Copyright Kent Kuo and Brad Harding 2006 This

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Bootstrapping a Digital Campus: Establishing Online Student Services at UC Merced Conference: Educause Western Regional Grand Hyatt, San Francisco April 26, 2006 Speakers: Kent Kuo University Registrar & Associate CIO Brad Harding SIS Manager

U. C. Merced’s Characteristics Opened: September 6, 2005 Fall 2005 - Spring 2006 First UC Research One Institution since 1965 Undergraduate/Graduate Programs Number of Students: 875 Number of Faculty/Staff: ~450 Number of Existing Buildings: 7 Number of New Buildings in Process: 2+ On Campus Residential Housing for ~600 students Adding another ~400 student housing for Fall 2007

We Are The Bobcats!! Mighty, Mighty Bobcats!!

Application Systems Architecture Payroll/Personnel System Payroll/A&FS Data Steward: Developed by: UCOP/IT Maintained by: UCOP/IT Internet Server Internet DSS Web Server DSS Production DSS Development Banner Student Information System Data Steward: Student Affairs Offices Developed by: IT/SCT Corp. Maintained by: IT Instructional Workload System Data Steward: P&B Developed by: P&B Maintained by: P&B Citrix Winframe Server (1) UCD Central Account Management Development Production DNS Servers Email Servers Web Servers DSS Citrix Winframe Servers (2) Development Proposed Alumni Development System Data Steward: University Relations Developed by: Legacy system developed by UR; Proposed system developed by UR/contractor, project mgmt by IT Maintained by: IT DSS Transaction Processing Development Departmental LAN Web Server Legend: AFS: Andrew File System DNS: Domain Name Service DSS: Decision Support System : Database Server Corporate Databases AFS Servers Campus Infrastructure Systems RSVP Touchtone Registration Payroll System Production Citrix Winframe Servers (8) UC Office of the President Macintosh IBM PC Data Steward: Accounting & Financial Svcs Developed by: AMS & A&FS Maintained by: A&FS Da. FIS as of June 22, 1998

Initial Reaction

11 th Commandment Thou Shalt Simplify!!

Start with One System Student Information System • Mission critical application (Tier 1) • Function rich with modules in admissions, registration, grades, financial aid, accounting, etc. • Web-based access to review and update data • Important integration links to other systems

Start with One System Online Self Service (All Real Time Functions) • Checking Admissions Requirements & Status • Financial Aid Requirements & Awards • Registration • Grades • Updating Addresses, Email, Emergency Contacts • Graduate Application

Best in Class Housing Management System • Tier 2 application – is fed from or feeds a Tier 1 mission critical application • Has the best match of functionality and technological innovation • The process is time sensitive • Ensure central biodemo feeds are consistent

Identity Management • • Key to integration architecture Enabled our authentication architecture Came up in phases during 2005 Built all of our application systems to utilize IDM

Identity Management 1) Create a single repository containing users and their roles Banner SIS Payroll/Personnel System (UCLA) Other Systems of Record Identity Management Faculty Staff Student Applicant Affiliate Alumni

Identity Management 2) Enable UC Merced systems and applications to acquire critical information about users Banner SIS Payroll/Personnel System (UCLA) Other Systems of Record Campus Card Identity Management Other Applications Requiring User Information

Identity Management 3) Provide all UC Merced users with a single username and password that can be used for authentication and authorization Banner SIS Payroll/Personnel System (UCLA) Other Systems of Record Campus Card Identity Management Student Self Service site LDAP Directory Other Applications Requiring User Information Portal Other Applications Requiring Authentication

Identity Management Benefits from Student Systems perspective: • Eliminates the need to create multiple pointto-point interfaces between SIS and other systems that need student information • Provides a single username/password for accessing all online student services

Cashiering System • Implemented by UCM Business and Finance Dept. • Added homegrown web interfaces for students • EPay – Online payment site for students • EBill – Online bill for students • SIS integration – payments made in Cashiering need to be posted to SIS

Cashiering/SIS Integration Three day timeframe to post payments, creates excessive delays for new students to access to online student services such as: • Course registration • Housing application • Portal access 3 day delay Applicant pays SIR deposit EPay Post of payment via daily batch file Student record created SIS

Cashiering/SIS Integration Explored the real-time posting of payment to reduce delay factor • Initially tried web services approach • Encountered interoperability problems • Platform differences: EPay NET-based, SIS J 2 EE-based • Settled on simpler approach: HTTP request/response Real-Time Update Applicant pays SIR deposit EPay Post of payment via HTTP request/response Student record created SIS

Cashiering/SIS Integration Improvement • Enabled immediate capability to register for courses when committed to the institution Outstanding • Did not eliminate downstream delays in communicating new status to other systems like Identity Management, Housing, Campus Card

Single Campus Card Project (Cat. Card) Multi-function card: • • • Building/Room Access Student ID card Campus dining Library card Copy card/Computer lab printing Washer/Dryers Vending machines Bookstore charges Off-campus charges (Taco Bell, Mc. Donalds, etc).

RFID Size/Scope Lake Yosemite Park Classroom Building Thermal Plant Library Engineering Building Housing & Dining Recreation & Wellness Center RFID & Privacy in the Information Age

Campus Card Application Framework Campus (Cat) Card System Inside Campus Network Tier 1 Systems: Banner SIS, Payroll Identity Management System Bookstore POS Servers Micros POS Servers Outside Campus Network Library System Cashier Encrypted XML Campus Cat Card System Non-Micros POS Cash Registers Washer/ Dryers RFID & Privacy in the Information Age Vending Machines Copiers/ Printers

Sakai @ UC Merced • • • UC Merced: Member Institution Went LIVE: September 6, 2005 Utilized Course Management System functionality Deployed grade posting/harvesting Added mid-semester grade posting Accessible through campus portal

Sakai @ UC Merced Sakai/SIS Integration • Integration is via database views between the Sakai and SIS databases. • SIS supplies Sakai with course and roster information. • Sakai provides grade information to the SIS system.

Real-Time Integration Approaches Where we are: • Database Links/Views • Point to Point (https request/response) Where we are going: • Web Services • Message Broker

Success Factors • Start with one mission critical application • Buy “Best of Class” solutions • Implement Identity Management/LDAP authentication • Exploit the Portal • Focus on key integrations that improve the student experience

Q&A Kent Kuo University Registrar & Associate CIO University of California, Merced kkuo@ucmerced. edu Brad Harding Student Information Systems Manager University of California, Merced bharding@ucmerced. edu