Dear colleagues,

Before we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, I wanted to provide an update on the Catamount LEAP Program, our multi-year initiative to modernize university systems, align how we operate across campus, and create a more integrated, user-friendly digital environment.

Governance Structure

As previously reviewed and shared with our partnering governance groups, we have established the following sub-committees to support the program’s two core components: 

  • The ERP Modernization Sub-Committee will review vendor details and provide leadership with guidance on system selection and change readiness.
  • The Operational Excellence Sub-Committee will evaluate and prioritize the proposals submitted by academic and administrative units on campus. 

Faculty and staff governance bodies are represented on both sub-committees and the Steering Committee, ensuring broad input into decision making. Transparency remains a priority, and we will continue sharing updates with advisory groups and campus stakeholders.

ERP Modernization Demos and RFP Launch

The ERP modernization initiative is making great progress in their discovery around cloud-based platforms for UVM’s Human Resources, Finance, and Student systems, with the goal of launching our Request for Proposals (RFP) in December. We have been hosting vendor demos with stakeholders and the ERP Sub-Committee continues to synthesize a list of functional and technical requirements, distilled from over 700 initial inputs across campus.

Operational Excellence Project Proposals & Evaluation Framework

Earlier this fall, academic and administrative units were invited to submit proposals aimed at improving processes and service delivery for students and employees, aligned with UVM’s strategic plan and sustainability goals. I’m excited to share that we received over 100 submissions—a telling reflection of the campus-wide engagement and commitment to innovation and change. Thank you for taking the time to work with your units in developing these proposals.

To ensure a clear and inclusive review process, our team is developing a multi-step evaluation framework that will guide the next phase of the program.
 

Key Elements of the Evaluation Framework: 

  • Organization & Grouping. Consolidating submissions into distinct projects, and grouping related proposals for holistic review.
  • Assessment Criteria. Evaluating projects based on criteria including strategic alignment, impact areas, anticipated benefits, readiness, and cost and sustainability.
  • Prioritization Categories. Categorizing projects by strategic alignment and readiness, with timelines for initiation or reassessment.
  • Review & Approval Process. The Operational Excellence Sub-Committee will conduct initial scoring and make recommendations to the Steering Committee. Final decisions will be made by LEAP Program Sponsors.

We anticipate the review process will continue through December, with final prioritization and selection occurring in early 2026.

As we move forward, I will share additional updates and opportunities for engagement and feedback. If you have questions or would like to provide input, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you again for your dedication and partnership in this important work. I am so grateful for the energy, ideas, and collaboration that continue to propel the Catamount LEAP Program forward. 

Best regards,

Kellie B. Campbell
Chief Information Officer