PirateQ 
Michael Johnston, Associate Vice President, Institutional Research and Enterprise Solutions.
Michael Johnston, Associate Vice President, Institutional Research and Enterprise Solutions at Pensacola State College, has been appointed to serve as team leader for Technical Deployment on the ERP Migration Taskforce, an initiative of the Florida Department of Education’s Division of Florida Colleges that supports member institutions during enterprise resource planning system transitions.
The taskforce helps colleges navigate the move to modern software platforms for student information and financial systems, facilitates communication among institutions within the Florida College System to share operational insights, and brings together college representatives, state leadership, and technical specialists to establish standardized guidance and peer support.
“I am humbled and honored to have been selected to serve as a team leader for the Florida College System ERP Migration Taskforce,” said Johnston. “ERP migrations are among the most complex, costly and consequential initiatives an institution can undertake, and the lessons learned through these transformations are incredibly valuable.”
“I believe the Florida Department of Education’s decision to bring institutions together to document best practices, lessons learned, risks and proven strategies is an outstanding investment in the future of the Florida College System. By creating a shared roadmap, we have an opportunity to help institutions approaching an ERP transformation make more informed decisions, avoid unnecessary costs and challenges, and benefit from the collective experience of colleges that have already traveled this path.”
The implementation of Workday has streamlined PSC’s administrative processes and enhanced student support services, including admissions, student records and registration, enabling staff to devote more time to personalized advising and counseling.
Johnston played a role in the college’s transition from legacy systems to Workday Human Capital Management, Payroll, and Financial Management in 2020, and he later led the deployments of Workday Student, Extend, and Strategic Sourcing. His expertise has earned him the role of chair of the Workday Student Higher Education User Group, where he collaborates with representatives from more than 200 higher education organizations on enterprise systems.
“The higher education landscape is changing, and Florida leadership consistently provides solutions and opportunities to bridge barriers so we can share best practices among our 28 state colleges,” he said. “I am excited to contribute Pensacola State College’s experiences while also learning from the tremendous expertise represented across the Florida College System.”