Drake University is implementing Workday, a new software program that will impact all online student functions by the end of December 2028.
Drake currently runs on a software system called Banner — the same system the University has used for over 20 years. Information Technology Services is working to transition all student information from Banner into Workday. This will impact finance and accounting operations as well as student operations, meaning class registration, grades, degree requirements and more will change.
“All of the operation of the University runs on software platforms like this,” said Chris Gill, the chief information technology officer and overseer of the transition. “Everybody is going to have to learn new ways of doing things.”
Gill and his team looked at a dozen different software programs, carefully deliberating which to use. The move to Workday was an obvious decision for those working on the project. It made sense financially and in the context of what would work best for students, as it is the fastest-growing student information system in the world.
“We’re going to fix some of those pain points and make improvements that are going to make things faster, more automated, more efficient,” Gill said.
The biggest changes students will see are how services work and accessibility. Most notably, the new systems will be more phone-friendly.
“The mobile interface is going to be so much more integrated,” Gill said, “You’re going to be able to register for classes on your phone and in a way that actually works.”
For on-campus workers, not only will the way timesheets are done change, but the University is also switching from monthly to biweekly paychecks. This switch will begin in May 2027.
“It can be hard to hold onto a paycheck,” said Maeko Jordan, facilities and technology student senator. “To have that constant pay is also important for students who need the money.”
The transition comes after eight years of consideration and careful planning. According to Chris Gill, every 20-30 years, higher education schools will undergo a change like this to make sure they stay current. Banner was created in the 1980s and hasn’t undergone serious changes since then.
“We reached a point where leadership in the University was all in agreement that this was the right move for Drake,” Gill said.
The transition will happen over three years and in a series of phases. Right now, the University is in phase one, which focuses on migrating financial systems, human resources and payroll systems. This portion started in October 2025. In the next two years, students will notice changes in student functions, which will include grades, curriculum, financial aid, student accounts and more.
“I really see the hundreds of little ways and in some big ways, where we’re going to be making a difference in students’ lives, in how their experience is here at Drake,” Gill said.
