Project Tapestry to strengthen foundation for the future

(Graphic by UTHealth Houston)

As UTHealth Houston continues to advance its mission of education, research, and clinical care, a major enterprise-wide initiative is underway to modernize the systems and processes that support the university’s operations.

Project Tapestry, UTHealth Houston’s new Oracle Fusion Cloud implementation, will unify Human Resources, Finance, Payroll, Procurement, and Grants Management into a more connected, streamlined system. Project Tapestry is a Fast Track Initiative within the organizational excellence pillar of Future in Focus, the university’s strategic planning effort. It is expected to go live in early 2028.

The next chapter for our enterprise systems

For many years, UTHealth Houston’s core business operations have run on PeopleSoft, an on-premises enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Over time, the university’s needs have grown. To meet them, PeopleSoft has been supplemented by separate applications, custom modifications, and manual processes.

Project Tapestry is the next step in that evolution. It moves these functions from PeopleSoft to Oracle Fusion Cloud, a single cloud-based platform. Instead of periodic large-scale upgrades managed in-house, the university will receive regular updates and new features delivered through the cloud. The result will be a stronger foundation for growth and innovation, with more reliable data, better-informed decision-making, and improved self-service for employees. The new platform will also make it easier to integrate artificial intelligence tools into operational and management functions.

“Our people are what make UTHealth Houston successful, and we want to make sure the systems supporting them are just as strong as the work they do every day,” said Melina R. Kibbe, MD, UTHealth Houston president and Alkek-Williams Distinguished Chair. “Project Tapestry is an important investment in our university community and in creating a better experience for the faculty and staff who keep our university moving forward.”

While Project Tapestry includes the implementation of a modern technology platform, it involves much more than software.

“This is fundamentally a transformation of how we work together as an institution,” said Michael Patriarca, MBA, MS, FACHE, executive vice president, chief business affairs and strategy officer, and executive sponsor of Project Tapestry. “By simplifying processes, improving access to information, and creating greater consistency across the organization, we can spend less time navigating administrative complexity and more time focused on the work that has the greatest impact on our students, patients, research partners, and communities.”

Shaped by input from across UTHealth Houston

Central to the project’s success is broad engagement from across the university.

Project leaders are already gathering input from focus groups, stakeholders, subject-matter experts, and employees who rely on these systems. This effort builds on insights from the Future in Focus Listen & Learn phase. In that phase, interviews, focus groups, and survey feedback are deepening our understanding of how employees experience the university’s core operations. As Project Tapestry moves forward, teams will continue engaging stakeholders throughout UTHealth Houston to refine requirements and identify opportunities for improvement. The goal is a future-state environment that reflects today’s priorities while staying flexible enough to support future growth and evolving needs.

“The people who perform this work every day bring invaluable expertise to the table,” Patriarca said. “We are intentionally seeking input from stakeholders across UTHealth Houston because the best solutions are built by the people who understand our processes and challenges firsthand. Their perspectives will help us create a system that works for the entire enterprise.”

Supporting employees through change

Employees will play an essential role in designing, testing, and continuously improving the new system. Project leaders credit the progress made so far to employees across the university who are sharing their expertise, asking important questions, and helping shape the approach.

As implementation moves forward over the next year, employees can expect:

• Ongoing communication
• Training opportunities
• Support resources
• Chances to provide feedback

Change champions and project teams will work closely with departments across the university to help ensure a smooth transition.

Investing in the university's future

Project Tapestry represents an investment in UTHealth Houston’s future. It is also a tangible example of Future in Focus in action, helping advance the university’s commitment to continuous improvement.

“As UTHealth Houston continues to grow, we have to evolve with it,” Kibbe said. “Project Tapestry is an important step in preparing our university for what comes next, making sure the decisions we make today support where we want to go tomorrow.”

Please visit the Future in Focus website for updates about Project Tapestry, other Fast Track Initiatives, and the university’s strategic plan.