Metropolitan Community College Selects CampusWorks to Provide Technology Leadership and Planning Services

November 16, 2006, Sarasota, FL – CampusWorks (CWI), an Information Technology management and solutions firm specializing exclusively in technology management and planning services for community colleges, is pleased to announce a new contract with Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City, MO.

Metropolitan Community College (MCC) was founded as the Kansas City Polytechnic Institute that enrolled 234 students in 1915.  Today, more than 43,000 students a year attend five campuses spread across four counties, making MCC the largest institution of higher education in Kansas City.

MCC selected CampusWorks to adopt their best practices and develop a robust and full technology tactical plan.  In addition to developing the tactical plan, CWI also assisted in applying for a grant with the Campus EAI/Portal Consortium.  [UPDATE- On January 30, 2007, CampusEAI awarded MCC a grant package in the amount of $1,231,909.]  CampusWorks has already collaborated with key staff members at four other client sites (Grand Rapids CC, MI, Middlesex CC, MA, Bunker Hill CC, MA, and Red Deer College, Alberta) to win distribution of over four million dollars in educational technology awards for the colleges. 

CampusWorks technology planning development effort utilized a “best practice” approach which permits a comprehensive review of the current and projected state of technology at MCC and an exploration of the adaptation of new emerging technologies.  Additional technology planning topics included current technology planning activities, ERP enhancement requirements, enrollment management initiatives, instructional technology/distance learning initiatives, and technology organization and structure.  Equally important, the Technology Planning Effort included a forecast of the potential budget required to introduce both new technologies and continued expenditures for the ERP platform and required enrollment management and instructional technologies. 

This new partnership began with a comprehensive Technology Planning Retreat which enabled the College to develop significant data, with CWI staff assistance, to prepare the grant application. The retreat focused on the role of technology at MCC, components of a Technology Tactical Plan for MCC, and the role and use of portal technology at MCC. 

CampusWorks’ unique IT co-sourcing approach was selected after a thorough due diligence of the exceptional results demonstrated at many other CWI clients such as Bunker Hill Community College, MA, Grand Rapids Community College, MI, Houston CCS, TX, Middlesex Community College, MA, and Red Deer College, Alberta, among others.  All of the above institutions had a common set of technology objectives which included augmenting and enhancing the caliber of their technology management and leadership, strengthening and stabilizing their administrative systems platform, advancing technology in the college's core teaching, learning and student success mission, and achieving a significant return on their technology investments.

CampusWorks is pleased to add MCC to the growing number of colleges who have selected CampusWorks for technology transformation, leadership, and planning assignments throughout North America.