The Student Sunrise project is preparing to help students transition to Workday Student as we retire WebSTAC and other systems students use to navigate their academic careers at WashU.
Most students will begin using Workday in February 2025 to prepare for registration in April. Ensuring students are aware of changes to the registration process and the different kinds of support available to them will be essential throughout the 2024-2025 academic year.
Student advisory groups shape student readiness strategy
Students have played an active role since the beginning of the Sunrise project through internships, as well as through Sunrise’s student advisory groups, which first formed spring 2023. These groups represent all academic levels from both the Danforth Campus and School of Medicine, including CAPS.
To date, input from our student advisory groups has shaped the strategy and tools we’ll use to communicate with and prepare students throughout the go-live year. They’ve voiced the need to engage with students early to explain the impact this transition will have on their experience at the university.
This month, Student Advisory Group members are also participating in Workday Student Workshops to provide feedback on training and support materials designed help students navigate academic tasks in Workday.
Building awareness with all students in Fall 2024
Getting in front of students at key moments, like orientation, floor meetings and other events, will be important this fall to build awareness about the upcoming transition to Workday Student.
We will leverage trusted channels that students already know and use, like Student Life and social media, in collaboration with University Marketing and Communications, Student Affairs and other university partners. Sunrise will also equip those whom students seek out for support, like advisors, RAs and WUSAs, with information to point students in the right direction to find help.
“We know that students are a tricky-to-reach and nuanced audience, so finding ways to get their attention is important,” said Danielle Bristow, change lead. “We hope that by using channels and people they already know, we’ll be able to reach them more effectively.”
Additionally, Sunrise will host a university-wide event called Mock Semester in November 2024, which will serve as a dress rehearsal for registration in April 2025, when students will register in Workday for Fall 2025 classes. Mock Semester will give students their first true “hands on keyboard” experience with Workday before using it in Spring 2025 and allow them to provide feedback on training and support materials, like the Workday Student Workshops. Whereas the Workshops are intended for a targeted group, Mock Semester will be open to all students, faculty and staff who wish to participate.
Training
First available to students January 2025, our training materials consider students’ diverse learning needs and aim to offer students the necessary support exactly when they need it.
“Empowering students means meeting them where they are,” said Barry Martin, training lead. “Our strategy integrates support seamlessly into their academic journey, prioritizing accessibility and convenience.”
As students complete academic tasks, such as class registration and course searching, they can conveniently access training resources directly within Workday. Additional materials, like videos and e-learning courses, will be easily accessible on the Workday@WashU website.
When developing support materials, the Sunrise training team has prioritized adherence to the university’s accessibility standards. We’ve ensured things like high-contrast colors, text size, and video captions meet these guidelines as we create a range of materials to support our diverse student population.