AU - Another IT hitch for RMIT By Misha Ketchell Higher Education Reporter April 15 2002

Faults with RMIT's computer software system have delayed $30 million in payments to the university, leaked documents have revealed.

The university's budget papers show that glitches have delayed the issuing of between $25 million and $30 million in invoices, with most of the bills still to be sent.

Software faults have also forced the university to revert to an old computer program to process $90 million of overseas student enrolments.

The projected revenue for 2002 is $496 million.

RMIT's executive director of financial services, Ian Raines, said the problems with the multi-million-dollar software system would have little impact on the university's overall financial position and would benefit students by giving them more time to pay their bills. He denied claims by university staff that hundreds of overseas enrolments had already been lost.

Mr Raines said staff had been working through weekends and holidays to get the invoices out. He said $8 million of the delayed invoices had been sent to HECS students and $8 million for full-fee students would be sent within a few weeks. About $10 million of TAFE invoices would be issued within a couple of months.

"Potentially it could've lost enrolments, but we're right on budget for our enrolments," Mr Raines said. RMIT has been plagued by problems in its Academic Management System software since January, when the results of 55,000 students were delayed for several weeks.

Some students considered legal action after they missed out on university places. RMIT offered to help students find places and now says these problems have been resolved.

This month it was revealed that up to 200 RMIT students did not have student cards and many had been unable to apply for Youth Allowance payments or use the library because they had no proof of enrolment.

Students approved a motion last month calling for vice-chancellor Ruth Dunkin to resign. Emily Anderson, RMIT student union president, said hundreds of students were seriously disadvantaged by the problems.

Opposition education spokesman Phil Honeywood said the university's administration had clearly mishandled the introduction of the software and called for an independent investigation.

External reviewers have identified several problems with the implementation of the software, including inadequate testing.

This story was found at: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/04/14/1018333455844.html

-- Anonymous, April 15, 2002