department of innovations & software development faculty of computing and it - makerere...

Department of Innovations & Software DevelopmentFaculty of Computing and IT - Makerere University

MUK - SGS Automation Project

Findings

Objectives

Recommended solution

Key features

Benefits

Policies and procedures

Next steps


SGS Automation Project – Findings

• Paper-based records and procedures delays, redundancy, inefficiency and loss of information

• Delays tension between the university’s teaching mission

(exercised by departments) and its financial obligations (carried out by the administration)

• Students have no incentive to bring their status up to date until they are ready for examination or award of degree.


SGS Automation Project – Findings (2)

• SGS employees enter, and re-enter, large amounts of data that could be entered by students and their supervisors.

• At the same time, SGS employees spend large amounts of time explaining procedures and required actions to students.

• Most OECD universities have adopted self-service systems for students and their supervisors, and they “ration” the availability of their administrative employees.



• SGS has run out of room for paper files. The present volume of paper is such that it interferes with SGS employees’ ability to do their work.

• In addition - • Frequently files cannot be found when wanted.• Paper documents spend long periods of time in transit – or

awaiting transit – between Faculties, students, examiners, University officials, and SGS.

• Student status is often unknown or out of date because information in transit has not reached SGS.

• SGS employees consequently spend large amounts of time determining the current status of students’ studies. This time is lost.

• This state of affairs limits the university’s capacity to educate graduate students.



• Research funds within SGS are well tracked and accounted for. [Project documentation ...?]

• However ... • The delays in communication with faculties mean that SGS

(and MUK) has difficulty to publish timely information about newsworthy activities and results.

• Faculty and department websites are also not up to date.• Hence the monitoring of research outputs (publications,

conference talks, discoveries, new partnerships, ...) is difficult.

• Relationships with research funders suffer needlessly as a result.



• The University could benefit by having a consolidated research directorate overseeing the various institutes (MISR, IDI, ...) and managing patents, IPR, innovation programmes, etc in a uniform and transparent fashion. For example:

• Adverts for funding sources aren’t well publicized.• Application and award / disbursement procedures are not well

known.

• The Research Manual, due out in mid-2011, should help address this issue.


• Sharply reduce the number of printed documents required in SGS student records.

• Eliminate the delays associated with movement of paper documents, and the resulting frequent searches for documents in transit.

• Enable students, SGS and Faculty employees, as well as University officials and external examiners to correspond by online data entry and email.

• Shift much of the burden of data entry from SGS employees to students, their supervisors and examiners, and other faculty members.

• Allow students, SGS and university Faculty employees, as well as university officials and external examiners to view student documents, educational and financial status, according to the needs of their respective roles, without delay, at any time.

• Reduce the amount of SGS employee time spent providing procedural information and guidance to students.

• Facilitate the query and reporting of degree-related research status and outputs.

• Enable the reporting of student status and results by Faculty and programme.

SGS Automation Project – Objectives

reports

SGS Admissions& Registration

SGS Examinations

GSMSserver File store

GSMSdatabase

SGS Records Documentscanner

SGS LAN

SGS Admin & Management

SGS – Graduate Student Management System


The SGS Graduate StudentManagement System (GSMS)consists of a web database and online file store with multiple types of users, corresponding to the job functions of different SGS employees.

reports


SGS Examinations


GSMSdatabase


SGS LAN


SGS – Graduate Student Management System


The SGS Graduate StudentManagement System (GSMS)consists of a web database and online file store with multiple types of users, corresponding to the job functions of different SGS employees.

The database holds biodata and registration information for all students, plus links to every document for each student – forms, certificates, letters, bank slips, financial statements, theses, reports and transcripts.

The file store holds scans or PDFs of all documents for all Makerere graduate students.


SGS - GSMS – Key Features

• GSMS is a web database; the only user access is via browser GUI.

• All forms and templates are online, accessible according to user permissions.

• All documents are stored online. (In the database, the DBMS saves a link to the file containing the document instance.)

• User permissions determine access to the online documents.


SGS - GSMS – Key Features (2)

• Documents are saved in the online file store (and are given descriptive names including Student #, Document type (see list of about 40), date received).

