getting the facts in florida linda thanasides florida center for advising and academic support...
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Getting the FACTS in Florida
Linda Thanasides
Florida Center for Advising and Academic Support
October 13, 2000
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
How Did It All Start?How Did It All Start?
State of Florida was mandated to establish a statewide advising system in 1997 to link 38 public post-secondary institutions for information transfer
FACTS (Florida Academic Counseling and Tracking for Students) was created
Short-time frame for prototype implementation – 9 months
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
What is FACTS?What is FACTS?
Distributed, platform independent, web-based delivery system
Links institutions together with real-time communication
Interfaces with each institution’s host applications to maintain data integrity
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
Technically Speaking…Technically Speaking…
Central Web Site– IBM Mainframe (CICS/VSAM/DB2)– Central server is an RS/6000, SP2– Locally written code eliminates need for
middle ware communication software
Institutional Systems:– MVS, OS/400, Unix, NT, Etc.
Network Interfaces:– TCP/IP socket connections, CICS Sockets
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
FACTS Provides ServicesFACTS Provides Services
Students can – Retrieve transcripts– Receive academic advising– See what is needed to complete a
degree at any other institution in the system
– Construct “what if” scenarios– Make coursework assumptions for
educational planning– Link to other sites for college planning
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
FACTS Provides InformationFACTS Provides InformationInstitutional Info in following areas
– Admissions– Student records– Registration– Financial Aid– Fee Payments– Student Services– Library Services– Career Counseling– Distance Learning
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
How do you Organize 38+ How do you Organize 38+ Different Institutions?Different Institutions?Large project tackled issues one by
one but set in motion concurrentlyVarious management structures create
project management challenge– 10 Public Universities– 28 Public Community Colleges– 27 Private Institutions– Open architecture so more can join
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
Get the Right People InvolvedGet the Right People Involved
Cooperative effort:– State Board of Regents– State Board of Community Colleges– Community Colleges– Universities
Governing Board created from cooperating entities
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
Organize Team/ResourcesOrganize Team/Resources
Core team needed to establish initial communication system
FACTS needed a skilled, productive team to meet short deadline – Looked at contractors/consultants– Prototype institutions volunteered
technical resources for design and programming
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
Organize Initial Resource TeamOrganize Initial Resource Team
Technical Project Design Team was appointed– Define system scope– Create an initial timeline– Propose a governance structure shared by
Community Colleges and UniversitiesThis team is now our Technical
Oversight Committee
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
Organize Organize Administration/ManagementAdministration/Management
Management of system design is by consensus (not necessarily total agreement)
System design is a group effort– Guiding principles preserve institutional
autonomy
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
Permanent Central Staff NeededPermanent Central Staff Needed
Important that a trusted central staff be organized for system support– To administer funding– Implement and maintain system support– To eventually do all development so no
outsourcing is neededPermanent staff is continually
growing
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
““Expert Teams” Used for InputExpert Teams” Used for Input
Need user expertise and “buy-in”Organized teams in functional areas
– Comprised from departmental staff from all institutions
– Make recommendations on policy and functionality
– Suggest target dates and budget needs for additional functionality
Florida Center forAdvising and
Academic Support
Florida Center forAdvising and
Academic SupportBoard
Center StaffTechnical Oversight
Committee
TechnicalImplementation
Group (38)
SUS & CC StudentFocus Group
Distance LearningFocus Group
Academic Group(12)
Career Group (14)Financial Aid Group
(12)Admissions Group
(12)Registration Group
(12)
Fee TransactionGroup (12)
Library GroupGeneral StudentServices Group
CC Student AffairsCouncil
CC InstructionalAffairs Council
SUS CAVP
FASFAA FACRAOCC Business
Offices
FLORIDA ACADEMICCOUNSELING and TRACKING for
STUDENTSORGANIZATION CHART
FCAASRevised 10/23/98
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
Helpful HintsHelpful Hints
Initial start up organization is different from long term organization– Focus is different– Resources may be different
Important to reassess project– Goals– Resources– Processes
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
Helpful HintsHelpful Hints
Be aware of time commitments for “volunteers”
Prepare for growth
Communicate!!
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
Institutional BenefitsInstitutional Benefits
Benefit of increasing knowledge and expertise of Center staff for services
Software packages provided by Center for institutional development
Sharing of data previously unavailable
All institutions can have a web presence
Greater exposure to potential students
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
Student BenefitsStudent Benefits
One web address to gather information
Gather information without having to go to several campus offices
Provide off-campus services to distance learners
Allow almost 24-hour-a-day access to student information
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
Student BenefitsStudent Benefits
Transfer between institutions is easier
Interagency agreements make student access to information easier– Common course numbering– Articulation agreements– Common prerequisites
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
Impact on Administrators/StaffImpact on Administrators/Staff
Time to spend with greater number of students
Use FACTS as an informational tool
Force the accuracy of data presented to students
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
Impact on InstitutionsImpact on Institutions
Forcing policy changes– Hours of business– Distribution of information– Internal policy changes
• Processing electronic signatures• Residency affidavits• Fee payments• Other online forms
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
Impact on InstitutionsImpact on Institutions
Pressure to offer quality services– From students– From state legislature– From institution—to stay in competition
with local and national offerings
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
Impact on InstitutionsImpact on Institutions
Cost efficiencies are occurring– Institutions are not buying software on
their own that FACTS will provide– Changes in processes are resulting in
savings • Not mailing grades, transcripts• Staff can handle other tasks due to
less student traffic
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
Current Status of FACTSCurrent Status of FACTS
Thirty-one of thirty-eight public post-secondary institutions are displaying transcripts and degree audits
Implementing web-based admissions applications
Implementing a degree program search
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
Current Status of FACTSCurrent Status of FACTS
Enhancing current functionsAdding informational functionsWorking toward implementation of
private institutions
Copyright - FCAAS 2000
VISIT THE SITE!VISIT THE SITE!
FACTS.ORG
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