Board orders new MyFSU

10-year-old online portal for students to be replaced

The Board of Trustees has authorized the replacement of MyFSU with an upgraded system.  In July, the Board’s agenda included a request for a modernized platform called Ellucian Luminis 5. The version of MyFSU currently in use is approximately ten years old. 

The focus of the Luminis 5 portal is to provide a more “content-rich” experience for students, supporting a broader range of media elements such as embedded video. Ellucian’s website boasts streamlined tech support and is used by more than 800 colleges and universities.

Ethan Wagner, a senior in computer networks and systems, commented on the upgrade and his experience with Ellucian while working at TAC last year.

“I’ll be glad to see it done. We use Ellucian for after-hours tech support,” Wagner said. “It’s not surprising since we’ll probably get support from them for the new portal, too.”

Ferris’ website describes its current Luminis software as a “one-stop-shop” that integrates various applications such as email and FerrisConnect into the MyFSU platform. Generally, it runs smoothly without much down or maintenance hours, but Wagner understands the reason for an upgrade. “I don’t personally have many issues with MyFSU as it is now, but from working in TAC, it’s easy to see that it wasn’t perfect for many people.”

Implementation of the new portal, though theoretically only an upgrade from our current software, will be a long and involved process for IT staff. In collaboration with University Advancement and Marketing, IT will integrate the new portal throughout 2015.

Developers online report that installment can routinely take up to 16 months, with multiple full-time employees overseeing development and the organization of University specific content.

The University has yet to elaborate on any specific plans for Luminis 5. For more information on Ellucian Luminis, visit ellucian.com.