The Integrated Services Renewal (ISR) Initiative is a university-wide effort to modernize and replace aging administrative systems that support human resources, finance, procurement, students, and other core university functions. ISR is more than a technology project. It is an opportunity to improve services, simplify processes, connect information, strengthen decision-making, and enhance the experience of students, faculty, and staff across USask.
Many of the university's current administrative systems are aging, increasingly difficult to maintain, and do not fully support the needs of a modern institution. Investing now helps reduce risks associated with unsupported technology while positioning USask to improve efficiency, service delivery, data accessibility, and long-term sustainability. The initiative also builds on assessment and planning work that has been underway since 2019.
Many existing systems are aging, disconnected, and increasingly difficult to maintain. Continuing to rely on unsupported or outdated technology increases operational risk and limits the university's ability to improve services, reporting, integration, and user experience. Modernization helps ensure USask has sustainable systems that can meet future needs.
In 2026, the university’s Board of Governors approved $5 million in funding for phase one of the initiative. In addition, funding for future implementation work was secured through the university's approved financing strategy. These investments support the planning, readiness, procurement, assessment, and future implementation activities required for this multi-year modernization effort.
Phase One focuses on planning, assessment, and readiness activities. This includes issuing a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) to select a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution and implementation partner, advancing foundational projects such as job architecture, procurement, and accounts payable improvements, and assessing opportunities to modernize student information and academic systems. The goal is to ensure the university is well prepared before major systems implementation begins.
ISR is focused on modernizing systems, improving processes, and enhancing service delivery. The initiative is not a workforce reduction project. During planning and design activities, the university will work closely with stakeholders to understand current processes and identify opportunities to improve how work is performed.
Faculty and staff will have opportunities to participate through workshops, focus groups, interviews, surveys, readiness activities, and other engagement opportunities. Subject-matter experts from across the institution will play a critical role in helping shape future processes, services, and system requirements. The success of ISR depends on broad participation and collaboration across the university community.
Students may not see immediate changes during Phase One, but the initiative is designed to improve the long-term student experience. Future modernization efforts will focus on creating more connected, reliable, and user-friendly systems that support student success, academic services, and access to information throughout the student journey.
ISR is a multi-year initiative that will be delivered in phases. Phase One focuses on planning and readiness. Phase Two will implement new human resources, finance, and procurement systems, while Phase Three will focus on student information and academic systems modernization. Detailed implementation timelines will be shared as procurement, planning, and assessment activities are completed.
Yes. Training and readiness activities will be a critical part of implementation. The university is committed to ensuring faculty and staff have the tools, resources, and support they need to effectively use new systems and processes before they are introduced.
The university is committed to regular, timely, and transparent communications. Updates will be provided through the ISR website, campus communications, engagement sessions, presentations, and project updates. As the work progresses, questions and feedback can be submitted to isr.feedback@usask.ca.
Excellent universities require administrative services that are aligned to support and facilitate their mission. As a member of the U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities, USask needs an optimized administrative environment to support its world-class research, scholarly and artistic work, and academic mission.
Guided by the University Plan 2025, the Administrative Services Renewal (ASR) and Integrated Services Renewal (ISR) Initiatives are focused on aligning and modernizing our administrative environment through differing, yet complimentary approaches.
The Administrative Services Renewal (ASR) Initiative focuses on working together with campus leaders to co-create a structure that aligns and supports our people, operations, and resources. ASR’s initial focus is on organizational changes to achieve a more centralized network of administrative professionals that support leaders, faculty, and staff within colleges, schools, and support units. The Integrated Services Renewal (ISR) Initiative works in parallel with ASR to leverage our people, processes, data, and technology. ISR is supporting a campus transition to a modern cloud-based enterprise system and supporting technology, which will lead us to have more consistency and standardization in our roles, policies, and processes.
Although both ASR and ISR Initiatives are focused on people, the former is concentrated on distribution of administration professionals centrally and within colleges and schools, and the latter provides clarity around job roles, expectations, responsibilities, processes, and policies.
In the future state, our administrative environment will be fully integrated, user-focused, and future ready, fully capable of supporting USask to be the university the world needs. However, we still have much work to do and achieving the goals will require commitment from all members of the USask community.