NAPS Scholastic Tracking & Accountability Record (NSTAR) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Transcription

1 NAPS Scholastic Tracking & Accountability Record (NSTAR) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Prepared By: USNA ITSD Information Engineering Department Date: 15-August 2009 General Information: Q1. What is NSTAR? A. NSTAR or NAPS Scholastic Tracking & Accountability Record System is NAPS s enterprise (student information) system for all academic, military and athletic/physical information on midshipmen candidates including but not limited to personnel, grades, schedules, medical, accountability, conduct/honor and physical education information. NSTAR is a web-based application consisting of an Oracle relational database, and custom-designed Web PL/SQL modules. Business Objects WebIntelligence Ad-Hoc query tools are used to create and generate reports using the data stored in NSTAR. NSTAR is integrated with AIS and Blackboard. NSTAR is a replacement system to Brief Points. Q2. How do I obtain an NSTAR account? A. Request for Faculty and Staff accounts should be requested through NAPS IT Personnel. Candidate accounts are automatically created via data integration between NSTAR and USNA Network Directory Services. Q3. How do I access NSTAR? A. NSTAR can be accessed using any web browser. The web browser must have JAVA / JAVA Script enabled and allow Pop-Ups. Note NSTAR uses a Department of Defense Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Security Certificate. This certificate must be accepted and can be installed (also requires installation of DoD Root Certificates which are available for download from the USNA Information Resource Center (IRC) Software Download page, The internal URL address is A quick link is also included within the NAPS Application Launcher and listed under Applications on the USNA Intranet Home Page. NSTAR can also be accessed externally (i.e. from home or any location outside of USNA or NAPS) using the URL address Your NSTAR Username is the same as your USNA Network Account Username (and in most cases is the same as your NAPS Network Account Username or Login Name). The

2 NSTAR Password is currently different and completely separate from USNA or NAPS Network Passwords. Q4. How do I login to NSTAR? To log into NSTAR, enter your NSTAR Username and Password and click OK. NSTAR Username is the same as your Network Account Username. NSTAR Password is currently different and completely separate from Network Passwords. Initial NSTAR Passwords are provided within a Welcome to NSTAR . Q5. What is my initial NSTAR password? A. The NSTAR Password is currently different and completely separate from USNA or NAPS Network Passwords. Initial NSTAR Passwords are computer generated and are provided within an automated Welcome to NSTAR .

3 Subject: Welcome to the NSTAR System Dear <Name Here>, Please do not respond to this automated message. For any questions or concerns, please contact United States Naval Academy (USNA) Information Technology Services at You can now access the NAPS Scholastic Tracking and Accountability Record (NSTAR) system at: Below is your Username for logging into NSTAR and your temporary password. Change your password after your initial login. Username: <Candidate User Name Here> Password: <Temporary Password Here> When you have a question, the first thing to do is click the [Help] button at the bottom left of the page of each module. This will display step-by-step instructions for that particular module. Second, you might try seeking help from a shipmate in your department or company. Third, contact the USNA Information Resource Center (IRC) by calling or by ing syshelp@usna.edu. An adhoc query tool called WebIntelligence is available to Faculty and Staff by requesting an account with USNA. The request should be submitted to the USNA IRC. Please do not respond to this automated message. For any questions or concerns, please contact USNA IRC at or at syshelp@usna.edu. USNA Information Technology Services Division Q6. How do I change my NSTAR password? A. Use the NSTAR Change Password module, located on the left hand side of the NSTAR menu page, to change your initial password. Currently, NSTAR passwords must be between 8 and 30 characters long, must begin with a letter and can only contain letters and numbers (no special characters). NSTAR passwords are NOT Case Sensitive. A new password cannot be the same as the previous two passwords. Click the Change Password button. Enter your new password twice and click the Submit button.

