A more connected Cleveland State University

CSU Compass is Cleveland State University’s enterprise transformation initiative focused on modernizing how we work, serve and support our campus community.

This is not just a technology implementation. It is a coordinated effort to simplify processes, improve access to information and create a more connected experience for students, faculty and staff.

At the center of CSU Compass is the implementation of Workday, a modern platform that will unify HR, Finance and — over time — student systems into a single, integrated environment.

Why CSU Compass, Why Now

Over time, systems and processes across the University have become fragmented, manual and difficult to navigate. This creates challenges for decision-making, service delivery and the overall campus experience.

CSU Compass is an investment in addressing those challenges directly.

Through extensive engagement with over 185 stakeholders across the University, consistent themes were identified:

• Processes are often manual and time-consuming
• Data is difficult to access and not always aligned
• Systems do not communicate seamlessly
• Users experience unnecessary complexity

CSU Compass is designed to resolve these issues in a thoughtful, structured way, while positioning CSU for long-term success.

Our Approach

CSU Compass is being delivered through a structured, phased approach:

• Planning – Aligning scope, goals and priorities
• Architect and Configure – Designing and building the system
• Testing – Ensuring the system works as intended
• Deployment – Transitioning to the new platform
• Post-Production – Supporting adoption and continuous improvement

Throughout each phase, we are committed to transparency, collaboration and accountability.

Our Guiding Principles

CSU Compass is grounded in a few key principles:

• Student-Centered – Decisions prioritize the student experience
• Simplification – Reduce complexity wherever possible
• Transparency – Open communication about progress and challenges
• Accountability – Clear ownership of decisions and outcomes
• Sustainability – Building solutions that will last

These principles guide how we work and how decisions are made.

Our Partners

CSU is working alongside experienced partners to support this transformation:

• Workday – The technology platform
• Alchemy – Implementation partner
• CSU Teams – Functional and technical leaders across the University

Together, we are focused on delivering a solution that works for CSU.