Wright State executive director recognized by Campus Technology for business intelligence solution

Sasanka Prabhala, executive director for strategic information and business intelligence, received the award from Rhea Kelly, executive editor of Campus Technology, in Boston.

Campus Technology, a website and print periodical that covers higher education and issues for professionals working in the industry, has named Wright State University’s Sasanka Prabhala to its 2015 Innovators Award list.

In August, Wright State and Prabhala, executive director for strategic information and business intelligence, deployed a first-of-its-kind business intelligence solution that provides easy, on-demand access to accurate information to university leaders to help them plan, measure and make decisions at multiple levels of the university. The university is first using the tool to focus on student data but work continues to design and develop the tool for finance and human resources applications.

Prabhala and a core team of staff with representatives from Computing and Telecommunications Services, Institutional Research and the Division of Business and Finance built the tool, which won the award in the Administrative Systems category.

“This tool aligns the university with its strategic goals by providing easy access to accurate data, data trends, data patterns and predictive models,” said Sasanka Prabhala. “It provides data insights for tactical and strategic decision-making across multiple layers of management such as VPs, deans, department chairs and program managers.”

“This is a game changer for the way we process and use data,” said Mark Polatajko, vice president for business and finance.

Business intelligence is the set of techniques and tools used to transform raw data into useful information for business analysis purposes. Business intelligence technologies help organizations easily manipulate large amounts of data in an effort to identify, develop and create business strategies.

The use of business intelligence has become increasingly common in commercial industry, but few institutions of higher education have deployed it.

Wright State committed to developing this strategic asset at the start of the year when the university created the Strategic Information and Business Intelligence department within the Division of Business and Finance.

The Campus Technology Innovators Awards annually recognize the exemplary colleges and universities, along with their visionary project leadership and technology vendor partners, that have used technology in innovative ways to solve campus challenges.

“From out-of-the-box learning spaces and cutting-edge tech to unique apps and invaluable tools for teaching, learning and administration, these innovators illustrate the many wonderful ways that technology can enhance higher education. Congratulations to all of this year’s awardees,” said Rhea Kelly, executive editor of Campus Technology.

Visit http://campustechnology.com/articles/2015/06/09/press-release-campus-technology-announces-2015-innovators-award-honorees.aspx to view the complete list of 2015 Innovators Award winners.