insights

The university has the resources, enough funds, skilled employees and etc which are vital in university administration’s decision making. In fact, the university is aiming to produce morally upright and globally competitive graduates and fortunately it is hitting its aim. The university’s achievements could not be possible without our faculty and staff who are above par that we could imagine. To be able to produce best fruits, a best ground and seed is the best option.

In order to have some preferences about this issue, some of the terms, minor issues, or even gossips inside the campus should be discussed.

The term in-house pertains to the production of some commodity or service, such as the university’s new enrollment system, using a company’s own funds, staff, or resources. This is an opposite of production being outsourced (contracted out) to other company, uses other company’s resources and manpower.

As what I have heard from my instructors, the university was paying seventy thousand a month just for the old system. It was just renting the old system and for some modification and maintenance is not free of charge. Databases was kept restricted from university’s staff that was why it was difficult that time to fix minor bugs, problems, etc. Unfortunately, it was not a rent-to-own basis which is a big cut to university’s fund. It could cost almost a million annually and that is already a big amount.

Last year the administration gave a go signal to create or build a new system that could speed up; I thought it was made for that purpose; the enrollment process and etc. Two instructors from Institute of Computing had given a task to do that and I’m very proud of it. Although there are misconceptions about the new system; but my beliefs are still firm, they are one of the best instructors I have that could fix it, that eventually the new system will be totally embraced by the people concern ( faculty and staff, students, administration, etc ).

A month ago, I have heard that the university is having a budget cut. Because of that, I began to think about the new system being imposed in our university. I questioned myself “Is it the reason why the new system has imposed?” well, since our subject is System Analysis and Design, let’s apply analysis on that topic.

These are my clues: the budget cut, the newly imposed system, and the idea of moving on from a bit much old system. It clarifies my perspective about this issue.

The reasons why the university decided to tap in-house resources:

1. Foisting a new system with our own resources will do better than using the old one.

2. Having budget cut and imposing this system could be a help.

3. The old system was a bit much to us. We’d been choked and tangled.

4. It is more convenient to fix, to upgrade, and to maintain the system.

Was it a good decision? Yes it is indeed a good decision. Why should we rely on a system that would not even satisfy us? There are lots of option for the university to decide and forget about the old system which was choking us with database restrictions and etc.

I’m not an advocate of anti-outsourcing campaign but we have already the resources, skilled employees, our instructors, facilities, etc that we could use to make our own system. We got knowledge and skills because we are under the roof of a great university, I think all USEP students share the same idea with me, so I think we can do it better than anyone. Let us make use all of those for the good of our university while not relying to somebody else.

The university has risk to consider for putting down the old system and building customized software for a new system. System automation, through software, is not an exception to failures. There are lots of things to consider like efficiency, portability, cost, etc. One good thing about software customization the administration is free to choose what functions, design they like. Since the university is using now its own resources; the maintenance of the software will take a minimal amount of time, it minimizes cost, access to engineers to fix problems is just around its vicinity, and etc.

The time is also a risk for that project, the new system. Having bombarded by questions, arguments, and reactions from board of directors the new project has come to reality. I think, the project began on unexpected date and needs to be finished at a very minimal amount of time. As a result, an instant customized system intended for USEP. Reactions among students have been harsh saying that the old system is faster but they did not realize that it is still in the process of upgrading and improving to surpass the efficiency of the old one.

It is a product of rash decisions which made a product of instant and inefficient system, but it has not yet in its best. But for a very limited time of its development, the software engineers still managed to finish it on time. I do not have doubts with regard to the abilities of the developers because they are my instructors before and I know what they have got. They are awesome and cool.

Other schools/universities have gone far with their systems, making it more high-tech system. They are moving with the flow of the advancement of technology, not as sophisticated as to other country but at least making a progress for their own. In fact, other schools are trying to outsource their developed systems and making it fund generating project. It is a challenge to other school to have an innovation of their own. Can’t we apply that idea to our university, USEP? I think we have the knowledge, ability, skill, etc to do that. Our new system is just a beginning and hoping that someday it goes big time, an idea that could help to stop budget cut.

The bottom line is: Others can do it, why can’t we?!