DARS User Group Meeting Minutes
Feb. 27, 2001
Present: Sue Bayerl, Melanie Callister, Pat Carmody, Mary D’Andrea, Fred Forseman, Gin Forseman, Michelle Frenzel, Daryl Johnson, Donna Marzolf, Laurie Tralle, Larry Uhlir
- The meeting was called to order at 10:05am.
- Mary D’Andrea was introduced as the newest member of the MnSCU DARS/CAS team.
- Larry Uhlir presented a brief review of the numerous improvements and updates to DARS since November, 1999.
- Fred Forseman will follow up on adding catalog year/term to ST1104 and ST1105, since there is now a rather detailed process for submitting requests for ISRS updates or enhancements.
- Larry Uhlir researched the number of terms that can be built in ISRS ahead of the current term. ISRS personnel indicated that the recommended limit was about 3 years. Exceeding that recommendation would likely put ISRS into a loop, which in effect locks up ISRS use for that college until the regional center “unlocks” it.
- Larry Uhlir provided an update of DARS encoder training. A current training session will be completed March 15 and 16. All MnSCU colleges will then have been exposed to DARS encoding training. The next DARS encoding training will likely be offered in the summer or early in the fall semester after the add/drop period.
- Laurie Tralle provided an update of DARS transfer articulation training. The next TA training will take place March 26, 27 and 28. There will be a continued emphasis on TA training throughout the year and well into 2002.
- Laurie Tralle provided an update of CAS progress. Fred is still working with other MnSCU personnel to get the server operational. MnSCU personnel will probably be closely involved with CAS setups for colleges.
- Gin Forseman and Michelle Frenzel presented what they had done to get the #PR INCLTOP item working. They had built special Honors program requirements that were then triggered to appear on the audit with the use of condition coding when a student was actively enrolled in the Honors program. Larry will further refine the instructions for using the #PR item in INCLTOP, and will send it out to all users. In the meantime, colleges represented by our DARS User Group are welcome to experiment with the tentative instructions and provide any feedback to Larry.
- Larry Uhlir presented a method of having special requirements appear on an audit based on test scores in ISRS. Further exploration into ways to save use of condition codes will take place, although it appears that ultimately there will have to be some use of condition coding in order to trigger the requirements to pop up on the audit. In the meantime, colleges represented by our DARS User Group are welcome to experiment with the tentative instructions, and share any feedback with Larry.
- Potential items for more specialized or advanced training involving perhaps one day sessions include: Exceptions, Using DARS for NCAA eligibility, sharing “best” practices, sharing implementation challenges, condition code use, INCLTOP updates, remedial/developmental requirement setup and use, encoding TA rules for CLEP & AP & other special coursework. DARS User Group members were encouraged to submit other items to Larry as they think of them.
- Laurie Tralle passed out copies of the ST1111 & ST1112 screens to the group to begin the process of mapping the download process from DARwin to ISRS. There was considerable discussion of the various fields in ST1111 and their relevance in DARS and vice versa. Fred suggested that Mary, Laurie & he work on this and present to the User Group in the future.
- The date and time of the next meeting was not determined at this time because of the uncertainty of the next Registration User Group meeting. A member of this user group will let Larry know when the next Registration User Group meeting will be held, or Larry will check with member in a few weeks.
