Current Projects

Description/Problem Statement	Illinois Tech is partnering with Braven to elevate career readiness and exposure among existing undergraduate students to offer a new, hybrid, 3-credit foundational course. Through a sequence of interactive learning labs, real‑world projects, and guided coaching, students will clarify and articulate their leadership identity by leveraging their values, strengths, talents, and lived experiences. They will practice effective communication across multiple formats, build meaningful professional networks, and develop career‑critical competencies including project management, problem‑solving, and teamwork.
Goals	Address inequities in early-career outcomes for recent graduates. Students complete a Braven Accelerator as part of their academic pathway, gaining career-readiness skills, networks, and experiences that lead to strong first jobs or graduate school admission. Deliver successful coaching and post-course support
Type	New partnership
Size	Medium
Executive Sponsors	Mallik Sundharam
Campus partners	Career Services, Student Services, Enrollment
PM	Molly McDermott
Anticipated Timeline	Fall 2026 Courses available to students

Description/Problem Statement	Upgrade Degree Works from version 5.0.4 to the stable version 5.1.3 to enhance academic advising and ensure stability and reliability.
Goals	Improve the functionality and user experience of Degree Works for both students and advisors. Upgrade to a stable version that minimizes disruptions and maintenance issues.
Type	Upgrade Existing Application
Size	Medium
Executive Sponsors	Kevin Cassel
Campus Partners	Academic Advising, Office of Technology Services
PM	Carlos Salinas
Anticipated Timeline	June 2026

Description/Problem Statement	Ellucian SmartPlan is a personalized academic planning tool that creates and updates academic plans for students in real-time. It integrates with existing systems to provide a seamless experience for both students and advisors, allowing for automated updates and streamlined registration processes. Through its integration with the Student Information System (SIS), Illinois Tech aims to improve student success rates, streamline administrative processes, and provide a better overall experience for both students and advisors.
Goals	Enhance Academic Planning Support Advisors Improve Student Success Streamline Registration
Type	New Application
Size	Large
Executive Sponsors	Mallik Sundharam
Campus partners	Academic Affairs, Enrollment Services, Office of the Registrar, Office of Technology Services
PM	Carlos Salinas
Anticipated Timeline	December 2026

Description/Problem Statement	This project is focused on building the processes, tools, and technology needed to support students across our Global Campus. With four campuses located in different countries, each requires tailored workflows to ensure students can access the services they need, navigate between campuses smoothly if they choose to, and ultimately progress toward graduation.
Goals	Build reliable processes and integration to transfer admissions data from Slate into Banner. Ensure accurate campus‑code assignment within Banner for all admitted students. Enable campus‑based access to services and tools through correct Banner data. Create Banner workflows that support seamless campus changes for students. Define geofencing rules to ensure students access the correct campus‑specific systems.
Type	New system/application
Size	Medium
Executive Sponsors	Mallik Sundharam
Campus partners	Admissions, Financial Aid, Registrar
PM	Paul Loretto
Anticipated Timeline	May 2026

Description/Problem Statement	This project establishes the institutional processes, governance, and cross‑functional coordination required to implement and sustain Illinois Institute of Technology’s partnership with Guild Education. The project enables Illinois Tech academic programs to participate in Guild’s Learning Opportunity Network by supporting employer‑sponsored student enrollment, employer tuition benefit administration, secure data exchange, and contractual and regulatory compliance. The PMO will oversee implementation and transition ownership to designated functional units for ongoing operations.
Goals	Reduce financial barriers for students via direct employer tuition benefits Streamline enrollment and onboarding for working adult learners Enable scalable employer-sponsored enrollment through Guild Expand Illinois Tech’s national employer footprint
Type	New partnership
Size	Small
Executive Sponsors	Mallik Sundharam
Campus partners	Enrollment Management, Registrar, Finance/Bursar, OTS, Compliance, and academic program administration.
PM	Molly McDermott
Anticipated Timeline	Fall 2026 Courses available to students

Description/Problem Statement	Legacy payroll software lacks several advanced features and capabilities that improve payroll efficiency, accuracy, and compliance. UKG payroll software streamlines complex processes by automating workflows, limiting manual errors and saving time and money.
Goals	Create integration between Banner and UKG to correctly capture pay data Automate and streamline the entire payroll process Create the ability to process computations and applying taxes Allow the UKG system to manage deductions Ensure UKG payroll can create reliable and timely reports Replace current timesheet submission with new process
Type	New system/application
Size	Medium
Executive Sponsors	Amit Thomas Jeremy Fine
Campus Partners	Human Resources Finance Department
PM	Paul Loretto
Anticipated Timeline	December 2026

Project Portfolio