Workday Wire | May 2026

Workday Student Program Update

Advisory Committees: Partnering with Students and Faculty to Shape Workday Student

As UMD prepares for the transition to Workday Student, feedback from our community continues to play a critical role in shaping a system that will support registration, advising, and the overall student experience. In addition to staff who have served as subject matter experts (SMEs) throughout the design process, we also engage students and faculty through advisory committees.

The Elevate Student Advisory Committee and Faculty Advisory Committee are two key groups that bring student and faculty perspectives directly into system design and planning.

What Are the Advisory Committees?

The Student Advisory Committee is composed of student representatives from existing advisory groups – Provost Advisory Committees, Student IT Advisory Committee, Student Affairs Advisory Council, and ODK Student Leaders, representing 190+ invited participants. The Committee launched in Spring 2026 and engages undergraduate and graduate students in hands‑on conversations about how Workday Student will look and feel from a student perspective. Through system demonstrations and facilitated discussion, students share feedback on usability, language, and clarity— helping make the system more intuitive and transparent for those who use it most. 

The Faculty Advisory Committee, launched in Summer 2025, brings together 30 faculty and academic leaders across all schools and colleges to provide input on how Workday Student will support instructional, administrative and advising activities. While faculty have not always needed to interact directly with student systems, Workday Student will provide more streamlined access to key teaching functions such as grading, viewing course rosters, and managing prerequisites and overrides.  The advisory committee provides a forum to preview how these processes will work and to identify design considerations that matter most to the faculty experience.

How Advisory Input Is Shaping the Program

Rather than serving as one‑time listening sessions, advisory meetings are designed to directly inform system design, training, and communication strategies across Elevate Student.

For students, early exposure to Workday Student has reinforced the importance of clear orientation and support. Feedback from Student Advisory Committee sessions has highlighted the value of a single place to manage tasks, holds, and registration planning—while also underscoring where students may need extra guidance, such as understanding registration timing or navigating new terminology. That input is shaping how training materials and learning resources are being developed to support both first‑time and returning students.

Faculty input has similarly influenced how high‑impact processes are being designed and explained. Through Faculty Advisory Committee discussions, faculty have emphasized the importance of clear terminology, visibility into student eligibility, and proactive management of prerequisites. These perspectives are helping the program balance increased automation in Workday with the flexibility needed for complex academic scenarios, while also identifying where targeted training and support will be essential -- especially for registration‑related changes.

Learn more in the Workday Student Learning Hub

Many of the topics explored with advisory committee members are now reflected in resources available to the broader community. 

If you’re interested in learning more about Workday Student, visit the Workday Student Learning Hub, including new and recently updated articles on: