Dear Lehigh faculty and staff,
We are writing to provide you with an update on the implementation of LIRA (Lehigh Integrated Research Administration system). Since we last communicated at the end of August, we successfully completed the iteration phase of the implementation, during which our cross-college team validated the improved proposal and award processes that will accompany the system. Additionally, we have opted to delay our go-live date to the weekend of March 3, 2023. This additional time provides the opportunity for our teams to document new business processes, thoroughly test the system, and ensure that all users are trained appropriately. Our goal is for LIRA to launch successfully, and we feel this additional time will help us reach that goal.
What comes next?
Now that iteration is complete, we are moving ahead with technical and user testing to ensure that the system is working properly. Thank you to the faculty who have volunteered their time as testers, and to the college staff who will be working alongside them in the testing phase. In the next few months, Anand Jagota and Cynthia Kane will meet with the deans, department chairs, and the faculty senate to provide updates, talk about important process changes and how LIRA will improve the sponsored program proposal and award acceptance process.
When will you be trained?
Faculty and staff training on the system will occur in January through February 2023. We will communicate additional information about those training sessions as they become available.
Do you have questions?
Please join project sponsors Cynthia Kane and Ilena Key at the first of our twice-monthly online open forums, where your questions are welcome:
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Wednesday, October 26 from 12-1pm, via Zoom (Register)
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Thursday, October 27 from 12-1pm, via Zoom (Register)
The next open forum dates can be found on the LIRA website and on the university events calendar.
We welcome your questions at inlira@lehigh.edu.
Best,
Nathan Urban, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Anand Jagota, Vice Provost for Research
Cynthia Kane, AVP of Research and Sponsored Programs and Project Sponsor
Ilena Key, Chief Technology Officer and Project Sponsor