DARS User Group Minutes
Thursday April 24, 2003
10:00 a.m. – 3 p.m.
St.
Cloud TC, Room 1-244
Present: Ann Nelson, Michelle Frenzel, Gin Forseman, Kelly Kienitz, Gloria Deick, Daryl Johnson, Shawn Handwrek, Gina Boeckermann, Donna Marzolf, Mary D’Andrea, Laurie Tralle, Fred Forseman.
Ø Minutes of October 24, 2002 meeting were reviewed and approved as written.
Ø Basic Encoding Training was presented Nov. 13-15, 2002, and follow-up encoding Dec. 5 & 6, 15 participants, from 10 schools, and again on Feb. 26-28, 2003, with seven encoders attending, representing 4 schools. Transfer Articulation was presented Nov. 20-22, 2002, Jan 27-29, and Mar. 26-28, 2003; 32 encoders attended, representing 19 schools. Campus-specific problem solving occurred for 11 schools, 26 participants. Third Thursday (& Friday) sessions were presented Jan.-April, for 16 schools, 33 participants. Third Thursday topics: Condition Codes, DPMask, Encoding the MnTC, and Exceptions. User Group recommends: Third Thursday sessions offered through the summer.
Ø Exploration and use of DARS Analysis tables is currently waiting for a Grant application. Possible Analysis Table uses: identify student course needs by program; post students for graduation. Additional questions: Could the DARS posted graduates be sent to ISRS via GR output? Does this require set up in ISRS first? Daryl, Fred, and Gina will continue to explore.
Ø DARS implementation allocations were announced to the campuses through e-mail and letters 2/13/03. Allocations dollars reflected institutional type and FYE. The allocation forms identified 2002 campus DARS goals, current implementation team, audit usage status & goals, and plans for 2003 allocation monies. A/o 4/25/03: 26 campus allocation requests approved; one is on hold, and one additional received.
Ø No decision has been made on the allocation for Northwest TC.
Ø Grant applications are few: One approved to Riverland for encoding two Iowa schools. The Grant application is available on the web: http://www.dars.mntransfer.org/FY03GrantApplication.pdf
Ø Allocations and Grant money must be disbursed by June 15, 2003. These funds will not be carried forward.
Ø DARS.mntransfer.org displays new documentation: Getting Ready to Turn On DARS Web Audits, Setting up TA to Accept D Grades Conditionally, Audit Customizing via INCLTOP & FULLDEMO (revised description and access table), #PT#, #GM, #RP, #CT, #CO, Additional DA0001CP Options, Prioritization of Catalog Year/Term in Audit Processing, Export Process (revised) DARwin 3.0.4 Download and Installation Instructions, TA Rule Report, Accepting Repeated Source Courses.
Ø Usage statistics for www.dars.mntransfer.org for the past year were shared: fewest hits were 617 for June 2002, and greatest were 4277 for March 2003. [Gina reports April: 4286.]
Ø The new DARS information sheet was shared with the group. Written by Daryl, it updates the DARS Project, identifies training opportunities, and establishes the link with CAS and SPEEDE. Additional copies are available upon request.
Ø The 2002-2003 DARS Team Task list is on the web, and is updated frequently http://www.dars.mntransfer.org/02_03tasklist.pdf . The list itemizes task, responsibility, resource needs, completion date and DARS engine version number. The list includes items from the DARS Team, the DARS User Group, and Campus requests.
Ø Web Audits have been turned on by seven campuses (Bemidji SU, Inver Hill CC, North Hennepin CC, Lake Superior CTC, Hennepin TC, Central Lakes CTC, & Winona SU). Thanks go to Bemidji for testing the Web audit process. “WEB Steps for DARS audits” documentation http://www.dars.mntransfer.org/updates/websetup.pdf emphasizes the necessity of creating a WEB COM, and CLIENTS (replacing campus INCLTOP), defining program audit availability, testing, and ISRS cleanup of student programs in ST1104UG.
User Group recommends establishing a way of keeping track of Web Audit hits. Fred will look into this: Randy is possible person.
Ø Export from DARS to ISRS has been revised to comply with Data Integrity Group concern of the posting of updated, and/or more recent transcripts. The request reflects Financial Aid offices requirement. Gloria Deick identified a possible bug: Export removes prior data (dates). Export process should function by leaving dates intact. Gloria and Mary will work on this, with Fred fixing.
