Please note that Brightspace has been selected as Vanderbilt’s next course management system. See the CFT’s Brightspace support site for the Blackboard-to-Brightspace transition timeline. The information below is being maintained for archival purposes.

Vanderbilt’s current contract with Blackboard expires in July 2017, so the following draft timeline aims to have a potentially new course management system (CMS) in place by that time. If the recommendation is to renew the university’s contract with Blackboard (the vendor), the following timeline would enable adequate testing of a new Blackboard system.

• March 2016 – Needs assessment survey and focus groups; Selection committee creation
• April 2016 – Selection criteria determined; public vendor demonstrations and feedback
• May 2016 – Draft recommendation from the selection committee
• Summer 2016 – Pilot a new course management system
• August 2016 – Final recommendation from the selection committee
• Fall 2016 – Expanded pilot; transition to a new CMS begins
• Spring 2017 – Transition continues; education and outreach about the new CMS
• Summer 2017 – Complete transition to the new CMS; continued education and outreach
• Fall 2017 – Campus-wide use of the new CMS

This timetable provides almost a year to move from vendor selection to full implementation.  Given the complexities of contracts, integrations, migrating materials, education, and outreach, moving to full implementation will require at least nine months.