SYSTEMS & COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY CORP
SC 13G/A, 1997-02-14
COMPUTER PROGRAMMING, DATA PROCESSING, ETC.
Previous: SYSTEMS & COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY CORP, SC 13G/A, 1997-02-14
Next: QUARTERDECK CORP, 10-Q, 1997-02-14



<PAGE>
 
                                 UNITED STATES
                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D.C. 20549

                                 SCHEDULE 13G

                   Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                              (Amendment No.  4)*

                   Systems & Computer Technology Corporation
                               (Name of Issuer)

                                 Common Stock
                        (Title of Class of Securities)

                                   871873105
                                (CUSIP Number)

*  The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class
of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which
would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).
 
                              Page 1 of  7  Pages
 
<PAGE>
 
- -----------------------                                  ---------------------
  CUSIP NO. 871873105                   13G                PAGE 2 OF 7 PAGES
- -----------------------                                  ---------------------
 
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
 1    S.S. OR I.R.S IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON   36-3820584
      
        Wanger Asset Management, L.P  

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
 2                                                              (a) [_]
      Not applicable                                            (b) [_]
                                                 
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      SEC USE ONLY
 3
 

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
 4    
        Delaware

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          SOLE VOTING POWER
                     5     
     NUMBER OF               None     
                          
      SHARES       -----------------------------------------------------------
                          SHARED VOTING POWER
   BENEFICIALLY      6    
                             530,000
     OWNED BY
                   -----------------------------------------------------------
       EACH               SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
                     7     
    REPORTING                None
 
      PERSON       -----------------------------------------------------------
                          SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
       WITH          8    
                             530,000
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 9    
        530,000

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
10                  
        Not Applicable
 
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
11    
        3.75%

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
12
        IA

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                     *SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT!
<PAGE>
 
- -----------------------                                  ---------------------
  CUSIP NO. 871873105                   13G                PAGE 3 OF 7 PAGES
- -----------------------                                  ---------------------
 
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
 1    S.S OR I.R.S IDENTIFICATION NO. OR ABOVE PERSON

        Wanger Asset Management, Ltd.                          

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
 2                                                              (a) [_]
      Not Applicable                                            (b) [_]
                                                 
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      SEC USE ONLY
 3
 

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
 4    
        Delaware

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          SOLE VOTING POWER
                     5     
     NUMBER OF              None  
 
      SHARES       -----------------------------------------------------------
                          SHARED VOTING POWER
   BENEFICIALLY      6    
                            530,000      
     OWNED BY
                   -----------------------------------------------------------
       EACH               SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
                     7     
    REPORTING               None  
 
      PERSON       -----------------------------------------------------------
                          SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
       WITH          8    
                            530,000  
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 9    
        530,000

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
10                  
        Not Applicable
 
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
11    
        3.75%

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
12
        CO

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                     *SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT!
<PAGE>
 
- -----------------------                                  ---------------------
  CUSIP NO. 8718773105                   13G                PAGE 4 OF 7 PAGES
- -----------------------                                  ---------------------
 
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
 1    S.S. OR I.R.S IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON:
                          
        Ralph Wanger
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
 2                                                              (a) [_]
      Not Applicable                                            (b) [_]
                                                 
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      SEC USE ONLY
 3
 

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
 4    
        U.S.A

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          SOLE VOTING POWER
                     5     
     NUMBER OF              None   
                        
      SHARES       -----------------------------------------------------------
                            SHARED VOTING POWER
   BENEFICIALLY      6    
                            530,000 
     OWNED BY
                   -----------------------------------------------------------
       EACH               SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
                     7     
    REPORTING               None
 
      PERSON       -----------------------------------------------------------
                          SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
       WITH          8    
                            530,000
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 9    
        530,000

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
10                  
        Not applicable
 
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
11    
        3.75%

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
12
        IN

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                     *SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT!
<PAGE>
 
Page 5 of  7  Pages
 
Item 1(a)    Name of Issuer:  Systems & Computer Technology Corporation

Item 1(b)    Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
                Great Valley Corporate Center
                4 Country View Road
                Malvern, Pennsylvania 19355