As more campuses begin to use Export process, particularly for Edit 59 Prerequisite checking, we may still be able to make additional changes.
Ø Curriculum Update Project will identify campus curriculum changes. The process compares active campus curriculum files for two arbitrary dates. Campus curriculum files for fall 2003 will be compared with the files of April, 2003. With the use of ExamDif program, Mary will identify differences in course name, number, credits, and title. The program does not identify MnTC courses, and these will be requested from the campuses, along with conformation of changes, and published on mntransfer.com. User Group recommends: campus DARS encoder as contact person, and comparison twice in an academic year.
Ø INCLTOP enhancements and recent documentation announced for five # (pound) items. All items came from campus requests.
§ #PT# identifies transfer school in ST1111UG on audit when the transfer courses have not been evaluated in Joe Cool http://www.dars.mntransfer.org/updates/poundPTpound.pdf. This application can be used with condition code for noting on the audit.
§ #GM assigns a condition code to a course based on grading method in ISRS http://www.dars.mntransfer.org/updates/gradingmethod.pdf.
§ #RP identifies repeat codes in ISRS, assigns a condition code, and either replaces, appends, or pre-pend grades http://www.dars.mntransfer.org/updates/ISRSRepeatMaint.pdf.
§ #CT forces a year and term for students who are no longer active in a program (i.e., running audits on students who have an end-dated program) http://www.dars.mntransfer.org/updates/currentyearterm.pdf.
§ #CO assigns a condition code based students assigned to a specific cohort in ISRS http://www.dars.mntransfer.org/updates/INCLTOPCohorts.pdf.
Ø Additional DA0001CP enhancements and documentation announced. Changes to the ISRS Report function came from a DARS User Group request. Entries for DA0001CP are no longer case sensitive, and may be requested with student tech id or social security number; audits can be requested without leading zeros; and multiple audit requests can be entered with an intervening common, period, or space. Run Bar Reports A (Audit and Evaluation), and, E (Evaluate courses), can be requested via DA0001CP on the Darwin Report Options User ID line. Additional functionality includes Q (populating quarter courses for Home to Home Articulation), X (populating Joe Cool with student Tech id and name from ISRS), and T (reverse export of courses in ST1112UG to Joe Cool). It is strongly urged that student records in Joe Cool be populated with the X option. http://www.dars.mntransfer.org/updates/DA0001CP_Options.pdf.
Ø The Transfer Articulation Report option allows campuses to request a report identifying the transfer rules for institutions in Red Book, Blue Book. The report includes the source, institution name, FYT, LYT, memo, group name, rule number, unique alpha/numeric course identified, title, effective date, target alpha/numeric course identified, alternates, and flags. http://www.dars.mntransfer.org/updates/TARuleReport.pdf. The report is sent to a local printer. Campuses can also request MnSCU dvlp catalogs sent to the local printer. User Group recommends additional functionality of sending the dvlp TA Rule Report to an e-mail address.
Ø The DARS Security form, with recommendations from the User Group, was revised by Daryl and posted to the web http://www.its.mnscu.edu/forms/darsecurity.pdf.
Ø Automatic message from darsinfo GroupWise, reminding of password change, has been set up by Daryl and Gina. Every 45 days a message is sent to all DARS accounts to change the DARS password. This service is helping to reduce the “disuser” numbers and frustrations. When the 45th day is on a week end, the notice is sent on the following work day.
Ø Catalogs available to campuses from dvlp include all MnSCU semester catalogs and the U of M Twin Cities http://www.dars.mntransfer.org/updates/number20.pdf Catalogs transported to campuses to date: 209. Phase II of the Catalog project will be the production of quarter catalogs for the metro schools. This process is assisted by campuses having encoded the Home to Home Articulation. The North Hennepin full QUARTERS catalog is now available. Phase III of the project is encoding catalogs for private schools and border schools. We have an approved Grant application for two Iowa schools.
Ø ISRS development requests supporting DARS have been forwarded to ISRS development:
· Add catalog year/term field for each major/minor in ST1104 and ST1105
· Set up validation between degrees and majors in ISRS
· Change dates of attendance fields in ST1111 to year/terms of attendance
Ø Discussion and feedback was requested of the User Group for communication to users of enhancements. Is the information being read? Is it being used? User Group recommends: Group: have a session at the June User Conference highlighting the new enhancements.
