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U Washington To Deploy Kuali Open Source Student Information System

The University of Washington (UW) is gearing up to deploy Kuali Student, a student information system built on Kuali open source platform. The SIS includes modules for student academic planning as well as course and program development.

The institution selected rSmart to assist with the implementation of the new SIS. The company develops enterprise-level open source software for colleges and universities.

U Washington's new system aims to help students successfully navigate their way through their college program. My Plan, the academic planning module of the SIS, uses real-time data to help students and academic advisors create a personalized course plan that moves students toward degree completion.

The institution will also use Kuali Student Curriculum Management (KSCM), a module that enables faculty to plan and develop courses and programs. KSCM is designed to automate the workflow and approval process for course proposals.

According to Darcy Van Patten, director of student information systems at U Washington, the ability to retain control of core features, option to implement modules on an incremental basis, and the need for modernization were among the primary drivers behind the school's decision to adopt KS.

"Kuali Student will help bring student services into the digital age," said Van Patten, in a prepared statement from rSmart. "And with Kuali Student, we can offer students rich learning opportunities, convenience and personalized support."

Kuali Student was created as part of collaborative effort by seven institutions, including the University of Maryland, Indiana University, University of Toronto, Boston College, University of Washington and North-West University. These institutions have contributed funding and resources toward KS and are involved in its continued development. A network of vendor partners, called Kuali Commercial Affiliates, carry out the deployment, cloud delivery, and support of the system, according to rSmart. Additional modules in development include Enrollment, Accounts, Program Audit, Scheduling, Financial Aid, and Admission.

Additional information about Kuali Student is available online.

About the Author

Kanoe Namahoe is online editor for 1105 Media's Education Group. She can be reached at [email protected].

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