences
in data updates between departments and will reduce the difficulties
and time involved in manual exportng and importing of this data.
And by providing more consistent information across departments,
it should reduce customer service challenges that can occur now
when information in one office may be more or less current than
the same information in another office.
- Implementation of workflow and data imaging: Program
Link aims to implement productivity tools to enhance efficiences
in processing of data. Data imaging will allow staff to retrieve
information from their desks, without requiring physical searches
in paper files. Workflow will assist in moving tasks quickly
through the appropriate sequence of staff members.
- Expanded online benefits information and services.
Wake Forest's existing administrative systems limit the expansion
of online services for employees. A significant focus of Program
Link will be to add more options for web-based services.
In short, implementation of this integrated system presents a
unique opportunity to make many improvements to benefit the Wake
Forest community. The University's staff and senior administrators
are committed to making the most of this
opportunity.
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Timeline
Program Link is an extensive initiative, and changes will take
place over the course of several years. The exact timeline is
still being finalized, but a tentative schedule is available
here.
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Anticipating Change
The launch of the new systems will involve changes in how staff
access their information, conduct transactions, and - in many
cases - complete their daily work. All of the changes cannot
be anticipated at this time, but the Program Link team will
provide
information about these changes in a variety of ways, depending
on the significance of the change. Information will be provided
via this web site and through electronic communications, training
and information sessions, and/or presentations to departments,
as needed.
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Methodology
Each of Program Link's projects, and the overall Program Link
initiative, will use standard project management methodologies
as defined by the Project Management
Institute, the leading non-profit professional association
for project management. This methodology includes a number
of
measures to help ensure that projects are completed on time,
within budget, and with all functionality promised at the time
of the
project's launch. A Steering Committee
including faculty and adminstrative representatives will oversee
the activities of the Program
Leadership team to ensure that decisions are made in the
best interests of the University as a whole.
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For more information
The Program Link team is happy to share more information with
staff about this important initiative for Wake Forest. Feel free
to browse other portions of the Program Link
web site to learn more. In addition, Program Link representatives
will answer email questions, talk with you individually, or work
with you to schedule an appointment for a conversation with your
department, as schedules permit. Just email link@wfu.edu
to make your request. A member of the Program Link team will respond
within one business day of receiving your inquiry.
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