How to Implement Degree Works in 9 Months

How to Implement Degree Works in 9 Months

Presenters: Marissa Boston, Degree Analyst University of Northern Colorado Marissa. Boston@unco. edu Jennifer Mc. Donald, Degree Analyst University of Northern Colorado Jennifer. Mcdonald@unco. edu Stacy Sharp, Assistant Registrar University of Northern Colorado Stacy. Sharp@unco. edu

About UNC: • • Located in Greeley, Colorado Founded in 1889 as the State Normal School Offering over 100 undergraduate and 100 graduate programs Spring 2015 enrollment: 8, 847 undergraduates, 2, 443 graduate students 83% of undergraduates are fulltime students First Generation: 33% of undergraduates are the first in their family to attend college Spring 2015: 1162 undergraduate degrees awarded Fall 2014: 583 undergraduate degrees awarded

Agenda: • Plan for Implementation • Key Stakeholders • Game Plan • Do your Homework • Catalog Clarifications • Pre-Scribing Homework • Surecode • Start Implementation • Scribing • Testing • Marketing • Training • Lessons Learned

Key Stakeholders Have a meeting with key project stakeholders to discuss requirements, resources, expectations, and any concerns. Include the following: • Registrar Office • Graduation Staff • Registrar • Assistant and Associate Registrar • Graduate School • Graduation Staff for Graduate School • Graduate Dean • Information Technology • Project Manager • Database Administrators

Game Plan Develop a Time Line and Resources Needed • Pick a go live date • UNC wanted to be live by Fall 2014 • Select what you want scribed by Degree Works • UNC selected the 13 -14 catalog year (most recent catalog available), 14 -15 had not been approved at the point the catalog was turned over to Degree Works • UNC had DW scribe one full catalog year • DW features make it easy to copy scribe • Reserve rooms for trainings and scribing • Private-quite rooms are needed for training and scribing • Ensure there is enough space and an available computer for each attendee • Summer schedule for staff • Grad Staff was out of office Tuesday-Thursday for entire summer

Catalog Clarifications • Note important information in your catalog and explain any complex policies

Catalog Clarifications

Catalog Clarifications • Also include course lists if specific details are not listed in the catalog

Lessons Learned Review your catalogs well in advance to identify any curriculum errors or issues that may need to be addressed • Contact departments with curriculum questions • Recommend to departments what content could be updated Tips: 1. Have an excel file with all active program codes, degrees and majors 2. Ensure that grading tables are correct 3. Course equivalencies should be established 4. Fill out “Degree Works Scribe Kick Off Sheet” in detail 5. Create an FAQ page 6. Create a disclaimer

Pre-Scribing Homework Prepare Catalogs to be Scribed by School • Important that multiple people learn scribe • Having multiple people familiar with scribe is helpful when troubleshooting • UNC scribed 4 active catalogs backwards and one forward (14 -15) • Highlight all changes in all catalogs to be scribed • Catalogs are active for 6 years at UNC

Prepare for Scribing

Surecode • Backup or extract Surecode tables after they are entered • Need to know all active major codes

Surecode • Need to know all active program codes

Surecode • Need to know all active concentration codes

Surecode • Need to know all active minor codes

Scribing • Copying blocks already scribed made the process much easier

Scribing TIPS: • Only change/create blocks if necessary • If there are no curriculum changes for a major or program, simply change the active years rather than creating new blocks for each year • If catalogs expire, do not use “ 0000” as the beginning year, rather use the earliest active catalog year • NOTE: Catalog years are written as a single year meaning that 2013 means the 2012 -13 catalog year • Work in pairs to help catch errors and provide a double check when moving from catalog to scribe

Scribing • If you use the same major code for both an undergraduate and graduate program, you will need to assign degree

Scribing • Updating Blocks or Creating New Ones • As a fail safe, always create a new block or ensure you have a copy of the original scribe block

Testing TEST-TEST and TEST again! • Test every major and minor for each active catalog • Test with multiple majors, multiple minors, previous degrees, etc. • A list of active students in all majors and catalog years for testing is helpful

Marketing Plan 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Create a Logo Posters Business Cards Email UNC Today (daily university e-publication) Table Tents for Dining Halls Screen Savers for Computer Labs TV’s

Degree Works Poster

Trainings • Twice a week CETL workshops for three months so that faculty and staff could become familiar with the tool • Departmental meetings to offer more individualized support for programs, particularly those who had more complex requirements and policies • Group advising • Residence Hall meetings to inform students of the tool and provide assistance in using Degree Works • Provide both informative and hands-on trainings so that those who will use the tool have the chance to ask questions

Lessons Learned at UNC • Be prepared and familiar with catalogs and curriculum • Understand any university or department policies that affect the completion of a degree (sharing, etc. ) • Use numeric scale for GPA (i. e. 2. 0 instead of C) • Class vs. Credit – only use credit if a minimum number of credits are required • Advisors should be added in current term, not 9999 • Transfer work needs to be processed for term courses were taken, not term when transcript was received • Ensure attributes are correct on courses • Adjustments previously entered in Banner must be processed in Degree Works • SMASADJ report to replicate adjustments • SMASARA unable to pull changes for replication

Lessons Learned at UNC • Prepare data standards for scribe so that all scribing is consistent (i. e. remarks, classes vs. credits, alphabetical listing) • Decide if you want to do a soft roll out to allow departments to review and use Degree Works to check for any errors or discrepancies within programs Lessons Learned at UNC

Be prepared for surprises! Don’t be surprised to come across policies or rules that you weren’t previously aware of. • 10 year policy – coursework older than 10 years was not allowed to count towards degree requirements • No more than 6 credit hours can be used to satisfy both major and minor requirements • Minors should be attached to appropriate major (i. e. chemistry attached to B. S. not B. A. major) • 6 credit hours at the 300+ level must be taken in-residence to successfully complete a minor • Business Administration: Accounting majors must have 30 credit hours of non-accounting business coursework

Clean-up Projects Clean-up projects could be required to ensure that Degree Works evaluates requirements properly • Catalog and field of study mismatches (per university policy) • Transfer work must have the “count in GPA” box checked in order for it to be pulled properly into Degree Works • Ensure proper attributes are used for students who are seeking a second bachelor’s degree

Questions? THANK YOU!