The University had no choice but to carry out Project ADAPT. The old financial systems were obsolete and unrepairable; they would simply have stopped functioning on Jan. 1, 2000. However, the Project ADAPT systems are complicated, and literally thousands of users need to be trained in using them.
My opinion is that we've come through the hardest part of the implementation. The ADAPT staff has done a great job in making changes (for example, speeding up the system that produces financial reports on research grants) in response to user requests. There's a lot more work to be done, but we're already starting to enjoy the benefits (such as better financial reporting) of the project.
Daniel S. Brody '71
March 25, 2000
The writer is the Assistant Dean for Financial Management at the Kennedy School of Government and a former Crimson editor.
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