Copyright 1997 CAUSE. From CAUSE/EFFECT Volume 20, Number 2, Summer 1997, pp. 66-68. Permission to copy or disseminate all or part of this material is granted provided that the copies are not made or distributed for commercial advantage, the CAUSE copyright and its date appear, and notice is given that copying is by permission of CAUSE, the association for managing and using information resources in higher education. To disseminate otherwise, or to republish, requires written permission. For further information, contact Julia Rudy at CAUSE, 4840 Pearl East Circle, Suite 302E, Boulder, CO 80301 USA; 303-939-0308; e-mail: [email protected]
Question:
Is your institution using or planning Web-based applications for student
services? What are the primary issues you have encountered in implementing
or planning such systems?
Indiana University currently offers a Web based application for student services. An advising application with the computing resources of the central systems mainframe has been available through a Web interface since 1996. And a suite of Web-deployed, campus-customizable services will soon be made available. Titled INSITE, the suite includes access to financial aid, student account, registration, and demographic information with address update capabilities.
Although students have had access to similar services through the university WAN and touch-tone telephone applications since the early 90s, the Web-enabled services offer a much more attractive interface than do the character based presentations of the early IU automated student services. Techniques of user centered design and usability testing have magnified the benefits of the Web interface tremendously, while use of existing mainframe business logic has leveraged development efforts.
Although students have access to information about themselves and general information about courses and curriculum through the Web, the mechanisms are not yet in place to provide similar access to university staff via the Web. Individual student access is secured through a PIN and the use of encrypted data transmission, which permits access only to a single record; other protections will be applied to permit staff access to entire populations of student records.
In order to make the connection between a Web presentation that's designed to provide students with an improved service and the mainframe, where the bulk of student related data is maintained, a replaceable middleware solution is used. IU's Web application design has ensured that as middleware technology evolves, our applications won't be locked into an architecture that limits potential for improvement. The architecture on which INSITE is built also provides the ability to integrate data and services from a variety of platforms, from the centrally maintained mainframe to the resources of departmental servers, offering an interface that puts all the pieces together in a format that enhances student services.
Jeannie Kellam
Assistant Manager
University Computing Services
[email protected]
Mills College has implemented a commercial (SCT) product for admission applications. We plan to implement the remainder of the product (student access to address, registration, financial aid, etc.). We have no plans to design or provide other student services via the Web.
Primary issues are data confidentiality and vendor support.
Marshall Northcott
Director, Information Technology Services
[email protected]
Today, Point Loma Nazarene College is allowing faculty only access to our CARS student data through the Web with access to class lists and a comprehensive student advising system.
This fall we plan to offer students the option of registering for Spring term through the Web. The primary issues we have encountered in implementing this system are:
1. Firewalls seem impractical, if not impossible, as we look at providing services to off campus commuter students as well as faculty and staff from their homes.
2. Automating/tracking Web access programs with our current software package-our software vendor has recently provided tools to track these additions that need maintenance along with the rest of the core package modules.
Jeryl D. Harder (Jerry)
Director, Information Services
[email protected]
Plymouth State College is currently providing access to student academic records via a World Wide Web interface. The WWW system interfaces with PSC's production student information systems (Campus America's POISE) to provide access to the same information used by the various offices that are the source of the information.
Information accessible by a student includes:
The system is called SILAS Plus. (SILAS is an acronym for Student Information and Library Access System inherited from a character cell based information services of similar function). Access is obtained by entering a student ID and PIN (maintained by the Registrar), and is limited to the Plymouth State College campus. The office of Information Technology Services (ITS) is in the process of implementing Network Computer workstations throughout campus and KIOSK-like access points to SILAS and other WWW based information.
ITS is beta testing a WWW based system for Faculty Advisement purposes which is based on similar tools.
