Huron Update: December 2025
We wanted to share an update on our implementation of Huron Grants and Agreements, the new enterprise research administration system for the Office of Research.
Where We Are
The project is currently in the onboarding phase. The BU team includes 61 people from various parts of the University. Representatives from the schools are included to ensure their own teams feel the software and workflows will work for them. During this time, we are working closely with Huron to review the platform’s capabilities and assess how it will support our workflows across the project lifecycle. This discovery period allows us to identify configuration needs, integration points, and opportunities to streamline processes before we move into formal adoption and customization.
Members of the team are required to do online training through Huron’s portal prior to joining the onboarding sessions. Because research is very complex, the onboarding sessions are roughly two hours in length to ensure a thorough look at individual pieces of the research process. As of 12/15/2025, 14 out of 24 onboarding sessions have already been completed. Team members are then given homework assignments each week to ensure they have a hands-on assessment of the software. Additionally, a sandbox is available for team members to use beyond homework assignments. There are also one-hour meetings every week to discuss the feedback given by the BU team.
“It’s going to transform your life. Everything will be in one system.”
– Kathleen Shannon
CAS representative Kathleen Shannon has valued being part of the onboarding process, particularly the chance to observe discussions Sponsored Programs staff have about the software. “It gives me insight into how Sponsored Programs works,” she said. Her first impression of the system is optimistic: “It’s going to transform your life. Everything will be in one system.” At the same time, Kathleen is mindful of the road ahead. She noted the substantial time commitment required to customize the software for the BU community, adding, “I am worried about implementation and training—thinking about the people at BU and how they work.”
Julia Huntsman, the representative for the Office of Proposal Development, echoed many of Kathleen’s sentiments. Speaking about the onboarding process, she said, “I love seeing how intentional the team is—getting feedback, classifying it, determining what we can address now.” Julia also voiced an important consideration: “If it’s not intuitive enough for people to use, what kind of shadow systems will they develop on their own?” Still, her overall outlook is balanced: “I’m excited for the enterprise system. I feel like I’m a little nervous about how big of a change it’s going to be.”
Supporting the Transition
While any new system brings a learning curve, it also brings opportunity. This implementation gives us a chance to revisit workflows, eliminate inefficiencies, and build something that truly works for our community. We know that adopting a new enterprise system is a significant shift, and we’re building in the time and resources to make it as smooth as possible. Our goal is a transition that feels collaborative, not imposed. We want users to have a voice in shaping the future of their daily work.
Stay Tuned
We’ll continue to send periodic updates as the project continues. In the meantime, please visit our Huron project website to find the latest updates and recordings of the onboarding sessions.
If you have questions, feel free to reach out to rosamail@bu.edu or one of the representatives on the project.
Thank you for your patience as we work to bring this new system to our research community.