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Information systems dated
Proposal calls for overhaul
PETER STEINBAUER
Issue date: 2/27/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Imagine OASIS available 24/7.
Imagine registering for classes using only your Web browser.
Imagine watching your name on a visible online queue for full classes.
Imagine pie graphs that tell you where you stand in completing degree requirements.
And imagine the University using random numbers, not Social Security Numbers, when identifying students.
The University is considering updating and integrating its administrative information systems, meaning a revamped system for students.
A University data management exploratory committee submitted a $40 million proposal to University senior vice presidents in November 2006.
The proposal's long-term goal is to integrate each of the four University administrative information systems - financial aid, student, business and human resource records. Each system houses data necessary for running the University.
"When you look at the student system, you have a system that's been put together over a long period of time," said University Chief Information Officer Barbara White. "It's my understanding that some of that architecture is 30 years old. Different applications have been wedged together to make a complete system."
The four main University systems aren't connected, White said.
"They don't talk to each other," she said.
Data present in both systems, such as total enrollment numbers, are not consistent.
Also, when information is changed in one database, it is not changed automatically in another.
Most notable for students, the system updates would allow OASIS to function in a true Web environment. OASIS now functions as a screen scrape - taking information off a green screen from the University's main database and displaying it on a monitor. The updates also would allow OASIS to be available 24 hours a day.
"(The proposal) supports efficiency, avoidance of duplication and potential for errors in entry," White said. "Also, it enables a single source of record and creates a consistent approach across campus in obtaining data information."
According to White's office, the University is far behind comparable institutions in data and systems management.
A study conducted for the University by consultant Sungard Higher Education revealed 20 out of 25 comparable institutions surveyed already use an enterprise approach similar to the one the University is considering in data management.
University Registrar Rebecca Macon is in charge of handling much of the data in the student system. Macon said her job is significantly more difficult because of the outdated system.
"It boggles my mind that this day in age we can't do what nearly every other institution can do," Macon said.
The proposal recommends implementing the system over a five-year period, starting with the student and financial aid systems and followed by the finance and human resource systems.
Footing the $40 million
Though information specialists feel the updates are necessary, the University's senior vice presidents are looking at the proposal from a cost/benefit point of view.
"I haven't seen enough detail as to what are we going to see out on the back end that says that's a good $40 million expenditure," said University Vice President Tim Burgess, one of three senior vice presidents making a final decision on the proposal.
After reviewing the November 2006 proposal, decision makers wanted more specific cost information.
The data exploratory committee will submit the additional information by April 1.
Burgess, who handles University finances, said the University has reached a point in which it has to start addressing these issues. But Burgess said he isn't sure if a total system overhaul is feasible.
Burgess said despite being behind other institutions, he didn't think the updating problems were ignored by upper administration officials.
"It's a little unfair to say that changes haven't been made," he said, noting much more can be done now than four years ago.
He also said it is possible that some changes would be approved, but not others. Higher priority issues would be addressed first, he said.
"Some of that I don't think we can wait to address," he said, without getting into specifics.
In April, the University will find out how much money it will receive from the Board of Regents. At that time, Burgess said, he will have a better idea of how much of the proposal can be approved.
In June, the University budget is formalized.
Update solves Social Security problem
Senior Josh Massey opened his e-mail and found a surprise on Feb. 6.
"I regret to inform you that a computer breach has occurred which may have compromised the security of some of your personal information," the e-mail said.
"As an institution, we take seriously, and work very diligently, to preclude the disclosure of personal information. However, in this instance, we were unable to do so."
Massey, a geology major from Lawrenceville, said he spent one day calling the three major consumer credit reporting agencies, telling them his Social Security Number was exposed.
An enterprise system officially would end the use of Social Security Numbers as personal identifiers. The University would assign random numbers to all students and employees when system implementation occurs.
Massey said he was unfamiliar with how extreme a situation identity theft is until he spoke with his mother.
"Talking to her, I knew it was a big deal," said Massey, who learned thieves easily could open credit cards once they had a person's name and Social Security Number.
But is the University doing everything it can to eliminate the use of Social Security Numbers?
Students and staff are identified by their Social Security Numbers in all four administrative databases.