Steven C. Burrell
Director of Information Technology
[email protected]
Georgia State University adds yet another student interface medium. In 1985, GSU was the first public institution and the second school in the nation to implement telephone registration. In 1992 GSU added TEMPO (an Internet accessible character-based student interface for several enrollment applications including registration). The Summer of 1996 marked the entry for GSU's student Web interface. The interface allowed the students to view their grades, view their course schedules, update their phone and addresses, and apply for Student Housing at the GSU (former Olympic) Village. A registration interface soon followed during the Fall of 1996. Selected groups of students registered via a Web page which allowed for multiple course requests per Web page submission. With the ability to dynamically generate Web pages, GSU's software can, in a single Web page submission and response, reflect the success or failure of each course request in a fully-loaded schedule. This approach can reduce for many students the World Wide Web interaction time to a minute or less. Naturally, if the student fails to obtain a desired schedule in the first submission, he or she can use the form where errors are reported to make further changes ad infinitum. GSU's system, called TEMPO-Web, was placed in full production during the Winter Term of 1997.
Mark S. Elliott
Director, University Information Systems and Processes
[email protected]
At Carnegie Mellon University we have implemented Web-based applications for inquiry of student information (schedules, grades, financial statement, biographic and address data),inquiry of Housing availability, degree audit, student course registration, and online submission of grades. In the near future we will add application for admission and inquiry of admission status over the Web. We also have static pages with the course schedule and course catalog information on the Web.
All of the Web applications are considered easy to use and have a high level of acceptance on the part of the students. We handled security issues by using a standard campus computer identification for authentication and the Netscape Enterprise server for encryption of data. A current issue is performance of the online registration system during peak loads (9500 server hits per hour). This issue is yet to be resolved. The other issues with Web registration are process issues-control is taken away from central and department administrators and consigned to the students. No electronic signatures are required from advisors.
Martha Baron
Director, Information Services
[email protected]
Mott Community College has recently began an effort to serve students with the World Wide Web. Our initial effort was to put basic information on the Web: how to register, how to get financial aid, what we offer at the college, and how to contact us. This is important static information which has been available via print materials. However, in order to serve our students more effectively we now have put dynamic information on the Web. This includes: online directories for contact, current events, and class schedules for credit and continuing education classes.
This year we have begun to develop classes to be presented across the Web via our Distance Learning Department. Three classes are being developed and will be available in the fall. We are working on registration across the Web and hope to offer online registration as early as October of 1997.
Providing services across the Web is vital to our long-term strategy, and we plan to continue to offer these and many other services across the Web in the future.
David G. Holland
Executive Director, Information Systems
[email protected]
New Mexico State University has just completed a pilot project registering 1,500 students over the WEB. The pilot project was a great success. The students received this new service with open arms. Those students who did not participate in the pilot project are very upset. We plan on making this service available to our full population (over 22,000) starting July 1997.
Our registration system sits on top of SUPRA/CICS/MVS. Our only way to the database was using a 3270 "screen scraper" environment. We selected Teubner's product, Corridor, for three major reasons. First, it provided connectivity through the Web. Second, the product provided a method to control the Web output. Since our 3270 screens were "operator centric," we had to hide and control the various 3270 input areas so that students could not override exceptions. Finally, the price was at least half of any other product available on the market.
The biggest obstacles we had were administrative. Many of our classes require special permission, and we have no method in place to give students override codes for these exceptions. Students who have problems have to get offline and get back in line. We are working with the various colleges to eliminate some of the rules so that students don't get so frustrated.
Our Web registration project was a 100% success.
Shaun Cooper
Assistant Director, Computing and Networking
[email protected]
Florida State University has purchased a new voice response system from EPOS Corporation. FSU was one of the first institutions in the country to implement voice response technology and when we went out to replace the now aged system, we could take advantage of the fact that technology has improved. In addition to the phone interface, we will be implementing Web-based access to all the voice response applications, such as admissions, registration, and financial aid. In addition, we will be implementing e-mail and fax response options. We will replace the existing voice response system this summer with the other new functionality phased in through the end of 1997.
Larry Conrad
Director, Administrative Information Systems
[email protected]
Villanova University started to use the World Wide Web for database information dissemination last year. Our first application was access to course information listing the number of seats left in the course section. This is one of the most accessed pages on our WWW site during registration as students and faculty want to find courses for which they can still register.
The next application was online directories for faculty/staff and students with built in links to e-mail, and, soon, we will have individual home pages.
In June we will go into production with an event management system that features a virtual calendar and links to events that can be entered by any campus 'real estate' owner using a locally designed form for SCT banner's event management system.
Additionally VU is implementing the SCT Banner WWW modules and students leaving home at the end of the Spring 97 semester can view their grades on the WWW. This application will be followed by WWW request for information, applications, grading, advising, human resources, and financial information.
