IIT Newsletter -- January 2003
New Student Information System Update

Mary Cisar and Jeff Dixon

A major portion of the new database and Registrar office applications have been completed, though significant work remains.  Staff are now beginning work on the new web interface that students, parents and faculty will use to access the database. The web system provides access to authorized users for such things as class/lab schedules, grades, bills, and class rosters.

As the database and software are being developed, a faculty group, the Student Information System Task Force, has been meeting since February 2003.  The current members of the task force include Laurel Carrington (Humanities), Jim McKeel (Fine Arts, Academic Advising Center), David Lesniaski (Interdisciplinary and General Studies), Rob Rutherford (Natural Sciences and Mathematics), Rosie Pfarr-Baker (Social and Applied Sciences), and Margaret O'Leary (Norwegian department chair, former Registrar), with Mary Cisar (Registrar) and Matt Richey (Mathematics department chair) convening the group.  The task force was charged with the following tasks:

1. Study and determine what users hope to gain in terms of access to information from the new Student Information System;
2. Based on careful study of relevant issues, other models, and the culture of St. Olaf College, provide guidance regarding a future model of registration at St. Olaf;
3. Based on careful study of relevant issues, other models, and the culture of St. Olaf College, provide guidance into the feasibility, desirability, and means of providing summer registration for new students.

To date, the task force has developed a working set of principles of an effective registration.  Such a registration would be:  confidential; consistent with good curriculum planning and advising for the future; easy to implement, simple, and user friendly; fair; flexible and responsive; personal, and transparent (policies and procedures are open and clear).  The task force has also considered our current model of "arena" registration and several models for on-line registration in relation to these principles.

Most recently, the Task Force organized a discussion meeting with department chairs and program directors to begin a wider faculty discussion of the capabilities of the new system and of the future of registration.  As we move into second semester, we will be finding ways to get more student input.  Most exciting is the opportunity to work with the students in a new course, Computer Science 263, Ethical and Social Issues in Computing.  Professor Chuck Huff will lead his students through the process of ethical and social analysis of the new system.  This will represent an innovation both in the area of computer science education and in systems development within registrars' offices.

Information and Instructional Technologies • St. Olaf College

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