UniverSIS Future Unveiled at "Town Meeting" Date: May 5, 2000 By: Chris Curran Phone: (513) 556-1806 Archive: Campus News Administrators from Student Affairs and Human Resources (SAHR) and the Office of Information Technologies (UCit) hosted a "town meeting" in TUC to review the status of Version I of the UniverSIS student information system. The development was a five-year project, and the result was a foundation for the future. "This is a powerful engine we're going to build on," promised Fred Siff, vice president for information technology. "We want to engage you in that process. You are the clients," he told the roughly 100 people attending the open meeting. Mitchel Livingston, vice president for SAHR, opened the meeting by thanking the more than 250 individuals responsible for developing and implementing UniverSIS to replace the older student information system which dates to the mid 1970s. "We made a very good decision," said Livingston, "a decision to build rather than buy. Now, the project is nearing completion and nearly on budget." That's in stark contrast to some universities which adapted commercial software packages, only to find themselves with unexpected costs and delays in implementation. Siff admitted the final transition to UniverSIS will be "like the last mile of a marathon," but predicted that the benefits will be well worth it. "The trauma is normal and predictable. The hardest thing to do in a university is alter the student information system. It's our core business system." To make UniverSIS more seamless and simple to use across campus, UCit is working to develop Web-based "front ends" for the data housed in the system. Those front ends are already in place for many services, including Web Registration. More are being developed and planned. Several questions were answered during the meeting, but detailed answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) are also available on the new UniverSIS web site along with a list of services and features. Project manager Bob Miller explained that UniverSIS was "started with nothing except an idea." The goal was to design a single system around UC's business needs and requirements which was flexible enough to grow and adapt as technology changed. "When we started, the Web was not ubiquitous," noted Miller, who added that no IT project is ever really finished. Future enhancements include a new CUFS interface, converting all the legacy data to the new system, and developing Web interfaces for students and faculty. "We want to provide access to data where and when it's appropriate." Access will also be faster than ever, according to Tom Koerner, acting director of core applications for UCit. "We replaced a 1973 punch-card system with a real-time information processing environment, and there's a continuing commitment that services from UniverSIS will get better." Stan Henderson, associate vice president for enrollment management, described his role in the project as "cheerleader." "The way we did business made sense to us, but not to our students. In three years, we won't be sending students to eight places. They're going to go to one person or go to the Web." Henderson also encouraged those using UniverSIS to develop their own ideas on how it can be improved. Feedback is also encouraged on the Web site or by e-mailing UniverSISWeb@uc.edu.