Karin Steinbrenner
Executive Director, University IT
[email protected]
Edith Cowan University has developed a Web-based application that provides students with access to their academic history, current enrollment status, and re-enrollment facilities. Staff are also provided with access to a range of academic and administrative reports.
Some of the issues encountered included:
1. Targeting development at the lowest common denominator in browsers limits the use of tools such as Java and Javascript for business logic.
2. Notification reports are generated and mailed to many students. The inability of HTML to issue page breaks impacted upon the method by which reports could be generated.
3. Client side document caching becomes an issue when using hidden fields to maintain state information, however caching is required for reports (such as student timetables) that need to be printed.
4. Graphics design is not always intuitive, however non-graphic design can lead to information overload.
5. The rapid rate of Web technology evolution threatens to make the way an application is implemented obsolete prior to deployment.
6. Application development was once worlds away from the typical end-user's experience; today the environments are merging. Some users erroneously perceive that Web database applications can be brought into production as quickly as smaller, static sites.
Peter Austin
Manager, Microcomputer & LAN Support Section
[email protected]
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale introduced "SalukiNet" over a year ago. SalukiNet is a Web-based service which provides general information for students and prospective students and personal student records information such as grades, unofficial transcripts, financial aid award information, and billing account information. We are considering the introduction of Web-based registration. We partnered with Pinnacle Corporation which provides our mainframe Student Information System to develop the information retrieval process from the Mainframe. SIU provided the Web design and processes.
Web-based security is a concern, as well as what kind of performance issues we might encounter. We fared well with both of these issues.
Mike Schwartz
Associate Director, Customer Service
Information Technology
[email protected]
For several years, Thomas College has provided its students with online access to course schedules, grades, degree programs, and billing information. Faculty and administrative staff have had comparable systems for retrieving information needed to perform their day-to-day tasks. While these systems worked well, they were limiting. Since the information systems at the College were VAX minicomputer based, students, faculty, and staff had to use a terminal on the campus network to access the information.
Recently, the Information Services department completed phase one of a two phase World Wide Web-based student information system. Phase one provides the same information as before, but the information is now accessible using any Web browser, on any computer system, in any location that is connected to the campus network or the Internet.
Students and staff can now access information from home, work, or any publicly accessible Internet-connected computer twenty-four hours a day. Students can now view grades immediately after the staff have entered them, giving them at least a two week advance look before the printed grade sheets arrive in the mail. Faculty can view class lists from home and even view pictures of their students before arriving to their first class. At the same time, students may be viewing pictures of their new instructors, studying the online course syllabi, or browsing course related Internet based articles. Information is accessible whether students and staff work from a personal computer, a Macintosh computer, or some other system.
Director of Information Services Christopher Rhoda states "Our new information system was created with software products unavailable even a year ago. We wanted to create a very accessible one-stop service area for students, while making sure the system was as private and secure as traditional systems. Students, through their password, can see only their own personal information."
The Internet software that makes this possible, Web browsers, have been around for a few years. Today Web browsers are available for almost every computer. They have names like Internet Explorer, Netscape, Lynx, and Mosaic. While traditionally the information available has been the same for anyone accessing it, today Web sites are starting to provide information customized to each person. On the College's Web server, a course schedule program retrieving information from the College's databases and displaying it in a Web page format makes this customization possible. This type of software has only been available to colleges and businesses for the past few months.
This has improved the College's service to its students by giving them access to their information twenty-four hours a day from anywhere they may be connected to the Internet. The future of the World WideWeb will see much more dynamic content customized to the individual accessing it.
Amy Warner
Director of Public Relations
[email protected]
At Duquesne University, we are using some and planning more Web-based applications for student services. Many faculty have Web-based course pages; the library provides services via the Web; many of the administrative offices have information for current and prospective students (Admissions, Financial Aid, Registrar, etc.); and alumni can update their mail information via the Web. Other applications include directory look-up for staff and students using Web forms, Cold Fusion, and a backend database. We have Web-based photo class rosters for faculty and departments. We are also using active server pages for searching databases and marking the selected items for later retrieval.
