Executive Vice President and Provost Nick Jones and Senior Vice President for Finance and Business David Gray have shared the following message with University students, faculty and staff.
We thank you for your patience and understanding as Penn State has transitioned from ISIS to LionPATH, the University's new student information system. Executing such a large, institution-wide change such as this is never easy and we have faced many challenges in our efforts to provide a system that serves all of you optimally. We apologize for any frustrations or problems you may have faced during this process and we thank you for your continued support as we proceed with LionPATH implementation.
Penn State recently completed initial deployment of all system modules, including admissions, student records, advising, student billing and financial aid. Since then, we have created a permanent entity, the LionPATH Development and Maintenance Organization (LDMO), which will focus on enhancements to and stabilization of existing functionalities.
The LDMO is already working on improvements to the system's reporting capabilities and development of a more intuitive and visually engaging user interface. Next month, we are scheduled to begin beta testing the new interface with a cross-section of students from throughout the University. Pending the results of that six-week process, we hope to roll out the new interface to all students in May. You can visit the new “LionPATH Student Updates” web page to stay informed about the beta testing process.
To read the latest LionPATH news and updates, interested individuals can visit lionpathsupport.psu.edu. This website features a variety of useful information as well as a method to report issues, submit help requests, and recommend system improvements. It also includes a new viewable and searchable enhancement request list. We welcome your feedback which will help to ensure LionPATH meets your needs. The website will soon include regular reports containing LionPATH-related news and tips to help you use the system efficiently.
We also want to thank everyone on the Project LionPATH team, a group of individuals from across the University who have worked tenaciously and tirelessly to bring this enterprise to fruition. Thank you all for your commitment to not only Project LionPATH, but to Penn State. We could not have traveled this path without you.
In the coming months, we will remain focused on sustaining and improving LionPATH and delivering top-tier service to everyone who uses the system. Thank you for your support as we move forward.
Nicholas P. Jones
Executive Vice President and Provost
David J. Gray
Senior Vice President for Finance and Business