Getting the FACTS in Florida Linda Thanasides Florida Center for Advising and Academic Support October 13, 2000
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 How Did It All Start? State of Florida was mandated to establish a statewide advising system in 1997 to link 38 public post-secondary institutions for information transfer FACTS (Florida Academic Counseling and Tracking for Students) was created Short-time frame for prototype implementation – 9 months
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 What is FACTS? Distributed, platform independent, web-based delivery system Links institutions together with real- time communication Interfaces with each institution’s host applications to maintain data integrity
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 Technically Speaking… Central Web Site –IBM Mainframe (CICS/VSAM/DB2) –Central server is an RS/6000, SP2 –Locally written code eliminates need for middle ware communication software Institutional Systems: –MVS, OS/400, Unix, NT, Etc. Network Interfaces: –TCP/IP socket connections, CICS Sockets
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 FACTS Provides Services Students can –Retrieve transcripts –Receive academic advising –See what is needed to complete a degree at any other institution in the system –Construct “what if” scenarios –Make coursework assumptions for educational planning –Link to other sites for college planning
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 FACTS Provides Information Institutional Info in following areas –Admissions –Student records –Registration –Financial Aid –Fee Payments –Student Services –Library Services –Career Counseling –Distance Learning
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 How do you Organize 38+ Different Institutions? Large project tackled issues one by one but set in motion concurrently Various management structures create project management challenge –10 Public Universities –28 Public Community Colleges –27 Private Institutions –Open architecture so more can join
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 Get the Right People Involved Cooperative effort: –State Board of Regents –State Board of Community Colleges –Community Colleges –Universities Governing Board created from cooperating entities
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 Organize Team/Resources Core team needed to establish initial communication system FACTS needed a skilled, productive team to meet short deadline –Looked at contractors/consultants –Prototype institutions volunteered technical resources for design and programming
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 Organize Initial Resource Team Technical Project Design Team was appointed –Define system scope –Create an initial timeline –Propose a governance structure shared by Community Colleges and Universities This team is now our Technical Oversight Committee
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 Organize Administration/Management Management of system design is by consensus (not necessarily total agreement) System design is a group effort –Guiding principles preserve institutional autonomy
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 Permanent Central Staff Needed Important that a trusted central staff be organized for system support –To administer funding –Implement and maintain system support –To eventually do all development so no outsourcing is needed Permanent staff is continually growing
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 “Expert Teams” Used for Input Need user expertise and “buy-in” Organized teams in functional areas –Comprised from departmental staff from all institutions –Make recommendations on policy and functionality –Suggest target dates and budget needs for additional functionality
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 Helpful Hints Initial start up organization is different from long term organization –Focus is different –Resources may be different Important to reassess project –Goals –Resources –Processes
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 Helpful Hints Be aware of time commitments for “volunteers” Prepare for growth Communicate!!
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 Institutional Benefits Benefit of increasing knowledge and expertise of Center staff for services Software packages provided by Center for institutional development Sharing of data previously unavailable All institutions can have a web presence Greater exposure to potential students
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 Student Benefits One web address to gather information Gather information without having to go to several campus offices Provide off-campus services to distance learners Allow almost 24-hour-a-day access to student information
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 Student Benefits Transfer between institutions is easier Interagency agreements make student access to information easier –Common course numbering –Articulation agreements –Common prerequisites
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 Impact on Administrators/Staff Time to spend with greater number of students Use FACTS as an informational tool Force the accuracy of data presented to students
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 Impact on Institutions Forcing policy changes –Hours of business –Distribution of information –Internal policy changes Processing electronic signatures Residency affidavits Fee payments Other online forms
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 Impact on Institutions Pressure to offer quality services –From students –From state legislature –From institution—to stay in competition with local and national offerings
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 Impact on Institutions Cost efficiencies are occurring –Institutions are not buying software on their own that FACTS will provide –Changes in processes are resulting in savings Not mailing grades, transcripts Staff can handle other tasks due to less student traffic
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 Current Status of FACTS Thirty-one of thirty-eight public post- secondary institutions are displaying transcripts and degree audits Implementing web-based admissions applications Implementing a degree program search
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 Current Status of FACTS Enhancing current functions Adding informational functions Working toward implementation of private institutions
Copyright - FCAAS 2000 VISIT THE SITE! FACTS.ORG