Future Web applications: We intend to permit faculty to enter grades via the Web using an expansion of the features of the photo rosters. Student (and departmental) telephone billing detail , the course catalog, and consolidated graduate school offerings will also be added. Application and registration for life long learning courses will be Web-based. The Web will be the primary delivery vehicle for our life long learning offerings.
As with many projects, the primary issues are ones of time, priority, and resources. Once we worked through the details for security and authentication resources for certain of these applications, we felt comfortable moving ahead much more quickly with other applications.
Lynda Barner West
Executive Director,
Center for Communications and Information Technology
[email protected]
At the University of Wisconsin-Madison students have access to a range of services via a Web application known as EASI (Extended Access to Student Information). Students can see their cumulative academic record semester by semester. They can request an unofficial version of their transcript that will be sent to their e-mail address. They can request that a Degree Audit Report (DARS) be sent to their e-mail address. Our course timetable is also available on the Web, and students can look at and print their current semester course grid including final examination information. They can update their address information. Information about fines and holds on their records is also available to them.
A major concern was security of confidential data. We have several computing labs where students make use of EASI. We feared students would not thoroughly close the Netscape application and that the cached ID and PIN would be available to the next student. This was addressed by having the student click on a box labeled "I ACCEPT" after (presumably) reading a warning. The warning tells the student how to back out completely from Netscape. The student ID and name are not displayed on any of the panels and are not part of the e-mail when a transcript or DARS report is sent.
Sara Richards
Manager, Student Academic Applications
Division of Information Technology
[email protected]
At Grand Valley State University (GVSU), we provide students with most of the administrative functions they require via the World Wide Web. Beginning with a complete application for both undergraduate and graduate admission, we go on to provide a financial aid estimator, course schedules by campus location, a degree progress calculator, and grades and ability to update certain personal data such as local address. This fall we plan on providing telephone bills for students in the residence halls.
At GVSU we believe that Web based communication is an efficient method for providing students with information they need. This is especially true for our many students attending classes away from our home campus in Grand Rapids.
Probably our greatest issue is access. To remedy this we issue Internet and e-mail accounts to students as soon as they are enrolled. GVSU is a member of MERIT, a state wide consortium of Universities that, among other things, provides local access modems for student access to the Internet. On campus we provide access by kiosks located in food and student union areas as well as in all the computer labs.
John Sundstrom
Director of Information Technology
[email protected]
The major hurdle for Ohio University is providing "secure" transactions for Web-based applications in all areas including Student Services. Ohio University is in the process of implementing DCE which will ultimately provide for the encryption and authentication needed for Web-based applications.
In order to provide the necessary security now (before we are in a position to fully implement DCE), we recently provided our students with the capability to request a copy of their schedules and their grade reports via the Web resulting in a hard copy of same being sent to their e-mail account.
One of the major side benefits that has resulted with the increased popularity of the Web is the potential for the reduction of printed materials such as grades reports. Ohio University will be in a position, if it chooses, to eliminate grade mailings entirely in the near future, opting, instead, for students to access their grades via the Web or a voice-response application.
Don Sweet
Associate Director, Computer Services
[email protected]
In the Spring of 1995 the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), An Honors University in Maryland, began research on how to deliver student services electronically. Initially we investigated Mandarin, but with the availability of the Web we ventured into our own development to provide the following services.
Thus far we are providing the following services: (initial rollout was Winter 1996)
Presently Available Services (available on):
Student Class Schedules (phone, Web, mainframe), Student Semester Grades (phone, Web, mainframe), Student Transcripts (Web, mainframe), Student Billing Inquiry (Web, mainframe), Registration Eligibility Review (phone, Web, mainframe), Registration Appointment Review (phone, Web, mainframe), Registration Authorization Review (Web, mainframe), Semester Schedule of Classes (Web), Class Seat Availability (Web), Student Personal Demographic Review (Web), Student Government Elections (Web), Personal Identification Number (PIN) Authorization/Update (phone, Web, mainframe), and Faculty Registration Authorization (phone, Web, mainframe)
Services Soon to be Implemented (all are presently on the mainframe):
Registration (phone, Web within four weeks), Address Update (Web this summer), Course Class List (Web by fall), Additional Registration Functions (available by fall include Web version only of: such functions as showing all close or open courses by major, etc.
