$500,000 Human Resource Software Suggested for Alamo Colleges

The Alamo Colleges board of trustees has unanimously voted to recommend purchasing software that will consolidate multiple human resources systems that keep records in Banner.

If the full board decides to pass the motion at the regular meeting this coming week, then the district will be paying Sungard Higher Education $469,800 over three years.

The payment schedules are $207,900 for fiscal year 2012-2013, $130,950 for fiscal year 2013-2014 and $130,950 for fiscal year 2014-2015.

The Banner HR Talent Management Suite from Sungard helps companies track employee development and training as well as faculty and staff evaluations. The district currently uses software from Banner for student services and finance. The original investment for the district in Banner software was in 2003 and came at a price tag of $6 million.

At a meeting in December, Linda Boyer-Owens, the assistant vice chancellor for human resources and organizational development, said that the district does not have a proper method of tracking career performance and development of its employees, which totals over 6,000.

The president of Northwest Vista College, Dr. Jackie Claunch, said that the new system will allow the colleges in the district to track faculty evaluations and performances.

“It’s just impossible without a system,” she said.

District 5 trustee and committee chair, Roberto Zarate, said that the software is important to the district.

“A system like this adds a very positive dimension,” he said.

Zarate went on to say that it is unknown how much money the district would have had to spend if it decided to develop its own system instead of using a third party for help. He also explained that the software is needed because the district is employing more adjunct faculty members who need to have their development tracked.

District 1 trustee Joe Alderete asked if it’s possible for the district to remove itself from the contract should the faculty and staff not like the software.

The district director for purchasing, Gary O’Bar, said that the district and Sungard are working on a contract that would permit the district to terminate without giving cause.

Denver McClendon, the District 2 trustee, said that using the software brings uncertainty since the district is implementing it earlier than others.

“It’s a blessing and a curse,” he said.

Claunch also explained that the district would be able to see if students succeed after faculty members take part in professional development programs.

Dr. Thomas Cleary, the vice chancellor of planning, performance and information systems, said, “This is a proven system that is equipped with ways to ensure better assessment, better training, better evaluation.”

A one-time fee of $12,000 for migrating the data will be paid by the district along with an annual hosting fee of $7,788 and an annual maintenance FEE OF $45,512.