Bring Your Toughest Questions to Alliance 2027

By Casey Brown, HEUG President

There is a question behind almost every project on our campuses: How are other institutions handling this?

Maybe you are preparing for a system transition, improving reporting, exploring AI, or helping your team navigate another round of change. Talking with someone who has faced similar challenges can help you see a way forward, especially when they are willing to share what worked, what didn’t, and what they would do differently.

That is why I hope to see you at Alliance 2027, March 7–10 in San Antonio, Texas.

Throughout my career at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, I have led teams supporting Workday, Campus Solutions, and other administrative applications. Across those roles, Alliance has been my go-to resource for learning, finding solutions, and connecting with people who understand higher education.

Our challenges rarely fit neatly within one system or department. Neither should our learning.

Content that meets you where the work happens

This year’s program offers plenty of reasons to explore beyond your usual track.

Embry-Riddle’s Nick Kochis will present “New ERP, Old Problems: What to Do With Legacy Data After Go-Live.” Brigham Young University presenters will share “From Legacy to SaaS: A Playbook for Enterprise System Transformation,” while the North Dakota University System will address integrations, upgrades, and IT team resilience. These conversations matter whether you are planning a transition or improving the systems you have today.

With content spanning finance, HCM, student systems, CRM, technical and reporting, and project and change management, you can build a schedule around your institution’s priorities.

My encouragement: attend sessions that support your responsibilities, then try something outside your usual track. Some of my most valuable takeaways have come from sessions and conversations I hadn’t originally planned to join.

For more focused practice, the preconference workshops offer three hours of learning on topics including BI Publisher and Connected Query, external award processing, testing for Oracle Redwood, and managing complex project requirements. Workshops require separate registration.

More opportunities to go deeper

Two partner programs bring additional learning opportunities to Alliance.

GT Ignite returns with user-led sessions, hands-on workshops, product roadmaps, and office hours with Gideon Taylor experts. Members working in PeopleSoft and Oracle environments can explore specific challenges and learn how peers are getting more from their enterprise systems. Review the registration options to include it in your plans.

The inaugural HighPoint Summit explores AI and agentic AI in PeopleSoft Campus Solutions, including advising, degree planning, scheduling, and financial aid. It also addresses responsible adoption, human oversight, governance, and student data privacy. HighPoint Summit can be added to an Alliance full conference pass at no additional cost, with registration required.

Your experience belongs in the conversation

One of the things I love most about HEUG is that our greatest resource is each other.

You do not need a completed transformation or a perfect success story to contribute. Sometimes the most useful conversation starts with, “Here’s what we’re struggling with. Has anyone else figured this out?” And the lesson you learned the hard way could save another institution weeks of frustration.

If this is your first Alliance, jump into those conversations. If you have attended for years, invite a colleague who would benefit from being part of them.

I know conference attendance takes time, resources, and planning. Make that investment count. Bring a few challenges you want to tackle, choose sessions that address them, and leave room for the conversations you cannot put on a schedule.

Explore the Alliance 2027 program, talk with your colleagues, and register to join us.

Bring your toughest questions. Bring your experience. Come ready to connect, learn, and share.

I look forward to seeing you in San Antonio!

Casey Brown
HEUG President