Hardware/Software:
HP3000 Image/SQL database: Student data repository, SGI UNIX machines: Web Services, Web Servers: Netscape Commerce Server(SSL), Apache Server, CGI programming languages: C, Perl, COBOL
Challenges:
Integrating Security with Telephone Registration System; Providing socket processing between UNIX and HP3000 machines since our data is not on our Web server; Providing appropriate security through Kerberos, SSN, and PIN numbers; Adjusting batch processing and backups to permit for more open time; Providing a common code base for Web, Telephone, and Mainframe systems; Providing maximum availability for system access; Providing Customer Support/Training to Student and Faculty; and time...time...time
In Spring 1995 we had nothing. The connectivity issues were ironed out over the next five-to-six months. The subsystems noted above were total rewrites or major functional enhancements of current business processes to form a common code base, replacing three (or more) versions of the previous business logic. Thus, we built the code to be modular enough that the only difference from any access would be the front-end data input and transfer to and from the calling process, that is, HP3000, Web, Telephone, (Powerbuilder or Java in the future).
The student systems, from planning to implementation occurred from 12/95 to 5/96. This included the research and developed common code base strategy as well as the rewrite of the major functions used. From Summer 1996 till January 1997 the system was fine tuned. In January 1997 we began to add the complex logic to handle new business needs not incorporated in version one of the Registration module, namely, date specific processing instead of term level. This is currently only needed by Summer term, but is now available for all terms. Electronic access necessitated that everything be automated.
This was done by one person in systems (Paul Dankaert), two people in the Registrar's office (Stan Jakubik and Linda Blankenship) and three people in applications (Joe Kirby, Kevin Joseph, and Cheri Putro).
PLEASE NOTE: This article should be attributed to Joe Kirby.
Thomas F. Roth, Ph.D.
Professor of Biological Sciences and Associate Vice President for Academic
Affairs
[email protected]
The Web application we deployed at Indiana University is called INSITE (INdiana Student Information Transaction Environment). This application connects students with registrar, bursar, and financial assistance data. There were four main issues to contend with during the application design: security, performance, usability, and host support.
Web applications have the image of being insecure. Web designers must be all the more diligent to achieve acceptance for their work. It is important to employ a Web server offering data encryption. Many of our clients are located in public sites on the campus. Therefore, we don't cache personal information on the client, and we time out an authenticated session to limit someone else from coming along and assuming the identity at an unattended session. We also don't include the student's name or student identification number on a form containing personal information.
Our application provides students with access to potentially high demand information, such as, grades and financial assistance. The server and network must be able to accommodate over 90,000 students inquiring about their grades. We tried to reduce graphical complexity to increase network speed.
We conducted usability sessions with students to determine if a unified look and feel was an aid to navigation within the application. We interconnect not only computer jargon but jargon from registrar, bursar, and financial assistance offices in one application and need to present this in terms students understand.
Servers supporting Web applications tend to lack a tradition of operational support. We will continue to find the need to develop standards for supporting Web applications.
Web applications offer a viable solution for contacting new audiences that were previously unreachable. In order for Web applications to be successful, it is essential that developers address the main issues of security, performance, usability and host support.
Gary Riggen
Manager of Development Technology Services
[email protected]
York Technical College is located in Rock Hill, South Carolina. We are currently offering distance learning opportunities to our students via two-way interactive video and videotaped telecourses, and are planning for online applications in the near future.
York Technical College is currently involved in several Web-based applications for student services and is planning additional services to be delivered in this manner.
Current student services available via the Internet include online admissions applications and data retrieval for student loans. The online admissions application is available through the College homepage, http://www.york.tec.sc.us/yt. Enrollment verification and deferment processing for student loans is available from the National Student Loan Clearinghouse. The admissions staff currently responds to Internet requests for information regarding student services.
There are plans for expansion of Web-based applications in several areas: 1) online registration; 2) online financial aid application for students; 3) electronic transfer of college and high school transcripts; and 4) information pages for student growth and development, orientation, student activities, special student needs applications and services, job placement, employability skills, employment opportunities, and student support services.
The College faces a number of issues in planning these systems, i.e. 1) additional resources for hardware and software upgrades; 2) system modifications for online activities; 3) limitations due to electronic services available at other colleges; 4) security to assure student privacy; and 5) technical skills and training needed for staff to create and use Web-based activities.
