The Tsunami Effect: Cleaning Up After the Implementation of a New Integrated

Student Information System

Sam Stigall, MABob Lorick, MSMR

Terri Day, PhD

Presentation Overview:

Integrated system backgroundRoadblocks & solutionsTips

Integrated System Background:

Timeline to rollout: Rolled out in Summer because of smallest

enrollment numbers Hardest term to calculate because of all the terms:

Maymester, 11week and first and second 5 weeks

Sequence of rollout:– Admissions– Financial Aid

Business Practices:

Roadblock: Departments did not understand what data was

collectedExample: Tracking of MA to DOC students not

noted in prior system, as students were treated as readmits

Solution: Academic plansNew process as of Fall 2008

Variable Cleaning:

Roadblock: Value and variable definition consensus

Solution: No arbitrary changes can be made without following

proper protocol

Student IDs:

Roadblock:Different IDs for different reporting agencies:

State requires SSN Institution uses 10 digit IDFormer system assigned a variety of different numbers to

international students (created problems with Human Resources)

Internal changes for students without IDs

– CBM00N

Solution:Campus-wide agreement on how to use IDsEnsure new system is integrated with Human

Resources

CIP/Academic Plans:

Roadblock:Mismatches between academic plans and academic

classifications that was caused by the creation of new plans:

Example: Materials Science Engineering (MSE) in old system for all levelsNow: MSE_DR, MSE_MENT, MENGR, MSE_METS, MSE_MNR, MSE_MSTH, MSE_SP

Solution: Simplify academic plans and eliminate

redundancy

Majors and Minors:

Roadblock: Academic plan and classification mismatched due

to problems with:– Effective dating – Term activation – Reporting minors as majors

Solution:Monitor major sequence and language changesIncrease advisor training

Ethnicity and Citizenship:

Roadblock: New system definitions don’t match UT Arlington’s

needs:New system reports ethnicity and citizenship separately,

making it difficult to determine the “international” students

Determining student residency then becomes difficult

Solution:Formed a committee to evaluate the aforementioned

issues

Admit Types:

Roadblock:Graduate school and transfer designationUndergraduates and EAP

Solution:Met with respective departments to explain why

the logic needed to be simplified

Historical Data:

Roadblock: Necessity of converting historical records/archives

to new system Fact book: Problems with developing fact book reports

Need to convert expanded variables into old variables for trend analysis and for CB Reporting

Solution: Hired more reporting individuals Moved files that may be needed for historical

reference to our server

Tips:

Choose the fall semester for system rollout: If your logic is correct, population size doesn’t matter

Pay close attention to what variables are available in the data system

Don’t program around exceptionsYou won’t know what data will look like until it’s too lateRunning parallel systemsUtilize the system’s audit capabilitiesBe cognisant of the marketability of your staff will the new

integrated system trainingAnticipate Fact book delays

Contact Information:

UT Arlington website: http://www.uta.edu/irp/

Sam Stigall: 817-272-3132sam@uta.edu

Bob Lorick: 817-272-5308 lorick@uta.edu

Terri Day: 817-272-5130 terri@uta.edu