Utilizing PeopleSoft Tools to Streamline Graduation Processes 7/29/2018 Utilizing PeopleSoft Tools to Streamline Graduation Processes Suzanne Lambeth, Assistant Registrar Graduations, Curriculum, and Scheduling Washington State University slambeth@wsu.edu Template-WSU Hrz 201.ppt

Washington State University 7/29/2018 Washington State University Enrollment >30,000 on 6 Campuses Centralized degree review and conferral >6,000 Undergraduate and Professional Degrees awarded annually SIS PeopleSoft Fall 2012 Conversion Template-WSU Hrz 201.ppt

Starting Point July 2013 Significant conversion issues delayed degree conferral Still processing Spring 2013 degrees Individual paper file for each applicant – contained multiple print copies of advisement reports All exceptions to major requirements done by RO Ability to run “All Satisfied” list moderately successful but temperamental Manually changing status in program plan stack from applied to approved– limits number of degrees awarded daily Batch process to move students from Approved to Awarded

Other Issues No advisor confidence in PeopleSoft Major issues with Advisement Report Requirements were copied from previous SIS not the catalog Not all majors and minors were coded Additional majors, minors and certificates were previously verified at department level-now being checked by RO Paper graduation applications required graduation staff to individually change degree checkout status on program plan from eligible to applied

Taking it one step at a time: 2013-2017 Batch status change Specialty Queries Graduation Information Verification Task Degree Conferral Notification Related Activity/Related Content Graduation Dashboard Notification to students eligible to apply Implement Graduation Tracking Catalog Comparison Project Online graduation application Fillable PDF application and date change form Train departments to enter milestones and exceptions.

Communication Nightly process to send email to any student who is now eligible to apply for graduation – added to task list that advisor can see in student center Two months prior to degree conferral all students in applied status receive an email and task assigned to verify graduation information

Requirement Review Process Use query or dashboard to identify group of student records to review Create batch of Advisement Report PDFs Review PDFs for missing requirements Utilize graduation tracking Note missing requirements Update graduation status Document communication with advisor and student

Graduations Dashboard

Graduation Tracking Run batch PDFs for students by department Review PDF for missing requirements Indicate Graduation Review Status – incomplete or in-process complete

Graduation Tracking Enter a note indicating which requirements are still missing. Document emails and communication with advisor, student, etc. Possible to review status history if needed.

Related Activity Right clicking on Academic Program opens window with Advisement Report Right clicking on Academic Plan opens Program Plan Stack

Authorize Student Exceptions Related Activity Direct links to the following pages minimizes the need to open up new windows. Student Center Authorize Student Exceptions Request Transcript Student Degrees Advising Notes

Ongoing updates to Graduation Tracking Records Query to identify when milestones and exceptions have been entered allows staff to review only those records that have been changed. Provides opportunity to change graduation tracking status from incomplete (INCP) to in process complete (IPC) Query to identify changes to program plan prompts a re-review of requirements

Degree Conferral Run “All Satisfied” Report – PDFs generated and saved Query to determine which students on “All Satisfied” list have a grad tracking status as incomplete. These records are re- reviewed and grad tracking status is changed to in-process complete Students with Grad Tracking status as In Process Complete (IPC) are not re-reviewed

Degree Conferral For students on “all satisfied” list Batch process to change grad tracking status from IPC to Complete Batch process to change degree checkout status to approved Batch process to change degree checkout status from approved to awarded

Communication As degrees are posted, nightly email sent out to any student whose degree was awarded Two weeks prior to the close of class, all students still in applied status receive an email notifying them that their requirements are not yet complete and the deadline for completion All students whose requirements have not been satisfied by the class closing date are sent a registered letter letting them know that they did not complete their requirements

Class clean-up Graduation tracking status and the degree status (program plan stack) changed to inactive Completion of an online date change form triggers an email to graduation staff prompting update of Graduation tracking status and degree status As time permits, graduation staff occasionally review requirements for those who are inactive from previous semesters to see if requirements are now complete ( finished an incomplete grade, transfer credit, etc.)

Where we are now – Fall 2017 80% of Spring degrees awarded within one day of grades posting! Fall 2017 review completed ahead of schedule

Summary There are tools in PeopleSoft that can make the degree conferral process easier Graduation Tracking Graduation Processing Related Content/Activity 3Cs Tasks Accurate advisement reports are essential Partnership with IT personnel is critical to success Use test environment prior to moving to production to avoid major errors Frequent communication reduces the amount of phone calls

Thank you Suzanne Lambeth, Assistant Registrar Washington State University slambeth@wsu.edu