Louise C. Rhyne
Dean of Learning Resources
[email protected]
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill has installed the following Web-based student services:
Student Information Browser which allows students to access their records directly from the university's student database over the Web. Through use of their student identification number and password, students can view their class schedules, grades, GPA, cashier's account, holds on their academic record, addresses, and academic progress via degree-audit capabilities. In addition, students can update addresses and directory/privacy flags. URL: http://www-s1.adp.unc.edu/cgi-apps/sis_browser_pass.pl
Admission Applications allows students to obtain admission requirements and apply for admission to the university over the Web by accessing the University's Undergraduate or Graduate Admissions Web page. URL: http://www-s1.adp.unc.edu/sis/adm/ugapp.html
The major issues encountered in implementing these Web services for students involved security, direct Web access to the IDMS student database, and procedural control of the release of sensitive academic information. The security had to be tight enough to prevent unauthorized access and yet easy enough to promote use. Direct Web access to the student database required the development of interface programs between the Web server and the mainframe database. Procedural control was a concern of the student services offices who feared that students could misinterpret the information if they obtained it without assistance from their offices.
Robert W. Culp
Director, Administrative Applications
Administrative Information Systems
[email protected]
The College of Charleston implemented in 1995 "COUGAR TRAIL" (Terminal/Telephone Records Access Information Line) which provides online access for student registration and other services. Access is achieved through the College's Web Page, as well as through dial-in lines, student labs, and dedicated terminals located throughout the campus. A Telephone option-IVR (Interactive Voice Response)-is also available.
The primary issues surrounding the development of COUGAR TRAILS included the ease for students to "serve themselves" as well as the need for cooperation among many diverse areas. Costs were minimized by modifying the College's existing applications and by judicious application of available technology. The system is simple, but effective. A hyperlink from the College's Web Page opens a Telnet session on the host system housing the College's Student Information System. An interface program, written in-house, gives students access to an in-house modified version of the SIS which allows students access to only their own records. Online help and the ability to copy down a freeware browser are included. The application interface at the System level is still character-cell based, but the College plans to develop a Web interface for this portion of the application, as well. COUGAR TRAIL has proven so successful there is no question that additional capability will be added as opportunities are identified.
Marcia K. Moore
Director, Administrative Computer Services
[email protected]
Since 1995, University of Quebec at Montreal (http://www.uqam.ca/index.html) a member institution of CAUSE, has developed and deployed a series of information services and interactive transactional services for its students, its faculty, and its staff.
Initiated by UQAM's Registrar, these services, available at the URL http://www.regis.uqam.ca/ were developed jointly by UQAM's Computer Services and Registrar's Office staff during the last twenty-four months. In the fall of 1996, their value was recognized nationally by the Canadian Information Productivity Award, in the University category.
Here is a sample of the services which were developed and are now available:
1. complete listings of degree programs offered, at all levels, including hypertext links to courses prescribed by the programs and the staff directory for each program;
2. complete listings of courses offered, at all levels, including hypertext links to prerequisites, timetable schedules, and courses syllabus on Web pages when available;
3. student directory, including electronic mail address when available;
4. general course timetable, for current and future terms, organized both by individual courses offered and by programs;
5. student academic records (transcript) for secure personal access;
6. student individual schedules for secure personal access;
7. student individual financial records for secure personal access;
8. interactive online registration on the Web for secure personal access;
9. downloadable forms and instructions for admission;
10. class rosters, for secure personal access by faculty and instructors;
11. student group e-mail addresses (both by class and by programs) for secure personal access by faculty and instructors.
Ongoing projects include:
1. secure grade entry by faculty and instructors;
2. online admissions;
3. online secure change of address by students;
4. online secure change of NIP by students;
Future projects include:
1. online order and payment for official transcripts;
2. online payment for admissions;
3. online payment of tuition fees.
The main problems we have faced are integration problems between the Web-based applications and the legacy systems they are interfacing. In most cases we have overcome these problems. There are still some cases where the solution requires a transition from legacy, proprietary systems towards open, standards based systems, which enable fine-grained access control. The online admission systems is a case in point: we are in the process of redeploying our admissions information on a Oracle DBMS prior to allowing online admissions transactions. We hope to achieve this goal in the Fall of 1997.
