Workday Student, the system that will replace the majority of our student information systems, including WebSTAC, WebFAC, and WUCRSL, is set to launch in four parts throughout the 2024-25 academic year.
The first go-live is this fall in September, followed by another launch next spring in February. The third and fourth go-lives are scheduled for June and September 2025.
“Our plan is to turn on aspects of the system as we need to use them,” said Erin Culbreth, Student Sunrise executive director and senior associate provost.
Similarly, integrations between Workday Student and other systems will begin running based on when certain data is needed. For example, in Spring 2025 we will integrate Workday Student with Slate, our undergraduate admissions system, so we can pull in new student data. That way new students starting in Fall 2025 can be onboarded in Workday Student and register for classes.
Key activities and audiences for each go-live
Fall 2024 will be focused on setting up courses for Fall 2025 so students can register in April 2025. Only school registrars and staff involved in setting up courses and sections will begin using Workday Student this fall, along with the Office of the University Registrar.
Spring 2025 is the most impactful of the four go-lives as it involves the largest number of new users – students – doing one of the most important things students do – registering for classes. In February 2025, students, advisors, and others who support them, will begin using Workday Student to prepare for Fall 2025 registration in April.
“Our first go-live will include about 200 people,” said Culbreth. “Our second go-live, that’s the big one. That’s when most folks, including our students, will start to use the system.”
The third and fourth launches are focused primarily on the rollout of student financials functionality and integration with the university’s financial aid system PowerFAIDS, as well as tasks related to end-of-term processing and degree conferral.
Visit the Go-Live Year page for more information.
One system, three parts
While we talk about “going live” with Workday Student, it’s worth noting that the system itself – Workday – has been live at WashU since July 1, 2021. Workday Student refers to the bundle (or module) of academic-focused functionality in Workday, the same system we use for human resources and finance administration. This means that staff, student workers and some faculty have already used Workday for HR and finance tasks, like requesting time off, viewing paychecks, or submitting expenses. Most of our students will be first time users of Workday.
“Our second go-live, that’s the big one.”
Erin Culbreth, Student Sunrise executive director and senior associate provost
The Student Sunrise project collaborated with the Workday HR and Finance support team and other university offices, including the Office of the University Registrar, to identify specific dates to move data and functionality from our test environment to the live production environment. Dates were selected to minimize disruptions and to occur during weeks when no critical human resources, finance, or other academic calendar activities are scheduled. They’re also a week before monthly payroll closes.
In many cases, these dates are when people will begin using the system for the activities outlined above; however, there may be some tasks that won’t occur until later based on when those activities typically occur during the academic or fiscal year.
- Sept. 23, 2024 – fifth week of Fall 2024 semester
- Feb. 17, 2025 – sixth week of Spring 2025 semester
- June 23, 2025 – sixth week of Summer 2025 semester
- Sept. 8, 2025 – third week of Fall 2025 semester
As each go-live draws closer, you can expect to receive communications on what you should be doing in Workday Student when.
Get ready for go-live
Everyone is encouraged to register for the Workday Student Sneak Peeks webinar series, which covers a different topic each month. During these sessions, you’ll learn what’s changing and why and see demonstrations of our new student administrative system. Recordings and Q&A summaries are published after the second session of each topic.
These sessions will give you important context before you begin learning how to use the system. Training materials will be available on a rolling basis prior to each go-live; for example, training materials for advisors will be available prior to the second go-live in Spring 2025.
“While we know transitions like these are always bumpy, we want to do the best we can to make sure faculty, students, advisors, registrars and others have everything they need to successfully begin using Workday Student,” added Culbreth.