4-15-26: Introduction of Workday as John Jay’s New Human Resources and Financial Management System

TO: John Jay Faculty and Staff
FROM: Mark Flower, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
DATE: April 15, 2026
RE: Introduction of Workday as John Jay’s New Human Resources and Financial Management System

I am pleased to announce the upcoming implementation of Workday as John Jay College’s next-generation platform for human resource management and financial operations. Over the coming months, Workday will replace CUNYfirst and serve as the College’s core system for managing HR, payroll, procurement, budgeting, and financial reporting.

Why Workday

Workday represents a significant advancement over our current system and aligns with CUNY’s broader strategy to modernize administrative infrastructure. Several characteristics distinguish Workday from CUNYfirst:

  • Cloud-Native Architecture: Workday is built entirely in the cloud, enabling continuous updates without the large, disruptive system upgrades required in legacy platforms.
  • Unified Data Model: Unlike CUNYfirst, which operates across multiple modules with varying data structures, Workday uses a single, real-time data model—improving reporting accuracy and decision-making.
  • User-Centered Design: Workday emphasizes intuitive navigation and mobile accessibility, allowing faculty and staff to complete tasks more efficiently with fewer steps.
  • Real-Time Analytics: Embedded dashboards and analytics tools provide immediate visibility into financial and workforce data, reducing reliance on static reports.
  • Configurable Workflows: Business processes in Workday are highly configurable, allowing the College to align system workflows with operational needs while maintaining compliance.

Collectively, these enhancements will support greater transparency, operational efficiency, and data-informed decision-making across the institution.

Implementation Timeline

Our current implementation schedule is as follows:

  • Spring–Summer 2026: Business Office and Human Resources teams are actively engaged in end-to-end system testing to validate business processes and data integrity.
  • October 2026: Training will begin for the entire college community, with tailored sessions based on role and system access.
  • January 2027: Planned go-live for Workday across the College.

This phased approach is designed to ensure that all users are well-prepared and that the system is fully validated prior to launch.

Introducing Process Change Communications

As part of our commitment to transparency and readiness, we will begin sharing a series of informational slides with the campus community on a periodic basis. These materials will highlight key process changes between CUNYfirst and Workday.

Two examples of the types of process changes you will see include:

  • Budget Planning and Management: Workday will make budgeting more streamlined and easier to manage. The system will connect staffing decisions with available funding, and provide clearer, real-time visibility into budget balances. Multi-year planning will be supported through integrated tools, allowing for more effective long-term financial planning.
  • Human Resources Transactions: Processes such as hiring, position management, and employee changes will be managed through standardized workflows, reducing manual interventions and improving processing time and accuracy.

These communications are intended to provide early visibility into how day-to-day processes will evolve and to help the community understand what to expect well in advance of training.

Ongoing Engagement

We recognize that a transition of this scale requires ongoing communication and support. Additional updates, training resources, and detailed process guides will be shared as we progress through implementation.

If you have questions at any point, please feel free to reach out to me directly. I am happy to discuss the transition and address any concerns.