• A Records or Central Office person verifies each uploaded document before making it visible to other users.

• Signed document originals are kept by SGS Records and a scan of each one is stored online and linked as needed in the database.


SGS - GSMS – Key Features (3)

• A student’s view into the system is via the Manuals (Student procedures, Research). The manuals describe the processes and contain links to the required forms and document templates. Likewise for supervisors and examiners.

• The database stores the form view/create/sign permissions for each different user role – for example:

• Student, Faculty supervisor, examiner, ...• SGS – Admissions / Registration, Examinations, Records,

Administration, Management

• A non-student can be assigned multiple user roles and may toggle between them.

internet

Bank

reports


MUK financialstatus system

Student

Supervisor,Examiner

Student


SGS Examinations

web pages

MUKweb

server


GSMSdatabase


SGS LAN


SGS – GSMS interconnection


SGS - GSMS Benefits

More effective use of SGS employees’ time: •Less time spent answering inquiries from students and faculty members, especially in AAR and Central Office, but also in Examinations.

•Great reduction of time spent searching for student files and documents, particularly in Records and Examinations.

Hence, ability to handle a larger number of graduate students with the same staff.


SGS - GSMS Benefits (2)

Faster response to queries from students, faculty members, auditors and SGS management. A more pleasant working environment for SGS employees, with greatly reduced accumulation of paper files throughout SGS. Possibility to free up office space in SGS by scanning in old paper files.


SGS - GSMS Benefits (3)

Increased collection of fees from graduate students, particularly by proactive handling of extensions and withdrawals. Earlier collection of fees from graduate students through improved enforcement of procedures. Improved ability to track research progress and identify / publish newsworthy items for funders, university stakeholders and local media. Hence, improved relationship with research funders and stakeholders.

A project to implement an online system like this may entail university policy changes with respect to SGS operations. Examples:•Requiring all SGS applicants to supply an email address for correspondence.

•Requiring all examiners to supply an email address for correspondence, plus banking or other online financial coordinates for payments.

•Requiring all registered students to have a bank account.

•Accepting payment from students (or on their behalf) by mobile money, internet banking bill payment, and/or credit card.

•Treating email advice of a signed, scanned original document in the GSMS database as equivalent to mailing the signed original to its recipient(s).

Policy changes such as these can greatly simplify the design – and operation – of the Graduate Student Management System.


SGS – Policy & Procedure Notes

Other policy changes can help to better align the academic and administrative missions. Examples:•Adding penalties for late payment of fees, to cover added administrative costs and inflation.

•Designate hard-copy search by SGS Records as a paying service, charged on a cost-recovery basis.

•Allow SGS-Records to impose a penalty charge for any search that turns up an unpaid fee.

These policy changes need to be identified, defined and agreed as a part of the project implementation plan.


SGS – Policy & Procedure Notes (2)

The implementation of an online system for SGS operations could be aligned with some other beneficial procedure changes, such as:•Requiring SGS vehicle drivers to maintain a log book of trips and fuel purchases in each vehicle.

•Storing all SGS office supplies in the same room, with access only by SGS-Admin.

However, these procedural changes are independent and could be implemented at any time.


SGS – Other Procedure Changes


SGS - GSMS Policy Questions

DICTS framework and policy guidelines for University systems.

• Hosting and availability

• Standard operating environment

• External access

• Administrator documentation

• ...


GSMS – Development Estimate

GSMS estimated development effort range: 2.5 – 3.5 person-years, depending on policy / procedure changes decided.

• About 45 online forms and templates, each with data look-ups and validation

• 15 to 20 different user types across students, faculties, examiners, SGS and Makerere administrative offices; distinct permissions for each type

• Web user interface that shows graduate student management work flows to users and embeds business logic

• Reports, plus searching and query support

• ...


Next Steps

Appoint a committee to analyse and recommend beneficial policy and procedure changes for SGS operations.

Document detailed GSMS requirements in liaison with this committee (or its working-level subcommittee).

Commence GSMS system and user interface design for review with SGS.