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New student information system on track
One of four student information modules that include financial aid, student records and student financials, the admissions module is the first component of UDSIS to go live, paving the way for a staggered roll-out schedule of the other modules, which will continue with the March implementation of the financial aid module. Besides better alignment with UD’s overall electronic information system, the upgrade to UDSIS will streamline UD’s student data entry and tracking processes and allow for greater integration of student records among administrative offices. DiMartile, who, along with his staff, has put in many long days in the changeover process, said that the upgrade also will short-circuit many of the problems posed by the SIS/Plus system. “The SIS/Plus system has served us well for 15 years,” DiMartile said, “but it needed some fixes and a greater capacity for data integration. In theory, when UDSIS is in place, it will be a fully integrated system that the whole campus stands to benefit from using.” Louis Hirsh, director of UD’s Office of Admissions, said that another big reason for transitioning from the outdated SIS/Plus system to the new UDSIS system is to integrate all student information system modules with UD’s Human Resources system. “The switch to UDSIS has a lot to do with making the student information system compatible with the University’s overall system,” Hirsh said, “so, although we’ve grown comfortable with SIS/Plus and will have a learning curve [with the new system], the upgrade will benefit everyone.” Hirsh said that UDSIS also will give administrators in the Office of Admissions the ability to track students from inquiry to graduation and follow recruitment trends, which will help with future recruitment and retention strategies. Another big asset of UDSIS, Hirsh said, is its “web-like” architecture, which makes it more technically sound and easier to navigate for users accustomed to the Internet. “UDSIS is a lot more aligned with the web in terms of its drop-down boxes and features,” Hirsh said, “and this type of navigation will reduce opportunities for human error.” Mary Martin, assistant provost of graduate studies, agreed that the change to UDSIS will improve and streamline the exchange of student information, and added that data continuity will be a huge benefit to all UD administrators who work with student records. “The graduate admission process was decentralized with Legacy (the old system), so there were often information gaps,” Martin said. “We’re very excited about the ability of UDSIS to continue to process graduate applications in an electronic format to the different graduate admissions committees. Several additional features to our Legacy system will be available to us with UDSIS.” Hirsh said that although the implementation of UDSIS has been time- and labor-intensive, the upgrade from SIS/Plus was unavoidable, given the vast number of student records that now need to be maintained electronically. “If you think where we’re headed over the next 10 to 15 years, the transition to UDSIS makes very good sense,” Hirsh said. “The old system was great when we got it, but it’s 15 years old. And you have to think: Is anyone on campus using a computer and operating system that’s 15 years old? “UDSIS is going to be a vast improvement for 98 percent of end-users, and it’s also going to be a lot more secure, which is an issue that’s becoming a major concern at universities,” Hirsh added. “It’s a change from which the entire University will reap far-reaching benefits.” The new logo for UDSIS was designed by Barb Broge, assistant director of creative services in the Office of Public Relations. Article by Becca Hutchinson To learn how to subscribe to UDaily, click here. |
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