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PeopleSoft, Web portal progress reported

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Work on implementing and fine-

tuning the My Fresno State Web

portal and the PeopleSoft system continues on campus, and while there been challenges, many positives are now surfacing.

Dr. Paul Oliaro, vice president and dean of Student Affairs, said he has been amazed at the progress in the Student Administration implementation. He credited the work of dozens of staff members ­ led by Bernie Vinovrski, assistant vice president for enrollment services, and John Briar, interim director of Campus Information Systems.

Oliaro said they "diligently and meticulously implemented this system in a record amount of time and successfully converted 2.5 million rows of academic history for students enrolled as far back as 1993."

"We are currently focused on bringing up all of the modules and stabilizing the system. We have noticed some considerable improvements over the past few months," he said.

Here is the most recent update on the Student Administration modules:

Student Records. During the fall registration cycle that took place in July, we registered 31 percent of students via the Web.  The spring semester Web registrations have increased to 66 percent. University Outreach Services did a phone survey with a sample of students who registered and 88 percent expressed satisfaction with the system.

Admissions. The system has been performing well, however, it definitely takes more time to enter data.  We  need to consider requiring all students to submit an electronic application (CSU Mentor) and this will be a topic for the Enrollment Management Committee. 

Financial Aid. Without question, this module has been extremely complex to master in this rapid implementation plan and many staff and students have been overworked and inconvenienced. The Financial Aid Office has been challenged to learn the new system, clean-up data and virtually spend the entire day meeting students who are having difficulty.  The endless number of hours spent on clean-up should make things much easier for the next year's awarding cycle.  Additionally, we've installed a new phone tree system that should improve communications.  Furthermore, we are committed to start our awarding cycle for 2003-2004 as early as the beginning of April.

Advising. Like Financial Aid, this module is exceptionally challenging to implement and we are in the final stages of deciding on the appropriate strategy.  For the time being and for the foreseeable future, we will continue to use DARS.  The advising team is preparing its final recommendation to the Provost and appropriate communication and training will be provided for faculty and staff.

Briar offered the following highlights and updates:

My Fresno State. The introduction of My Fresno State Web portal in February 2002 launched a new era for administrative information delivery to the Fresno State campus.  With a single user ID and password, seamless access to e-mail, human resources and student administration information appropriate to the role of the particular individual was enabled.  Delivery of campus information to targeted users also was enabled via the portal with updates to various information sections of the My Fresno State page. 

Future delivery of academic and administrative systems including Blackboard and PeopleSoft Financials will use the portal to provide easy access to campus information.

Personal Self Service. All students, faculty and staff can review current name, address, phone and e-mail ID records over the Web and provide updates online.

Student Self Service. All students can search the campus schedule of courses over the Web with multiple subject, date and time criteria to find classes that meet their educational goals and availability. These courses are updated real-time with any cancellations, instructor or room changes and enrollment availability.  Students also can review the status of admissions applications, financial aid awards, student financial accounts, student holds or to-dos and grade updates.

Faculty/Adviser Self Service. All faculty can review their class schedules and class rosters over the Web, both of which are updated real-time with course changes and enrollment updates.  Advisers can review student class schedules, grades, transcripts and degree progress reports over the Web from any Internet location.

Staff Processing. With the new PeopleSoft system combining information previously stored in multiple systems, the processing of student assistants has been improved with the availability of current information on enrolled students, reducing the number of duplicate records entered for students previously hired in other departments.  Although the first two semesters (Fall 2002 and Spring 2003) required additional work to load typical course schedules, all course and schedule information is now being updated in the same system allowing for improved course scheduling, faculty workload reporting and temporary faculty contract production in subsequent semesters.

Back to University Journal, 1/03 Issue