Item 2(a)    Name of Person Filing:
                Wanger Asset Management, L.P. ("WAM");
                Wanger Asset Management, Ltd., the sole general partner of
                WAM ("WAM LTD.");
                Ralph Wanger ("Wanger")

Item 2(b)    Address of Principal Business Office:
                WAM, WAM LTD. and Wanger are all located at:
                227 West Monroe Street, Suite 3000
                Chicago, Illinois 60606

Item 2(c)     Citizenship:
                WAM is a Delaware limited partnership.
                WAM LTD. is a Delaware corporation.
                Wanger is a U.S. citizen.

Item 2(d)     Title of Class of Securities:
                Common Stock

Item 2(e)     CUSIP Number:  871873105

Item 3        Type of Person:
                (e)  WAM is an Investment Adviser registered under section 203
                     the Investment Advisers Act of 1940; WAM LTD. is the
                     General Partner of the Investment Adviser; Wanger is the
                     principal stockholder of the General Partner.

Item 4        Ownership (at December 31, 1996):

                (a)  Amount owned "beneficially" within the
                     meaning of rule 13d-3:
                     530,000 shares

                (b)  Percent of class:  3.75% (based on 14,120,787 shares)

                (c)  Number of shares as to which such person has:
                     (i)    sole power to vote or to direct the vote:
                            none
                     (ii)   shared power to vote or to direct the vote:
                            530,000
                     (iii)  sole power to dispose or to direct the
                            disposition of:  none

                     (iv)   shared power to dispose or to direct
                            disposition of:  530,000

                     WAM serves as investment adviser to Acorn Investment Trust,
                     Series Designated Acorn Fund (the "Trust"). Various of
                     WAM's limited partners and employees are also officers and
                     trustees of the Trust, but WAM does not consider the Trust
                     to be controlled by such persons. Although the Trust is not
                     controlled by WAM, pursuant to rule 13d-3(a) the 480,000
                     shares beneficially owned by the Trust, with respect to
                     which the Trust has delegated to WAM shared voting power
                     and shared dispositive power, are considered to be shares
                     beneficially owned by WAM by reason of such delegated
                     powers. In addition to the shares beneficially owned by the
                     Trust, other clients of WAM may own shares which are not
                     included in the aggregate number of shares reported herein
                     because WAM does not have or share voting or investment
                     power over those shares.
<PAGE>
 
Page 6 of  7  Pages

Item 5    Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class:
                If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of
                the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the
                beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of
                securities, check the following (X).

Item 6    Ownership of More Than Five Percent on behalf of Another Person:
                The shares reported herein have been acquired on behalf of
                discretionary clients of WAM. Persons other than WAM are
                entitled to receive all dividends from, and proceeds from the
                sale of, those shares.

Item 7    Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired
          the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company:
                Not applicable

Item 8    Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:
                Not applicable

Item 9    Notice of Dissolution of Group:
                Not applicable

Item 10   Certification:

                By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
          belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the ordinary
          course of business and were not acquired for the purpose of and do not
          have the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer
          of such securities and were not acquired in connection with or as a
          participant in any transaction having such purpose or effect.
<PAGE>
 
Page 7 of  7  Pages

                                   Signature

     After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.

Date:  February 14, 1997
                    The undersigned corporation, on the date above written,
                    agrees and consents to the joint filing on its behalf of
                    this Schedule 13G in connection with its beneficial
                    ownership of the shares reported herein.

                                      WANGER ASSET MANAGEMENT, LTD., for
                                        itself and as general partner for
                                        WANGER ASSET MANAGEMENT, L.P.

                                      By: /s/ Bruce H. Lauer
                                          ------------------------------------
                                              Bruce H. Lauer
                                              Vice President

                    The undersigned individual, on the date above
                    written, agrees and consents to the joint filing
                    on his behalf of this Schedule 13G in connection
                    with his beneficial ownership of the shares
                    reported herein.

                                      RALPH WANGER

                                      /s/ Ralph Wanger
                                      ----------------------------------------


© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission