Australia's Science Forum

Just got an email from Chemwatch that there will be an increase in price when we renew our subscription. As we paid $80 plus GST last year I was thinking maybe $100 or so. Boy was I wrong! They are now going to charge $1,672.00!! WTF!
There goes our budget. I don't think I can justify spending that much money on Chemwatch.

Anyone else get that email from them?

My god thats awfully high.

The letter says the contract they had with Independent and Catholic Schools in the state has ceased. So we no longer get the bulk discount. The bad news is that the $1,672 is a heavily discounted price (60% discount) so we might have to pay the full price next year.

no email as yet.
do they send it too the administrator or someone else?
I will be waiting for mine then.

That is really bad news - because frankly I find that Chemwatch at times is just not worth paying for.
I have felt lately that IF I was an industrial customer and I had to put up with the frustrating time consuming programme - and that some of the lIve Help people are not very good - then I would be looking for another company.
Maybe they are finding that it costs a lot of money for the Live Chat help desk to assist schools and are trying to cover that ..
OR like many big businesses, they give you a low entry price as a teaser, until the programme becomes an integral part of your operations, and then put a high price on -

It IS interesting that this is happening just when the Catholic schools are insisting every one of their schools has Chemwatch...mmmmmmm...
Wonder what the wheels within the wheels is doing?

Superbug, the email was sent to me.

Wayne, check this again. Someone I know from an independent school near here got the same email but has now found out it still will be $80-ish for the subscription.

Not sure how she found out the correct information.

Wayne, are you the administrator? I just wondering when I will get my email, as I am the administrator here. bahahaha

Thanks Merilyn, I will pass that info onto the Business Manager as she is chasing it up for me.

Yes, I'm the Administrator Superbug.

Haven't been notified as yet but no way SACC will pay that. SMC might. Not sure who the administrator here is as no one ever seems to know anything about it except the IT guys who install out passwords etc on our computers.

Not happy with Chemwatch just wait until you all get LMBR system, its _________________________________

tell 'em they're dreamin'

surely they know we are a school and not a multinational corporation with mega yearly profits.This is some school's yearly spending budget. Shame Chemwatch, shame!

Labbie wrote:Not happy with Chemwatch just wait until you all get LMBR system, its _________________________________

Can I ask what it is and why it's ___________________________

Think most of you all use Oasis system. its a whole new ball game called LMBR, we are one of the 229 school using LMBR I use SAP to order items, thats another game too. Sorry I can not remember what LMBR stand for.

"they' just keep throwing money at it and it still doesn't work. (LMBR)

Our SAM is constantly on the phone on hold to support - nothing integrates with it.
But I don't know much as I work in science but I have been expected to do some data entry in ESB4 - like i know what that is.....

The PSA has been surveying schools about LMBR (Learning Management and Business Reform).
Here's the latest up date they sent last week, 11.3.15

LMBR Update
After extensive communication with members in the 229 LMBR focus schools, it became apparent that the LMBR systems were not working effectively and that this was causing enormous workload and stress for PSA members in those schools. The start of Term 1, 2015 has shown that the level of instability with the LMBR system has not improved.

To ensure that members' issues were heard, the PSA spoke directly with 117 SAMs in the 229 schools. Members reported that working with an underperforming LMBR system has created excessive workloads, double handling and an increase in manual tasks when the system fails regularly. In our conversations, the PSA asked what solutions would be appropriate.

· 95 percent felt that the Department must not continue with its readiness preparation to extend the LMBR system into additional schools before the system was stable in the existing focus schools

· 90 percent agreed that redeployment officers should be reallocated as a resource for the 229 focus schools

· 84 percent requested that additional casual staff, centrally funded be allocated to LMBR schools while the system is stabilised

In response to the PSA raising the concerns of members, the Department promised an Action Plan. The PSA insisted that any such plan must include a commitment to stop all readiness preparation to roll out LMBR any further. The ceasing of LMBR preparation to additional networks is important for two reasons.

Firstly, it is unacceptable to the PSA that additional SAMs and SAOs suffer the extreme workload and stress currently experienced by the existing LMBR schools.

Secondly, the Department needs to keep its focus on resolving the workload and stress for existing LMBR schools.

Today the PSA met with the Deputy Secretary, Corporate Services who has responded to the above requests and advised that:

1. The meetings of Principals scheduled for next week in relation to the Stage 3 deployment have been postponed and new dates have not been set at this stage;

2. The Department is aiming to have in place by end of Term 1, a dedicated SALM helpdesk, initially with 5 staff from the former LMBR School Support Team with a review in Term 2;

3. Additional training materials for BPC and interpreting SAP reports are being prepared. These will be delivered by way of video conferencing, Adobe and face to face; and

4. At this stage the Department will not commit to providing centrally funded casual staff but has not ruled it out. After a review of the initial points above it could allocate additional support.

The regular fortnightly meetings between the Department and the PSA on LMBR will continue with the Department to produce an Action Report from each meeting.

PSA organisers will be ringing members in as many of the 229 schools as possible to seek your feedback on the Department's Action Plan. If you do not receive a call and would like to provide feedback on the Department's plan, please email the PSA at schools@psa.asn.au