4 Q7. I forgot my NSTAR password, can it be reset? A. Contact the USNA Information Resource Center (IRC) or SysHelp@usna.edu if you need to have your NSTAR password reset. Your new password will be sent to you within Reset Password Information . Q8. Is my password the same one I use to login to my Network account? A. Currently, no. The NSTAR password is separate from any network or account password. Q9. How do I get help with NSTAR? A. Each module has customized Help Text available by clicking the Help button at the bottom left of each module s page. Second, you might try seeking help from a shipmate in your department or company. Third, contact the USNA Information Resource Center (IRC) by calling or by ing syshelp@usna.edu. Additionally, general information about how to use NSTAR and descriptions of certain Business Processes are available under the About NSTAR button on the NSTAR Home Page. Q10. What does You are not authorized to access module error mean? Error! The following unhandled error has occurred in the routine naiwu015$.firstpage: ORA-20999: An error has occurred. Contact IT Services at x You are not authorized to access module (NAIWU015-). Please contact your support representative.

5 A. This error indicates you do not have the necessary permissions to access the subject module. Q11. What does Access is not allowed at this time error mean? Error! The following unhandled error has occurred in the routine npiwu005$.firstpage: ORA-20999: Unable to access module (NPIWU005-). Access to I-DAY PROCESSING is not allowed at this time. Please contact your support representative. A. This error indicates you are not allowed to access the subject module or Business Process at this time based on the Access Dates noted within NSTAR. Access Dates are used as an additional level of security to control access for Entering Grades, Entering Evaluations, Copying Offered Sections, Processing I-Day Data, Graduating the Class, etc. Q12. What does There is a problem with this website s security certificate error mean? A. This Internet Explorer error indicates the client workstation does not have the Department of Defense Root Certificates installed or the client does not have the SSL Security Certificate for NSTAR installed. NSTAR can still be accessed and used securely without installing the DoD Root Certificates or SSL Certificate by clicking Continue to this website (not recommended). Under this scenario, the URL address will be highlighted in red and a Certificate Error button will be displayed.

6 The DoD Root Certificates are available for download from the USNA Information Resource Center (IRC) Software Download page, Follow the installation instruction on the Software Download page. To install the NSTAR SSL Certificate, click the Certificate Error box to the right of the URL address and click View Certificates link. Within the Certificate Details, click the Install Certificate button to launch the Certificate Import Wizard. Within the Certificate Import Wizard, click Next twice and then Finish. Click the Next button.

7 Click the Next button. Click the Finish button. Click the OK button and then the next OK button.

8 Q13. Why I don t see the same links as other users? A. Access or permission to NSTAR modules is determined by role assignments. Each module has a system assigned role and each user can have several roles assigned to their user account. Every user account is assigned the default role of NAPS_STAFF. Additional roles can be assigned to allow access to additional or specific modules. For instance, a NAPS Faculty member would be assigned the NAPS-ACADEMIC_FAULTY role to enable access to modules used to enter attendance, grades and evaluations. Q14. I received an from nstar@usna.edu indicating Please do not reply to this , Who sent it? A. NSTAR was designed with the ability to send automated messages. These messages will have an nstar@usna.edu from address and various subjects and addressee lists depending on the purpose of the automated . Examples of automated NSTAR s include; Welcome to NSTAR sent to user when a new user account is created. Enter Attendance Reminder sent to instructors reminding them to enter class attendance if it was not entered by two days after the class met. Classroom Attendance Notification sent to the Candidate and the Candidate s Chain of Command (Military and Athletic (if applicable)) indicating an accountability issue (Absence, Tardy or Left Early) for a specific class and meeting time where the Candidate did not already entered an Excuse. Academic Review Notice sent to the Candidate and the Candidate s Chain of Command (Military and Athletic (if applicable)) indicating a Candidate s assignment to a specific Academic Review Board. Q15. Can I use NSTAR to Candidates within my class or Company? A. Yes. Many modules within NSTAR include a hot link to a Candidate s address and some Candidate modules include hot links to assigned instructors and Chain of

