Student Academic Services Software Products Committee Final Recommendations (March 2011)

Transcription

1 Student Academic Services Software Products Committee Final Recommendations (March 2011) Introduction This committee was charged with identifying technological means to achieve the following goals: Determine methods to improve delivery of course and catalog details. Determine methods to improve tracking of and communication about degree completion status. Determine methods to improve student communication. Determine methods to improve space management. The committee focused heavily on recommendations that would improve retention/graduation goals and improve customer service to the variety of university clients. A final consensus recommendation was to include the following elements: Assessment of key functionality and benefits Evidence about the ways that software recommendations will integrate with one another Initial and enduring operating costs (including new staff support) General implementation timeline Committee Membership The committee contained both functional and technical members: Lee M. Smith, Chair, Customer Service & Quality Improvement Tracee Synco, Student and Faculty Success Stella Cocoris, Registrar/Enrollment Services Gaye Wilson, Enrollment Management David Yother, IT Ramsey Scott, IT Eric Martin, Web Communications Recommendations The report presents the consensus recommendation for six products; an appendix details the anticipated total cost of ownership. 1. CourseLeaf (Vendor: Leepfrog) 2. Course Inventory Management (Vendor: Leepfrog) 3. 25Live (Vendor: CollegeNET) 4. DegreeWorks with WebTreQ (Vendor: SunGard) 5. Banner-Native Current Student CRM (Vendor: UAB) 6. InstantRapport (Vendor: Leepfrog) For these systems to be successful, the committee recommends a project manager to oversee the implementation, executive level support for the products, appropriate funding for the additional staffing requirements, and the careful prioritizing of other technical projects so as not to impede the success of these major systems. 1

2 CourseLeaf (Vendor: Leepfrog) CourseLeaf is a catalog-specific content management system: Presents complete catalog in webpages. Allows for automated and auditable electronic workflow during annual catalog revisions; schools/departments only have access to their content. Active catalogs are frozen and are archived online when a new catalog is published. Allows school/department websites to present their specific catalog information dynamically. License will also allow UAB to use CourseLeaf to produce online handbooks and manuals (e.g., Residence Life Handbook). Eliminates duplication of data entry in Banner and catalog. Pulls course data from Banner and produces reports to ensure consistency between the two Interacts with DegreeWorks (degree audit system) to allow students to browse catalog and see tracking of which courses they have completed toward potential new majors Allows school/department websites to present their specific catalog information dynamically through common web content management systems on campus (e.g., Joomla, Ektron) The committee reviewed Acalog and SmartCatalog, similar products with a comparable costs, but judged that CourseLeaf is the better option because of its favorable user interface, on-campus training, and interaction with DegreeWorks. The committee as reviewed SharePoint as an option, but found that the CourseLeaf functionality met our needs better and faster than an internally build SharePoint system. Functional: 1 dedicated FTE available at current staffing levels is required for this software. This FTE would also be the functional owner of the associated CIM (curriculum management) software. Technical: This software would require 10% of the time of a Systems Analyst ERP (standard IT programmer position). Start-up/Year 1: $92,083 Ongoing: $23,386 Semester 1 (semester in which contract is signed): 2011/12 catalog delivered to Leepfrog Semester 2: online catalog launched Semester 3: online catalog embedded on school sites Semester 3: vendor-led on-campus training Semester 4: electronic edits begin for 2012/13 catalog 2

3 Course Inventory Management (Vendor: Leepfrog) Course Inventory Management (CIM) is a web-based curriculum management system: Provides online form for faculty and staff to electronically modify, add or delete courses. Automatically identifies and displays all other departments, program requirements, and courses that are affected by the change. Automatically creates the correct workflow for courses to ensure the correct people and departments participate in the process. Tracks the status for all courses in process, with breakouts for detailed review; provides audit trail for changes. Generates PDF files of the relevant information customized for curriculum committees and other meetings. Replaces totally paper-based processes with completely paperless process. Online forms are pre-populated with data from catalog and Banner. Automatically updates many appropriate fields in Banner at end of process (with exception of pre-/co-requisites), with automated update to online catalog. Will prompt DegreeWorks scribe to make updates in degree audits. Acalog has a similar product in development, but it is not yet available. The committee found no other similar software available. Functional: 1 dedicated FTE available at current staffing levels is required for this software. This FTE would also be the functional owner of the associated CourseLeaf (catalog) software. Technical: This software would require 25% of the time of a Systems Analyst ERP (standard IT programmer position). Start-up/Year 1: $54,256 Ongoing: $30,013 Semesters 2/3: build pilot online forms and Banner mapping Semester 4: begin using CIM in pilot school Semester 4: build online forms and Banner mapping for additional schools Semester 5: additional schools begin using CIM 3

