Greetings!
I hope this posting finds you well. As with most summers, it’s seems this one has flown by, with much that will make it memorable – weather, politics and women’s soccer to name just a few. Students will be returning to campus this month (!) and our whole calendar will begin again.
This year, however, we all have something new to add. The inaugural SEARUG Conference will be held this Fall. Planning is currently in high gear – presentations have been submitted and reviewed, facilities have been selected, vendors have been contacted and a number of corporate sponsors have stepped forward to help make this a memorable event.
As this event draws closer, I’m becoming more excited about our plans. Even at this early stage, it’s becoming apparent that this will be a great experience. We’ve had presentation submissions from a mix of schools and vendors covering a WIDE range of topics. Plans for our sponsored events (breakfast, lunch and an evening reception) have been finalized, and we’ve secured a commitment from Oracle Product Strategy to speak at our Opening Session. Last year, getting this effort underway seemed a huge challenge, but people and events have drawn together nicely, and I’m confident that this conference will be a great benefit to everyone who attends. (Plus, given the folks in this region, I'm sure it will be a lot of fun!) One of the things I find the most exciting is that we will have presentations where two schools in one session present on how they handled a process, such as Guest Access. Please stay tuned for the Registration, which will open on August 31.
This year, I’ve attended two regional conferences, the Mid Atlantic conference and the CARHEUG. I can honestly say that in many ways they were the best conferences I’ve attended in a long time. The atmosphere was casual and the vendors were accessible. Many folks commented that they felt more comfortable asking questions during a presentation. In fact, some turned into full blown conversations about how to handle things. I came back with many things to be excited about, but not overwhelmed. I have new ideas about SAIP, handling communications, what CRM really is J, and the PeopleSoft road map. My last trip was to the CARHEUG, and I found Evanston to be amazing. The lake surprised me – it looked more like the Aegean Sea than the lakes I am used to in North Carolina.
I’m very excited about the program we have put together for our own conference. We are trying to take the best practices of those that have gone before!
Take care, and start planning now to attend the SEARUG Conference on Oct 20th and 21st on the campus of Duke University.
Kathy Bader
Duke University