It's necessary for departments to use Social Security Numbers when students and staff members must be linked back to one of the four main data systems.
Macon heads the campus' ID management task force. She said the University has no official policy on departments using Social Security Numbers.
No policy means any department rightfully can house a student's Social Security Number in its server or use it as an identifier, regardless of whether it's necessary for linking back or not.
Macon said it theoretically is possible to switch every Social Security Number in the four databases to a random canned number.
But she said such an undertaking would be too extensive.
"That's one thing we're trying to avoid at this point because of the complexity," she said.
According to the same Sungard study, 72 percent of the comparable institutions surveyed chose to address the Social Security Number issue as part of an overall administrative systems redesign (like the one the University is considering) rather than as a stand-alone project.
Universities who had integrated systems in place had an easier time of transitioning from Social Security Numbers as identifiers, Macon said.
She said the task force is considering make-shift solutions to the current Social Security issues until a more permanent solution is possible.
"We're trying to come up with something we could implement for the primary uses of the Social Security Number," she said.
Massey's concern has grown since the breach.
"I feel more vulnerable giving (my Social) away (at the University)."
Tech/State outperform Dogs
Macon said the University is the only one out of 35 institutions in the University System of Georgia that does not take an enterprise approach to data management.
J.L. Albert, Georgia State's chief information officer, said his predecessors implemented two different commercial systems in 2000.
"In today's environment," Albert said, "we can't afford to enter data in multiple points."
Georgia State stopped identifying employees by their Social Security Numbers in their human resources system two years ago. Albert said students no longer will be identified that way in September.
John Mullin, Georgia Tech's chief information officer, said Georgia Tech implemented an advanced student identification system in 1996 and advanced human resources and financial systems in 1998.
Georgia Tech implemented alternate identifiers in 2001 and 2002.
"We used some inherent capabilities within (our integrated system) and performed a fairly extensive amount of custom software development by Georgia Tech personnel," Mullin said.
Imagine registering for classes using only your Web browser.
Imagine watching your name on a visible online queue for full classes.
Imagine pie graphs that tell you where you stand in completing degree requirements.
And imagine the University using random numbers, not Social Security Numbers, when identifying students.
The University is considering updating and integrating its administrative information systems, meaning a revamped system for students.
A University data management exploratory committee submitted a $40 million proposal to University senior vice presidents in November 2006.
The proposal's long-term goal is to integrate each of the four University administrative information systems - financial aid, student, business and human resource records. Each system houses data necessary for running the University.
"When you look at the student system, you have a system that's been put together over a long period of time," said University Chief Information Officer Barbara White. "It's my understanding that some of that architecture is 30 years old. Different applications have been wedged together to make a complete system."
The four main University systems aren't connected, White said.
"They don't talk to each other," she said.
Data present in both systems, such as total enrollment numbers, are not consistent.
Also, when information is changed in one database, it is not changed automatically in another.
Most notable for students, the system updates would allow OASIS to function in a true Web environment. OASIS now functions as a screen scrape - taking information off a green screen from the University's main database and displaying it on a monitor. The updates also would allow OASIS to be available 24 hours a day.
"(The proposal) supports efficiency, avoidance of duplication and potential for errors in entry," White said. "Also, it enables a single source of record and creates a consistent approach across campus in obtaining data information."
According to White's office, the University is far behind comparable institutions in data and systems management.
A study conducted for the University by consultant Sungard Higher Education revealed 20 out of 25 comparable institutions surveyed already use an enterprise approach similar to the one the University is considering in data management.
University Registrar Rebecca Macon is in charge of handling much of the data in the student system. Macon said her job is significantly more difficult because of the outdated system.
"It boggles my mind that this day in age we can't do what nearly every other institution can do," Macon said.
The proposal recommends implementing the system over a five-year period, starting with the student and financial aid systems and followed by the finance and human resource systems.
Footing the $40 million
Though information specialists feel the updates are necessary, the University's senior vice presidents are looking at the proposal from a cost/benefit point of view.
"I haven't seen enough detail as to what are we going to see out on the back end that says that's a good $40 million expenditure," said University Vice President Tim Burgess, one of three senior vice presidents making a final decision on the proposal.