9 Command. Clicking the hot link, opens the user s default client to compose desired text. Q16. How is NSTAR initially populated and configured? A. NSTAR was designed with the ability to obtain new incoming class data from USNA Admissions Information Systems (AIS) for candidates that were assigned and accepted to NAPS. This data process is referred to as Induction Day (I-Day) Data Transfer. NSTAR was also designed to enable the NAPS Academic Dean the ability to configure Academic Meeting Times, Room Assignments, Marking Periods, Academic Calendar, Academic Periods, Courses, Offered Courses, and Course Sections for a given academic year. NSTAR also allows the NAPS Academic Dean the ability to manage Screening Test Scores and Track Ranges and automatically generate Candidate Track Assignments and Corse Schedules. Q17. How do I get a Blackboard course site? A. Blackboard course sites are created based on the assigned instructor s preferences noted within the Blackboard Preferences Maintain NSTAR module. This module allows an assigned instructor to request a Blackboard course site and note preference to combine multiple sections of the same course within one Blackboard course site or have separate course sites for each section of the same course. The noted preferences are used within the NSTAR-Blackboard data integration which is scheduled to run at least twice a day (at 1300 and 0100) and every two hours during the beginning of a semester. Additional information is available within the Q17. How do I get a Blackboard course site? FAQ. Q18. How do I look up Candidate s Personal and Academic Information? A. Candidate personal and academic information can be obtained from the following NSTAR modules; Candidate Academic Information Query o This module, located under the Academics and Military menus, allows NAPS Faculty and Staff to view a Candidate's Grades, Academic Standings, Prior Education, Performance Review Board Information and PRT Results. Academic Information Query o This module, located under the Midshipmen Candidates menu, allows an individual NAPS Candidate to display his/her Grades, Academic Standings, Performance Review Board Information and PRT Results. Candidate Information Query o This module, located under the Academics and Military menus, allows the Academic Dean, Academic Supervisors, Academic Faculty and Military Staff to query information related to a candidate. Candidate Personal Information Maintain

10 o This module, located under the Midshipmen Candidates menu, allows NAPS Candidates to maintain their Personal Information, Relatives' Information, Academic and Military Disclosures and Leave Addresses. Candidate Information Maintain o This module, located under the Military menu, allows the NAPS Candidate Personnel Officer to maintain Candidate s Personal Information, Relatives' Information, Academic and Military Disclosures and Race and Ethnicity. Q19. Who is responsible for updating Candidate Information? A. Both NAPS Candidate Personnel and the Candidate can update Candidate Information. Candidate Personnel also has a means to view a Change History for changes to critical data like Grades, Alpha, Company Assignments, Relatives, and Candidate Status. Q20. How do I look up a Candidate s Schedule? A. Candidate s Academic Schedule can be obtained from the Candidate Schedules Query NSTAR module located under the Academics and Midshipmen Candidates menus. This module displays candidate s Schedule and Schedule Matrix. Additional information is available within the How do I look up a Candidate s Schedule? FAQ. Q21. How do I request modifications or enhancements to NSTAR? A. Submit modification or enhancements requests to the USNA Information Resource Center (IRC) by calling or by ing syshelp@usna.edu or click here to submit a SysHelp Request form. If necessary, modification or enhancements requests will be prioritized by NAPS Executive Officer and/or Academic Dean. Q22. What is the wildcard character for searches in NSTAR? A. The wildcard character for NSTAR is % (the percent sign). It represents any combination of characters. For example, entering E% in a Last Name field on a Query page of an NSTAR module will return all last names starting with E. Q23. When is NSTAR available for use? A. NSTAR is available 7 days a week and 24 hours a day except during Scheduled Maintenance Outages (i.e. Weekly Backups and Quarterly Security Patches) which are noted on the NSTAR Home Page.

11 Q24. How do I access NSTAR from outside of NAPS? A. NSTAR can also be accessed externally (i.e. from home or any location outside of USNA or NAPS) using the URL address This access provides the same functionality as internal access except for the ability to access Ad Hoc Queries (WebIntelligence). Q25. Is NSTAR activity monitored? A. Yes, based on various business process parameters all activity within NSTAR is audited including user access, module access and data changes.