Dear colleagues,

At the request of the Montana Board of Regents, Montana University System campuses are exploring a move to a single learning management system (LMS) for the state’s public colleges and universities.

To ensure every LMS user has an opportunity to provide input into this process, the Montana University System is undertaking a rigorous needs analysis process this spring, guided by a multi-stakeholder steering committee with student, faculty, and staff representation.

Even if you do not regularly use our LMS, please consider providing your input into this needs analysis by completing this 15-minute LMS Survey by May 6.

This survey, and the overall needs-analysis, will inform an open request for LMS vendor proposals in fall 2022. There will be several other opportunities for input before a final vendor is selected.

There is no question, moving learning management systems is a large undertaking. Few IT tools are used by so many faculty or students, or are more central to our teaching and learning efforts, particularly in light of the pandemic.

Yet, a shift to a single LMS also offers much promise. For many Montana institutions, it has been more than a decade since they adopted their current LMS, during which time pedagogies have evolved, use of learning management tools by faculty has grown, and the range of solutions available has expanded significantly. A new and unified LMS should provide faculty and students a better tool for teaching and learning, lower licensing and support costs for institutions in the long term, and create a more seamless environment for multi-campus academic collaborations and for the growing number of Montana students who participate in dual enrollment or transfer between our institutions.

The overall timeline for making this decision and transitioning to a new LMS will follow this general timeline:

• Needs analysis: January to July 2022
• Call for vendor proposals and selection: July 2022 to January 2023
• Planning and transition: January 2023 to September 2025

If you want to learn more about the Single LMS initiative, the proposed selection process and timeline, and advisory committees that will contribute to the decision regarding our final tool, more information is available at the MUS Single Learning Management System website.

Kind regards,

Nathan Lindsay
Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

This message was sent by the Office of the Provost to all UM faculty.