UpDate - Vol. 11, No. 39, Page 6
August 20, 1992
Mini mart

Efficiency key of new Student Services Building
     The welcome mat is out at the new Student Services Building on
Lovett Avenue, next to Newark Hall, with staff and equipment at the
ready to assist students with varied services.
     "The Student Services Building is designed to help the University
serve students more efficiently and effectively at one centralized
location," President David P. Roselle said. "Many staff members across
campus have been involved in this project, which utilizes modern
technology for making records available, dispensing information and
carrying out business transactions quickly and smoothly."
     Now, by visiting one location, students will be able to select a
meal plan, get an ID card, buy a parking sticker, find out about
getting a work-study job, order a transcript, check on the status of a
bill, make a semester payment and more.
     The campus units represented at the facility include accounts
receivable, cashier, Dining Services, financial aid, public safety and
the registrar. Student/employee ID cards may be obtained at the
building. Students also can get information about readmission, housing
and student telephone services. Self-service computer terminals
provide access to general information, and a notary public is
available.
     According to Carl Jacobson, director of Management Information
Services, there are many innovative new features in the computer
services in the Student Services Building and throughout the campus,
with further expansion planned for the future.

SIS Plus self-service terminals
     SIS Plus, the University's Student Information System, supports
admissions, financial aid, registration and billing. Four SIS Plus
self-service terminals have been installed in the Student Services
Building to provide students with access to information from the
system. (See story on this page.)
     Using a Social Security number and PIN (personal identification
number), a student can quickly access official institutional records
from different offices:
     From the registrar's office-student schedules, unofficial
transcripts and grade reports;
     From billing and collection- semester bills and Stafford loan
status; and
     From financial aid office-award listings, transcript status and
document status.
     According to Jacobson, while the SIS Plus terminals were
developed for use in the building, in the future the service will be
expanded to students with personal computers or terminals in their
residence halls or homes.

U-Discover! text on-line
     U-Discover! is the new on-line service, providing students,
faculty and staff access to institutional documents. The course
catalog, University Policies and Procedures, UpDate and The Review are
on-line as well as the daily weather report.
     Students can learn about policies and procedures related to
registration, financial aid and billing though a self-service computer
by selecting a document, such as "The Seven Steps to Financial Aid,"
and browsing through it.
     Jacobson says the collection of documents found in U-Discover!
continues to expand, and the service is being made available on the
campus computer network so that information can be accessed from any
location.

Student Services Building is equipped for improved services
     New and upgraded computer equipment provide staff members the
ability to locate student records and information about University
procedures. A UNIX-based system in the Student Services Building
allows staff to share files and printers. It also provides a storage
facility for procedures manuals, instruction sheets and an archive for
e-mail and images.
     Cashier machines also represent new technology.
     A cluster of personal computers is connected to a single server
for new cashiering programs that interface with the SIS Plus system.
     The new technology is based on personal computers, whose costs
have dropped considerably, providing a more cost-effect method for
delivery of services, Jacobson said.

Interactive Voice Response
     The University has purchased Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
equipment from Perception Technology, which will interface directly
with SIS Plus system so that students may drop and/or add classes from
touch-tone telephones.
     Used for registration in more than 100 institutions, the IVR
system will increase the number of in-bound telephone lines from 10 to
48 available  for the drop/add process. Computers will be available
almost around-the-clock.
     In the future, the IVR system has the capability of performing
other automated functions, such as renewing library books or making
changes in meal plan via a touch-tone phone
     The installation of the service should be completed by Winter
Session.
                                        -Sue Swyers Moncure