Ygal Leibu
Registrar
[email protected]
Georgia Institute of Technology implemented Systems Computer and Technology Corporation's (SCT) Web for Student product for Winter 97 registration. Students have the ability to register for classes as well as perform various administrative functions like changing their addresses and checking grades. We considered several key issues when implementing the Web product.
Hardware planning was very important. We implemented the Web server on Sun's Enterprise 4000. At peak times, we serve over 1,350 students per hour who generate 35,000 hits on the Web server. Our legacy system was capable of only handling 190 simultaneous log-ins.
Security was another key issue. We chose to use Oracle's Web Server product using Secure Socket Layer encryption. We recommended Netscape as our browser of choice, which has worked out very well. Some of our Co-op students, as well as others, have had problems accessing the system due to firewalls in their corporate environments or equipment limitations. We have provided SCT's Voice Response option as an alternative.
Communication was another key component. Our students are very up on the latest technology. Surfing the Web is an everyday thing, therefore, training is not a significant issue. However, communicating important information to the students is. We have provided very descriptive help information on all pages along with a Frequently Asked Questions page which changes as new issues are encountered. To respond quickly to student feedback, we created a special e-mail address as a link on the Registration Web page. These comments are monitored daily by the Registrar's office, and they communicate with each student. Common issues can then be addressed for improving the system.
Understand expectations. Georgia Tech comes from an environment where students have been registering themselves on our legacy student system for years. One of our primary issues was how to implement a new vendor package that did not contain all of the options that students had previously had available to them. Georgia Tech has added functionality for students to request transcripts to be mailed or picked up, for students to apply for housing, and to display transfer equivalency information.
These are just a few of the considerations for successful Web-based student applications. We will continue to monitor each of these areas and create and adjust where needed to fulfill our student's needs.
Lori Sundal
Project Director, Enterprise Information Systems
[email protected]
We've encountered two primary issues in attempting to deliver Web services at Ohio State University:
The first was how to secure those services that require it. Our solution was to deploy secure server software and build bridges to Kerebos. Now the challenge is to alert the rest of the students that these services are available.
The second is finding the best solution for connecting our legacy system to the Web. The system is IBM/MVS, and we could only find a few companies with software that will allow to get directly at the data. But for the most part what they have come with is a screen-scraping solution. This is okay for a limited time and for smaller universities or businesses, but being a large University, handling the needs a large number of students, faculty, and staff, this could put too heavy a load on any system. What we need is a solution to get directly at the data in legacy systems that is seamless, secure, fast, and scaleable to handle a large-scale University, such as Ohio State, and/or other large institutions or companies. And the software must also allow us to take control of the look and feel of the data and the Web pages produced. Oh, lest we forget, it must be inexpensive.
Secondary challenges have involved several issues. Getting department managers aware of the utility of the Web is a continuing effort. Finding resources for the organization and development of linking also poses an urgent need as the Web continues to explode.
Glenn Donaldson, Senior Systems Developer/Engineer
Gene Schuster, Registrar's Office
[email protected]
Ball State University (Muncie IN) is currently developing several student services oriented applications using Web-based technology. Current projects include:
Undergraduate Admissions Application Financial Assistance Awards Results Course Schedule Information and Planning Career Services Employment Registration (employment after graduation)
Primary issues we have encountered evolve around the data. First, getting access to the student record on the mainframe, in a real-time mode. Some applications of course do not require this stipulation. But, for those that do, this is a challenge as we learn new tools and procedures.
The second primary issue is that of security. Not necessarily encryption, although that may apply, but authentication as well. We want to use security measures currently in place for online and voice response systems. This takes us back to real-time access of the data. Aside from the technical issues regarding security, we have to overcome human obstacles. We must convince people that the Internet is a secure place to do business. As in many cases the human aspect is a greater challenge than the technical.
Other issues of concern are finding the right combination of stable development tools, finding development staff with the right skill sets, and user acceptance, especially those whose experience has been with CICS systems with sub-second, constant response time.