After reviewing the November 2006 proposal, decision makers wanted more specific cost information.
The data exploratory committee will submit the additional information by April 1.
Burgess, who handles University finances, said the University has reached a point in which it has to start addressing these issues. But Burgess said he isn't sure if a total system overhaul is feasible.
Burgess said despite being behind other institutions, he didn't think the updating problems were ignored by upper administration officials.
"It's a little unfair to say that changes haven't been made," he said, noting much more can be done now than four years ago.
He also said it is possible that some changes would be approved, but not others. Higher priority issues would be addressed first, he said.
"Some of that I don't think we can wait to address," he said, without getting into specifics.
In April, the University will find out how much money it will receive from the Board of Regents. At that time, Burgess said, he will have a better idea of how much of the proposal can be approved.
In June, the University budget is formalized.
Update solves Social Security problem
Senior Josh Massey opened his e-mail and found a surprise on Feb. 6.
"I regret to inform you that a computer breach has occurred which may have compromised the security of some of your personal information," the e-mail said.
"As an institution, we take seriously, and work very diligently, to preclude the disclosure of personal information. However, in this instance, we were unable to do so."
Massey, a geology major from Lawrenceville, said he spent one day calling the three major consumer credit reporting agencies, telling them his Social Security Number was exposed.
An enterprise system officially would end the use of Social Security Numbers as personal identifiers. The University would assign random numbers to all students and employees when system implementation occurs.
Massey said he was unfamiliar with how extreme a situation identity theft is until he spoke with his mother.
"Talking to her, I knew it was a big deal," said Massey, who learned thieves easily could open credit cards once they had a person's name and Social Security Number.
But is the University doing everything it can to eliminate the use of Social Security Numbers?
Students and staff are identified by their Social Security Numbers in all four administrative databases.
It's necessary for departments to use Social Security Numbers when students and staff members must be linked back to one of the four main data systems.
Macon heads the campus' ID management task force. She said the University has no official policy on departments using Social Security Numbers.
No policy means any department rightfully can house a student's Social Security Number in its server or use it as an identifier, regardless of whether it's necessary for linking back or not.
Macon said it theoretically is possible to switch every Social Security Number in the four databases to a random canned number.
But she said such an undertaking would be too extensive.
"That's one thing we're trying to avoid at this point because of the complexity," she said.
According to the same Sungard study, 72 percent of the comparable institutions surveyed chose to address the Social Security Number issue as part of an overall administrative systems redesign (like the one the University is considering) rather than as a stand-alone project.
Universities who had integrated systems in place had an easier time of transitioning from Social Security Numbers as identifiers, Macon said.
She said the task force is considering make-shift solutions to the current Social Security issues until a more permanent solution is possible.
"We're trying to come up with something we could implement for the primary uses of the Social Security Number," she said.
Massey's concern has grown since the breach.
"I feel more vulnerable giving (my Social) away (at the University)."
Tech/State outperform Dogs
Macon said the University is the only one out of 35 institutions in the University System of Georgia that does not take an enterprise approach to data management.
J.L. Albert, Georgia State's chief information officer, said his predecessors implemented two different commercial systems in 2000.
"In today's environment," Albert said, "we can't afford to enter data in multiple points."
Georgia State stopped identifying employees by their Social Security Numbers in their human resources system two years ago. Albert said students no longer will be identified that way in September.
John Mullin, Georgia Tech's chief information officer, said Georgia Tech implemented an advanced student identification system in 1996 and advanced human resources and financial systems in 1998.
Georgia Tech implemented alternate identifiers in 2001 and 2002.
"We used some inherent capabilities within (our integrated system) and performed a fairly extensive amount of custom software development by Georgia Tech personnel," Mullin said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 3
Aging computer geek
posted 2/27/07 @ 10:40 AM EST
Remember that it's very expensive to keep 1970s-style mainframe computers running to operate the old system. A new system running on a fleet of Linux or Windows servers could be much cheaper to operate. (Continued…)
Jordan Stepp
posted 2/27/07 @ 12:20 PM EST
One Red & Black Newspaper: Free
One Information System Upgrade: $40 Million
Explaining to your parents that your Social Security number has fallen into the wrong hands: Priceless
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