University goes live on Jasper

By ADAM GIFFORD

Waikato University is installing a new Jasper student administration system from Christchurch software house Jade.

Information systems manager Derek Postlewaight said Jasper had been running parallel with Sears, the university's legacy green-screen system, since September 30.

The cost of Jasper over three years, including licence, implementation and hardware, "leaves change out of $5 million", he said.

"We wanted to prove the application works and the data was migrated correctly.

"We want to avoid disruption to student services so we are extremely risk-averse. We don't want a repeat of what's happening at RMIT."

Problems with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology's PeopleSoft student administration system caused a political storm.

RMIT tried to cut over directly to the system and could not generate bills for six months.

Repairs are expected to cost at least A$16 million ($18.3 million) this year on top of A$12 million ($13.7 million) already spent.

Postlewaight said Sears would process the results of all students enrolled this year, but enrolments since September would also go through Jasper.

All student results since 1975 - more than a million records - were transferred to Jasper in a weekend, with fewer than 200 errors detected.

Waikato is the first university to go live with Jasper, which is used by several polytechnics and the Manukau Institute of Technology.

As well as enrolling online, Waikato's students can use system templates to plan degrees years in advance. If they make changes, such as dropping a paper, Jasper will spell out the implications for their degree.

Jade spokesman Mark Heard said Jasper also managed timetables, billing, course management, and everything needed to apply for funding.