RQ - Implement Alternate Calendars for Fall 2027

70%

Status

PCMO Intake: Scoping []

70% complete, updated on Thu 7/30/26 3:38 PM by Gloria Walden Johnson

Changed Percent Complete from 50% to 70%.
RQ - Implement Alternate Calendars for Fall 2027 Project Request Intake Update
The intake is progressing, and the magnitude of the operational and technical impacts is becoming clearer. The most significant remaining work is completing the stakeholder assessments, confirming the implementation boundaries, validating resource estimates, and resolving calendar-dependent business and compliance decisions. 
Intake Status Percentage Complete: 70% Complete

  • Business Analysis - 85% Complete
    • Documented the business need, objectives, preliminary requirements, affected processes, and anticipated institutional impacts.
    • Identified Registrar and Financial Aid as significantly affected functional areas.
    • Documented preliminary departmental responsibilities, including process redesign, validation, testing, and operational readiness.
    • Estimated that Registrar and Financial Aid may each require at least 10 hours of participation per week during active implementation.
    • Identified key compliance, policy, operational, and cross-functional considerations.
    • Remaining work includes confirming unresolved business rules, policy decisions, and initial implementation boundaries.
  • Scoping - 

    65% Complete

  • Conducted functional and technical stakeholder working sessions.
  • Continued assessing PeopleSoft modules, components, integrations, configuration needs, development requirements, and system ownership.
  • Established a preliminary implementation estimate of approximately 5,000 hours over 12–15 months.
  • Estimated ongoing IT support at approximately 300–500 hours annually.
  • Documented preliminary risks, assumptions, constraints, dependencies, and competing resource demands.
  • Remaining work includes completing departmental assessments, finalizing T-shirt sizing, validating estimates, and confirming the selected programs and courses included in the initial rollout.
    •  
  • PGC Review — 35% Complete
    • Developed the draft Project Request Summary.
    • Compiled preliminary business impacts, resource requirements, risks, timeline, and rough-order-of-magnitude estimates.
    • The request has not yet been formally submitted for PGC review and prioritization.
    • Remaining work includes completing scoping, securing stakeholder validation, finalizing the Project Request Summary, and preparing the intake recommendation for PGC consideration.

Details

Dates
Fri 5/29/26 - Fri 6/11/27
Acct/Dept
Enrollment Management
Service
Project and Change Management Office / DoIT Project Submission
Type
Strategic Projects / Division of IT Project
Health
On Hold
Portfolio(s)
Classification
Large Project (>230 Hours)
Requirements
Functional Requirements
Configure PeopleSoft to support alternate academic calendar structures (8-week sessions within the existing 16-week semester).
Support multiple academic session types within the same academic term.
Enable students to enroll in both traditional and alternate calendar courses within a single semester.
Support pilot implementation for selected colleges and academic programs.
Maintain existing academic calendar functionality for traditional courses.
Support future expansion of alternate calendar offerings across additional colleges and programs.
Business Process Requirements
Redesign registration processes for alternate calendar sessions.
Establish new registration timelines and enrollment periods.
Define new add/drop deadlines.
Establish new census dates.
Create alternate fee payment deadlines.
Update course scheduling processes.
Review graduation and degree conferral timelines.
Review academic advising processes.
Update academic catalog publication processes.
Review admissions impacts for future implementation phases.
Financial Aid Requirements
Support alternate financial aid disbursement schedules.
Ensure compliance with federal Title IV regulations.
Support enrollment status calculations.
Support Return of Title IV processing.
Update satisfactory academic progress calculations if required.
Maintain accurate cost of attendance calculations.
Support regulatory reporting requirements.
Student Financial Services Requirements
Support revised billing schedules.
Support alternate payment deadlines.
Maintain tuition assessment accuracy.
Support refund processing.
Ensure fee assessment aligns with alternate session dates.
Technology Requirements
Configure PeopleSoft Student Administration.
Modify PeopleSoft business rules where necessary.
Update system integrations.
Update reporting solutions.
Validate downstream system compatibility.
Maintain data integrity across enterprise systems.
Update interfaces supporting academic calendar information.
Review Canvas/LMS integration impacts.
Maintain existing production functionality.
Reporting & Compliance Requirements
Maintain CSU reporting compliance.
Maintain state reporting requirements.
Maintain federal reporting requirements.
Support audit requirements.
Ensure regulatory compliance throughout implementation.
Update institutional reporting as necessary.
Security Requirements
Maintain existing security roles.
Ensure appropriate access to new functionality.
Protect student data.
Maintain FERPA compliance.
Follow CSU security standards.
Organizational Change Management Requirements
Complete stakeholder analysis.
Perform organizational impact assessment.
Develop communication plan.
Develop training strategy.
Deliver end-user training.
Prepare business readiness activities.
Develop user documentation.
Provide post-go-live support.
Testing Requirements
Complete unit testing.
Complete system integration testing.
Complete business process validation.
Conduct User Acceptance Testing (UAT).
Validate reporting.
Validate financial aid processing.
Validate billing processes.
Validate registration scenarios.
Obtain business approval prior to implementation.
Governance Requirements
Obtain Project Governance Committee approval.
Secure Executive Sponsor approval.
Complete business process sign-off.
Obtain stakeholder acceptance.
Complete implementation readiness review.
Receive Go-Live approval.
Documentation Requirements
Business Requirements Document (BRD)
Business Process Maps
Functional Design Documentation
Technical Design Documentation
Test Plans and Test Scripts
Training Materials
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Communications Plan
Change Management Plan
Support Documentation
Created
Wed 5/27/26 3:50 PM
Modified
Thu 7/30/26 3:38 PM