4 25Live (Vendor: CollegeNET) 25Live is a web-based module that extends the functionality of our current Resource 25, Schedule 25, and associated Banner Interface products: Eliminates paper forms for requesting of meeting spaces (for staff and students). Consolidates academic and meeting spaces into one system. Enables departments/schools to initially schedule courses in their zones, then open the schedule to a central office for scheduling. Allows web-based interaction for department and student users. Allows faculty to view image and characteristics of their assigned classrooms. Implements workflow so that room owners can approve requests without requesters having to identify them separately. Equips students to sign up electronically to attend specific events In an emergency, data for all classes and activities in a particular building are easily accessible in on.e system. Allows for a hosted (off-site) configuration; eliminates need for IT to manage server. Publishes customized granular event calendars to central, school, and department websites. As with our current setup, interacts with Banner to produce classroom assignments. The committee reviewed Ad Astra, a comparable product, but preferred the Series 25 products because of current staff familiarity with that product, significantly lower up-front costs, and better integration with web-based calendars. Functional: 1 dedicated FTE available at current staffing levels is required for this software. Technical: This software would require 5% of the time of a Systems Analyst ERP (standard IT programmer position). Start-up/Year 1: $41,261 (adjusted to reflect new additional costs only; includes annual savings; funds already budgeted annually for Resource 25, Schedule 25, and Banner Interface) Ongoing Annual: $17,760 Semester 1: Begin conversation about campus calendar with other stakeholders Semester 1/2: Transition HUC spaces into 25Live; add calendars to appropriate websites Semester 2: Transition CAS spaces into 25Live; add calendars to appropriate websites Semester 3: Transition other school spaces in 25Live; add calendars to appropriate websites 4

5 DegreeWorks with WebTreQ (Vendor: SunGard) DegreeWorks is an online degree audit system, with additional WebTreQ function that allows for public-facing transfer articulation: Enables students and advisors to develop online academic plans. Allows students to explore What-If scenarios to view how their courses would translate into other majors. Presents students with suggested degree maps for majors; advisors and students can customize these maps. Archives historical versions of all viewed degree audits. Produces course-specific demand data to assist departments with their course schedule and space planning. WebTreQ functionality enables prospective students to view how their transfer courses would articulate at UAB, then run audits with What If scenarios. Enables audits for NCAA athletic and financial aid requirements. Significant retention and graduation benefits tied to this functionality. DegreeWorks is a SunGard product and is built to interact with Banner. Interacts with InstantRapport (instant messaging). Interacts with CourseLeaf so that students can scan the catalog and view major requirements interactively. The committee reviewed Red Lantern, another degree audit program, but judged DegreeWorks to be superior because of its variety of audit presentations, its expansive functionality, and its native interaction with Banner. Functional: 1 FTE to scribe degree requirements; 0.5 FTE to handle training, testing, and general administration. Technical: 1 FTE for data base administration; 1 FTE for Systems Analyst ERP (programming and customization). Start-up/Year 1: $556,885 Ongoing Annual: $373,273 Semester 1: SunGard begins scribing catalog; hardware installation begins. Semester 2-3: Testing of pilot department audits. Semester 3: Customization of audit appearance. Semester 4: Pilot audits go live. Semester 4: Testing of additional department audits. Semester 5: Additional audits go live (most programs). 5

6 Banner-Native Current Student CRM (Vendor: UAB) The CRM is a tool to promote student-specific communications, as well as centralize data about student interactions: Enables the sending of customized messages to individual students (without technical intervention). Collects data about students who have read particular communications. Enables advisers to view dashboard of information about particular students. Produces student and adviser alerts when students fail to achieve certain milestones or display at-risk behaviors. Enables faculty members to submit multiple and customized early alerts about students. Produces call lists for students who have not read s or followed up appropriately. Significant retention and graduation benefits tied to this functionality. Interacts with live Banner data. Captures conversations from InstantRapport (instant messaging) software. Captures DegreeWorks data. The committee reviewed the Banner CRM and Hobson s Retain product, a product similar to the Hobson s Connect product UAB currently utilizes, but felt that internal programming would best meet our needs. The Banner CRM is a young product that does not have much of the functionality we require, and the Hobson s product would require an overwhelming data feed that would still not allow us to accomplish the complexity of all currently planned communications. Functional: 1 dedicated FTE to manage current students communications. Technical: This programming would require 50% of the time of a Systems Analyst ERP (standard IT programmer position). Start-up/Year 1: $117,128 Ongoing Annual: $114,463 Semesters 1/2: Programming begins Semester 3: Initial functionality released, including early alert Semesters 3+: ongoing customized programming 6

7 InstantRapport (Vendor: Leepfrog) InstantRapport is a web-based instant messaging system: Allows students to chat online with administrators/advisors. For a student who logs in, administrators can see dashboard of critical information about that student; dashboards can be customized for each team (admission, libraries, etc.). Administrators can transfer students to another member within a team or to another team. Communications are encrypted. Transcripts are maintained for each conversation. System will attempt to connect students smartly (with assigned advisor, previous chat partners). Provides analytics about chat sessions, administrator usage, etc. Student focus group indicated they would appreciate this means of communication being available. Short implementation timeframe. InstantRapport buttons can be placed on any website; icon is greyed out when no one is available. InstantRapport button is available within DegreeWorks (from student view). Pulls data from Banner and DegreeWorks to give administrator dashboard information. Can push data daily to Banner or CRM to combine with other existing student notes. The committee reviewed the instant messaging functionality in the Hobson s Retain CRM, but found InstantRapport to be superior because of its dashboard of student information, its focus on individual (rather than group) chat, and the ability to transfer students to other chat teams. Functional: The various team owners (e.g., CAS Advising) would be the functional leads for this product. The central communications coordinator (see CRM section) might also be involved. Technical: This software would require 10% of the time of a Systems Analyst ERP (standard IT programmer position). Start-up/Year 1: $19,602 [2 teams] Ongoing Annual: $29,405 [4 teams] Semester 1: Install InstantRapport for 2 teams o Options: one-stop, CAS advising, libraries, etc. Semester 1: online training by vendor Semester 3: review success of product Semester 4: expand product to additional teams Semester 5: launch InstantRapport within DegreeWorks 7