Open Source - The Next Wave A next generation student services system Richard Spencer PESC 3 rd Annual Conference on Technology and Standards Washington DC, May 2, 2006

A next generation student services system 2 A university’s mission: learning and development scholarship and discovery of knowledge transmission of knowledge community engagement the intellectual activity of faculty and students is the means of production faculty and students are our key customers we need more heads or more time to increase productivity

A next generation student services system 3 Faculty and students need: more time –fewer administrative tasks –less time spent on remaining tasks better service –no more line ups! more support –access to useful, helpful, information –knowing which rules apply and how they apply improved morale –processes that “just work”...we should be trying to increase productivity...

A next generation student services system 4 The Expedia model Where do you want to go When do you want to go there You can choose: –the airline –the class You can sort the results by –price –departure or arrival time and there’s more..... –one way, return, multiple legs? –seniors or children, other special fares? –is there anything else we can help you with?

A next generation student services system 5 How we often deal with our customers Give me your personal information first –including your name, gender, date of birth... Here is our list of 80 programs Choose one or two you think might fit Pay us We will let you know if we can admit you.....but it will take us a few weeks to figure this out We will give you a registration time Then you can search for the courses you need......good luck!

A next generation student services system 6 Letting students admit themselves

A next generation student services system 7 Self admission If there are specific admission requirements: –e.g.: required courses, grades or gpas Students choose a program & enter their own courses and grades A rules engine determines if they are admissible –they get a full explanation of: what credentials were used, what was missing how the admission gpa was calculated why they did or didn’t qualify for admission They can admit themselves.. –and print their admission letter in real time

A next generation student services system 8 Reflecting on self-admission Students: –do the grade submission work –get an immediate answer –can see the rules and how they have been applied The process allows: –a student to try multiple “what if” scenarios –counselors to advise students on program requirements The rules engine could allow the student to: –select a program, and see what is required to enter it –enter what they have, and see what they are eligible for Staff can concentrate on value added work The process is scalable!

A next generation student services system 9 Applicant login Identity service Evaluate applic’t/ offer choices Program/aid information Information collection Prior inst. information Applic’t bio & other info Choice not available Applicant registers Outcome Choice available

A next generation student services system 10 Some concepts for enterprise systems

A next generation student services system 11 The evolution of enterprise systems First generation ( e.g.: student record systems ) store data, print reports Second generation (e.g.: student information systems) run the processes in central departments Next generation ( e.g.: student services systems ) support the end user (students & faculty) support cross-department business processes use rules engines (decision services) make it easy to implement “our” processes –not forced to use someone else’s “best practices”

A next generation student services system 12 Goals for enterprise systems Scalable, rule based, self-service processes Focus on needs of end users (not just staff in central departments) Retain departmental stewardship of systems –HR, Finance, Housing, Admissions, Registrars, etc. An architecture that: –supports different academic and business processes –supports complete business processes –allows business processes to easily span systems –allows incremental, modular upgrades –allows use of components from multiple sources

A next generation student services system 13 Service Oriented Architecture

A next generation student services system 14 SOA goals break business processes down into: –process or control logic –business logic –application functions use standard data models and schemas build reusable “services” to provide the business logic and application functions use rules engines for the internal logic use workflow for the process logic loosely couple components agility - make process change easier!

A next generation student services system 15 Open and Community Source

A next generation student services system 16 The evolution of Open Source Core Infrastructure Tools and components Enterprise solutions Linux (1991) 1990 Apache (1995) PostgreSQL (1999) Eclipse (2004) uPortal (2001) Sakai(2004) Kuali(2004) Moodle(2001) jBoss (1999) SSS (2006) ???

A next generation student services system 17 Open vs. community source Open source Open membership Large developer community Individuals may decide priorities & projects Local development can lead to different versions Source code is open for review and change Corporate contributions welcome Community source Membership in a community Smaller development community Priorities established by community Locally developed components are compatible Source code may be included in commercial products Institutional and corporate contributions welcome

A next generation student services system 18 Community source objectives Productivity –more developers working on project Reliability –more eyes looking for bugs Innovation –institutions are free to innovate and share Direction –partners can have input into Community projects Evolution –Community can ensure sustained development

A next generation student services system 19 Community source possibilities Developing modules at different schools Combining open source and commercial components Using commercial service providers to implement and support systems and system components Community source examples: –uPortal - enterprise portal –Sakai - course management –Kuali - financial system –OSP - portfolio

A next generation student services system 20 Community source challenges Maintaining and managing the community Agreeing on standards Agreeing on priorities Project design and management Integrating components with existing systems Combining components from different schools Ensuring support A reasonble life cycle

A next generation student services system 21 Imagining a next generation student services system

A next generation student services system 22 A next generation student system Community source development Focus on end users, and what they want to do Use: –Workflow –Internal rules engines (decision services) –SOA, web services, and enterprise services Make it easy to redesign business processes –Processes can cross unit boundaries Extend functionality into new areas Scalable, rule based, self-service processes Personal help when it’s needed

A next generation student services system 23 Thank you