that was the question at uiw!. private, catholic university campuses in san antonio (texas),...
TRANSCRIPT
Who we are
Private, Catholic university Campuses in San Antonio (Texas),
China, Mexico and soon in Germany Bachelor degrees through Ph.D. and
PharmD. Fall 2011 enrollment, 8,500 with 3,100
classes Approved at Provost’s Dean’s Council Discussed and announced, Fall 2010 First online-only schedule, Fall 2011
Hit ‘em with your best shot!
Schedule available only through Bannerweb
Alerted IT team and network guy Provided priority registration
schedule to IT team and network guy to monitor load on SIS and network.
Posted signs and sent email to remind faculty/students of no printed schedule
Still had faculty/students asked for printed schedule
Law of Unintended Consequences
IT inactivated important link Students/faculty reviewing courses
online slowed down online registration
More activity online created pressure on all systems—network, SIS, and web
Surge on the system brought down the network and the SIS—for 30 minutes
Peaked and crashed at each priority group entry
Our best shot! Part Two
Updated IT team and network guy about date/times of registration
IT team sent notices to all offices that they would kill all non-registration activity (batches, reports, etc.) during registration
IT created a real-time PDF document (same format as the schedule) to download
Registrar sent faculty/students the link to the PDF document
Two out of three worked!
System did not crash Ran at 100% capacity for extended
periods Offices not related to registration stayed
away Network did not crash Web access crashed
4-5 clicks to reach schedule/registration links
Affected all web activity—online and in offices
Frustration was had by all!!
Our best shot! Part Three
Have a specific one-click URL for registration
Send that link to students and faculty along with the link to the downloadable PDF schedule
Turn on online schedule earlier to allow for thorough study before registration
Change priority registration schedule to two days—graduate/Ph.D./PharmD./O.D./athletes and then undergraduates
Create your best shot!
Communicate, communicate, communicate again, and again, and again.
Talk to your IT team, your network guy, and your web team IT controls your SIS load Network controls the load on your
network connections (routers, web-based software, etc.)
Web guys control access to your web pages
Create your best shot (cont) Provide what faculty/students want
without creating a burden on your system Create real-time PDF schedules Create alternate links for the login screen
Actively monitor your systems Get support to “kill” all non-registration
system-draining activity Remind faculty/students to read course
comments and pre-requisites