Project Details

Department Head Support
Did you discuss this request with your department head and receive approval for submission?
Yes
Department Head Name
Select the staff member that approved this project request.
Executive Sponsor Division
The executive sponsor's campus division. Campuswide is used for projects that have multiple executive sponsors or are initiated by cabinet.
Student Affairs
Project Purpose
What organizational need are you looking to address?
Implement the capability to support alternate academic calendars (8-week sessions within the existing 16-week semester structure) for Fall 2027 to provide greater academic flexibility, improve access for adult and non-traditional learners, and support accelerated degree completion opportunities. The project will establish the business processes, policies, technology configuration, and operational framework necessary for state-supported alternate calendar offerings while ensuring compliance with CSU, state, and federal regulations. The initiative aligns with the CSU Chancellor's Office strategic priorities and the Provost's vision for expanding flexible educational delivery at Chico State.
Success Criteria/Requirements
What constitutes project success (e.g. requirements, key goals, features, functions, capabilities, etc.)?
The project will be considered successful when:

PeopleSoft is configured to support alternate academic calendar structures within state-supported programs.
Registration, enrollment, census, add/drop, billing, financial aid, and academic scheduling processes support 8-week sessions.
Required business policies and procedures are reviewed, updated, approved, and documented.
State and federal compliance requirements are maintained for financial aid, reporting, and student records.
Cross-functional business processes are validated by all impacted departments.
Student Financial Services, Registrar, Financial Aid, Academic Affairs, and IT successfully complete business readiness activities.
Required system integrations, reporting, and downstream applications function correctly.
End users receive appropriate communications, documentation, and training.
User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is successfully completed with business stakeholder approval.
Executive Sponsors approve project readiness for implementation.
Initial pilot courses are successfully offered for Fall 2027 (or the approved implementation term if adjusted).
Project Urgency
Indicate if there is a mandate or requirement driving this request.
Not mandated or required

Project Resources & Effort

What resources will this project require?
Identify the department and/or individuals that might need to work on this project and the estimated number of hours required for each individual.
Project Leadership

Executive Sponsor (Provost)
Business Sponsor (Vice Provost for Enrollment Management)
IT Executive Sponsor
Project Manager (PCMO)
Business Analyst

Business Resources

Registrar's Office
Financial Aid
Student Financial Services
Academic Affairs
Enrollment Management
Faculty Affairs
Academic Advising
Institutional Research
Compliance representatives
College representatives participating in the pilot

Technical Resources

Enterprise Applications (PeopleSoft Functional Analysts)
PeopleSoft Technical Developers
Integration Developers
Reporting/BI Developers
Database Administrator (as needed)
Identity & Security Administrator
Enterprise Architecture
Quality Assurance / Test Coordinator
System Administrators
Canvas/LMS support (if required)Change Management

Organizational Change Management Lead
Communications Lead
Training & Documentation Specialist
Business Readiness Lead
Change Champions from impacted departments

Governance & Support

Project Governance Committee (PGC)
Executive Steering Committee
Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
User Acceptance Testing (UAT) participants
Pilot participants (faculty, staff, and students)
DoIT Departments Involved
Any Division of IT departments that will be involved in this project.
EAPP (Enterprise Applications)
ESYS (Enterprise Systems)
IRSA (Institutional Research and Strategic Analytics)
ISEC (Information Security)
ITSS (Information Technology Support Services)
PCMO (Project and Change Management Office)

Description

This project request is to launch alternate calendar options within our existing semester calendar model.  Specifically, we need the ability to offer up to two eight-week sessions within our fall and spring semesters.  While not precisely a "mandate" as described in the Project Urgency section above, this project is informed by increased interest from the Chancellor's Office, the Office of the Provost, and Enrollment Management Services to provide more flexibility and opportunity for prospective & current students, and our academic departments to increase our attractiveness as an institution of higher education.  That said, there are numerous challenges that will need to be addressed, including but not limited to: retooling PeopleSoft; refining our current financial aid awarding process; diversifying various faculty/student engagement tools (e.g., Canvas). This effort will require considerable commitment from and engagement with the divisions of Academic Affairs, IT, and Student Affairs (and likely the Chancellor's Office) to be actualized.  Please let me know if there are questions as we begin exploring how to proceed with this project.  Thank you.

Manager

Gloria Walden Johnson
Gloria Walden Johnson

Alternate Manager(s)

SR
Shannon Roskosky

Sponsor

SD
Serge Desir