Ø NCAA Encoding – Pat Carmody sent an email to Laurie stating that the DARS Miami Univ. site has all the documentation on how to encode for NCAA. Pat plans to work on the encoding this summer. DARS Team will update info via the dars.mntransfer website.
Ø Turing off INCLTOP functions when no longer needed, specifically for test scores or PPST, was explored. “If a course has been taken, turn off a specific test,” “If sophomore classification, turn off ACT score,” were two possibilities considered. User Group recommended that we look at “Multiple Test Lines” first.
Ø INCLTOP enhancement for showing specific transcript messages in Student Transcript Message (ST1135UG) was discussed. #TM ####,####,####. #TM [pound application for Transfer Message}, followed by a Msg Code, separated by a comma, followed by a Msg Code, followed by a comma, followed by a Msg Code. Up to 10 codes. Codes are defined in ST2024UG.
Ø INCLTOP enhancement for showing completed majors/degrees in Student Degree Maintenance (ST1131UG & ST1132). Print on audit, if previous degree compete date is past, from ST1131: FICE Cd/Name, Complete Date, Degree Abbr.; from ST1132, print Major Id.
Ø NCLTOP enhancement to pull Registration access code from Advisor Maintenance ST1108UG. Functionally it would allow campuses to run batch audits with access codes to replace a “Permit to Register” which currently includes these numbers for advising use only. Pull codes (up to two) for terms greater then current term. Possible enhancement might be: #AC [Access Code] with year/term [20041], resulting with the access number printing on the audit. If the access code for the term has already been used, no code to print. User Group recommends this enhancement.
Ø INCLTOP enhancement to print email addresses on audit. PS0001UG, accessed through Prospective Student Information (PA0001UG), Student Application Maintenance (ST1000UG), Student Demographic View (ST1101UG), Employee Demographic Maintenance (HR0001UG) or Combined Person Maintenance (HR0050UG), does not currently allow for additional email addresses, which is inevitable with students. This request will be carried forward to Nov. User Group Meeting.
Ø User Group recommends TA Rule Report enhancement, allowing report to be sent to Excel or Word for posting on www.mntransfer.org. Gina and Mary will work on this.
Ø MnSCU DARS User Conference is scheduled for June 5 & 6 at the Anoka-Ramsey Training and Development Center. The conference will focus on implementation models, processes, and best practices. Roundtable discussions topics currently identified are: Meeting with Advisors/department, Audit testing procedures, Systems for updating new DARS catalogs, Campus and MnSCU documentation, Brochures & publications, Getting audits to students, Getting campus buy-in, Clean up of ISRS (ST1104), Degree validation against major, Going to Miami, Transporting catalogs, and Enhancements. The User Group is urged to participate in the roundtable discussions.
The Thursday evening social event will be optional. Electronic registration will be sent via the list serve soon. Registration will close May 28th.
Ø CAS Update from Laurie and Fred. Pilot schools are Southwest SU, Bemidji. We are attempting to do as much centrally as possible: set up college with course bank (obviating need for student free-form entry of courses), program, and alternate definitions. Training for updating and maintenance will be necessary. Continue collaborative meeting with the U of M.
Ø SPEEDE Update from Fred. The Uniface screens should be ready in about 30 days (waiting for ISRS programmers to work on specs). A flat file has been sent and returned via the Texas server. Chuck Norris presented SPEEDE to the Registration Group April 16, 2003. The printed version of the transcript was not pretty; Chuck is looking for a product that will produce a better printed transcript. Phase II of the project will be mapping the transcript into DARS.
Ø DARS versions (3.0.3 and 3.0.4) were released to campuses Oct. and March. Versions were installed with CD and from the web, both processes managed by Daryl. Version 3.0.4, with auto install, was almost painless.
Ø User Group Needs Assessment will be sent out electronically for member comments, suggestions, and recommendations.
Ø ISSUES brought up at the meeting for further/later consideration.
· Winona expressed (Registration Group Meeting) a desire to force an audit into their University Studies Program if they were undeclared at time of admissions.
·
Consortium credit (Registration Group Meeting),
when unidentified, can result in double Transcripting. This will be
particularly troublesome on old data.
What are the implications for seamless enrollment?