Jr. King
Group Leader/DBA
[email protected]
Leigh Mainwaring
Associate Director, University Computing Services
[email protected]
The University of Kentucky Information Systems started on the Web with Gopher-based Class Schedule search and Faculty and Course evaluation search. In 1996, we replaced a Mac-based application that allowed students to view course schedules, registration times, and grades and to view/update four addresses and graduation dates. Later in 1996 we implemented a Web-based "self-service" system so local students and Community College students could request computer accounts for various computing systems available to them as registered students. They can also request an electronic mail account via the Web.
In 1997 there are plans to make Student Billing information available on the Web. The University of Kentucky Libraries have acquired the WebZ(tm) system from OCLC to bring the University of Kentucky card catalog and some public and leased databases available on the Internet and Intranet.
The main technical problem on the server side for the student application was to access the mainframe data. This problem had largely been solved during the development of the "stand-alone" application in 1994. The second technical problem was that of formatting data received on the server and sending it to the requester. Since the Web server needed to access the mainframe data for custom authentication, CGI was ruled out, and the Netscape server which is free to educational institutions was installed on Windows NT. The Netscape API and C++ are used to code the application that built the pages.
The student computer account system communicates with Sybase(tm) for account management and to the mainframe for student verification. The application was coded in C++ for efficiency and the fact that custom authentication was required.
The mainframe communication has been re-developed as an ActiveX(tm) control and Microsoft Internet Information Server 3.0 using Active Serve Pages will be used for version 2 of these applications as well as the new one. The use of Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting in the Active Server instead of C++ speeds development.
Rick Chlopan
Director, Technical Services
[email protected]
Since August 1993, students at the University of Delaware have used Internet tools to access personal student information. The Gopher client enabled widespread availability to administrative data in 1993. In 1994, Mosaic provided cross-platform access using the protocols of the Web. Netscape's browser and Secure Socket Layer security protocol were adopted in 1995 to provide secure gateway to student information.
Students use Web browsers from home, dorms, labs, classrooms, or kiosks to print grade reports and class schedules, drop and add classes, change address information, access financial records, and more (see: http://www.mis.udel.edu/admin.html). Care was taken to ensure adequate security while opening closed, proprietary legacy systems for direct student use.
Because Delaware was an early adopter of the Web for administrative use, Web gateways to administrative systems were "home built." With OS, DBMS and application vendors providing Web gateways for nearly every environment, the "home built" approach is not necessary today. Eventually every data source will have an integral Web gateway, while every desktop will incorporate a Web browser. The job of Information Technology will no longer be to establish the infrastructure, rather IT will focus on the "packaging" of information for consumption on the Web.
The most valuable lesson learned at Delaware has been the need to design Webs that are customer-oriented and process-driven as opposed to the provider-oriented, task-list Webs that are most common on our campuses today.
Carl Jacobson
Director, Computing and Network Services
[email protected]
Rochester Institute of Technology implemented the ability for students to apply to RIT via the Web a couple of years ago. We just completed the addition of the ability to pay for that application via credit card through the Web application process. We have had an online Student Information System (SIS) for several years that allows students to look at their student and financial records, register for courses, change their addresses, register for an apartment and related functions. We are in the process of implementing a Web interface to these services with completion expected this summer. Issues we have been concerned with is interfacing these applications in a manner that will continue to allow many simultaneous users to gain responsive access to these services. We also are concerned about minimizing duplication of software as we will continue to support multiple access approaches to this SIS system (Touchtone, character based, and Web).
Ron Stappenbeck
Director, Information Systems and Computing
[email protected]
Stanford's use of the Web for student services is described in "Student Transactions Via the Web," a paper presented on exactly this topic at CAUSE96 in San Francisco by Margo Kannenberg and me. The abstract refers to the system itself, but the presentation and the paper were focused on the issues that had to be addressed to make it work. The URL for the paper is: http://www.cause.org/asp/doclib/abstracts/cnc9639.html
Cedric Bennett
Director, Applications Support
Stanford University
[email protected]
http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~cbennett/
How is your institution addressing the issues related to universal network access (as framed in the Graves article) i.e., providing all faculty and students convenient and affordable access to your campus network?
Please send your response along with your name, title, e-mail address, phone, and fax numbers by electronic mail to Elizabeth Harris, [email protected].
![[Comments]](/ir/library/html/cem/comments.gif){kind=small}
![[Search]](/ir/library/html/cem/search.gif){kind=small}
![[Home]](/ir/library/html/cem/home.gif){kind=small}