Recipes for success: Navigating ERP transformation and preparing for what’s ahead

At Oracle AI World 2025, Amanda Duval-Norwood, Chief Human Resources Officer from Harper College, joined Baker Tilly Director Courtney Csik in a panel discussion on navigating ERP transformation in higher education. From origin stories to lessons learned, the session offered a candid look at the challenges and triumphs of implementing Oracle Cloud, highlighting how institutions can successfully manage complex digital transformations in highly regulated environments.

Origin stories

Csik: What prompted your organization to pursue an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) transformation?

Duval-Norwood: Harper College’s back-office transformation began in 2021, leveraging our long-standing relationship with Oracle. The college transitioned to Oracle Cloud, going live with Human Capital Management (HCM), Financials (ERP) and Supply Chain Management (SCM) during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial implementation was minimal, given the circumstances. When I joined in mid-2022, I was tasked with optimizing the system. This led to the rollout of Oracle Recruiting and Journeys modules in 2023. We also deployed Fusion Data Intelligence (FDI), though adoption is still in progress. Over the past 18 months, our focus has been on identifying underutilized features within HCM and introducing them to campus. This year, we successfully transitioned to Redwood and we are now exploring EPM on the ERP side. The community has responded positively and there’s growing excitement around future enhancements aimed at improving user experience.

Csik: Why did you choose Oracle as your solution?

Duval-Norwood: Oracle’s suite aligns well with our needs as a community college and government entity. It supports both operational and student-facing improvements and we’ve found Oracle to be a reliable and forward-thinking partner.

Recipes for success

Csik: In terms of change management, how has Harper College approached and executed the transformation?

Duval-Norwood: We’ve seen success through optimization and user adoption. Implementing modules like Recruiting and Journeys has helped us streamline HR processes. Change management was key, especially with long-tenured staff.

Csik: What role did Baker Tilly play in your implementation?

Duval-Norwood: Baker Tilly was more than an implementation partner, they were educators. They empowered our team to learn and own the system. That knowledge transfer has built internal confidence and capability and allows us to maximize our investment in modern back-office applications.

Csik: What was important to you when selecting an implementation partner?

Duval-Norwood: The biggest value for Harper College was knowledge transfer. Baker Tilly’s approach empowered our HR team, who were balancing their day jobs with implementation duties. Over time, our staff gained confidence and skills, building an internal support system that continues to serve us well. Every interaction with Baker Tilly has added to our institutional knowledge and helped us grow.

Csik: What challenges have you faced and what lessons have you learned?

Duval-Norwood: Time and people are our biggest challenges. Long-term employees can be resistant to change and balancing day jobs with implementation is tough. But mindset shifts and strong communication have helped.

Preparing and scaling for the future

Csik: How are you preparing for the future and leveraging AI?

Duval-Norwood: We’re focused on using what we’ve already purchased and optimizing it. AI is a big part of our future and we want to build a one-stop information desk for employees using AI agents. Modules like Communicate will help us centralize information.

Csik: What are your final pieces of advice for others starting their implementation journey?

Duval-Norwood: Ask questions, there are no dumb ones. Your implementation partner is there to help and asking early can save you trouble later.