Student Services Information Technology
The mission of Student Services Information Technology is to provide high quality information services support to a wide-ranging set of users within the Office of the Dean for Undergraduate Education, the Office of the Dean for Student Life, and MIT. This support focuses on the automation of business processes and information systems to provide students, faculty and administrators with timely and accurate information and support.
Accomplishments
SSIT has completed many client-focused projects, including the following:
- Implemented MITSIS system changes required to support the ABC/No Record grading policies.
- Developed the Freshman Advanced Placement Credit Processing System.
- Developed a new notation on the transcript for students participating in the Cambridge-MIT Institute and departmental undergraduate exchange programs.
- Developed degree audit functionality for Communications Intensive (CI) Advisory Messaging system to support preregistration CI advising.
- Implemented regular data transfer system for applicant data from the Student Information System database to Course 6 admissions database.
- Instituted the Curricular Information System, which allows departments to propose new subjects and make changes to their existing subject listings on-line.
- Developed a new registration form and web-based reports for faculty advisors and departments.
- After agreeing to have all DUE/DSL machines moved to TSM backup, a lot of work was done this year in cleaning up and reconciling TSM backup accounts.
- Replaced 173 machines (91 PC, 82 Mac) and added 48 machines (38 PC, 10 Mac) to the total DUE/DSL Inventory of administrative desktop machines. Completed the deployment of 17-inch flat panel displays to all full-time DUE/DSL Staff.
- Implemented the freshman folder web application to provide test score and other dynamic information to incoming freshman and their advisors.
- Developed enhancements to the Admissions program, to place holds on all incoming international Freshman and Transfer students for compliance with new laws.
- Provided, via the graduate admissions application, a mechanism for entering GMAT scores for the departments that will use GMAT as part of their admissions information.
- Processes implemented to regularly transfer graduate admissions and applicant data from the Student Information System database to MIT's Data Warehouse.
- Completed the analysis phase and obtained the approval to develop a new web-based graphical user interface to support the data entry process of graduate award and appointments. The project will be completed in FY2004.
- Provided programs to implement monthly housing tax for graduate dormitories and term-based dining hall fee for Simmons Hall.
- Actively participated in the MIT I/S Calendaring Discovery Team effort, developing recommendations for rolling out TechTime as an MIT enterprise-wide calendaring solution. DUE/DSL will migrate from MeetingMaker to TechTime in early FY0204.
- Developed an application that integrates the Student Information System database with NCAA compliance software, helping to ease data entry.
- Coordinated IT-related aspects of a number of DUE/DSL moves and deployments for the Athletics Department and the new Zesiger Center, and provided administrative machines for house managers, mechanics and desks for Simmons and Sidney-Pacific Living Groups. Also assisted in various moves for Student Life Programs, the Public Service Center, Student Conflict Resolution and Discipline and Student Financial Services.
- Led by consultant Edgewater Technology, a database replication process was put in place to provide near real-time updates from the Student Financial Services needs analysis system (PowerFaids) database to MIT's Student Information System (MITSIS) database. This new process eliminated the need to perform daily manual data loads to the Student Information System (MITSIS), freeing SFS staff to perform more critical duties.
- Developed new processes for the implementation of the sophomore exploratory subject.
- With Edgewater Technology engaged as the development vendor, a new web-based graphical user interface was developed to support the Service Delivery Team of Student Financial Services. The new interface will replace outdated MITSIS Forms 3.0 technology that currently supports these processes.
- Successfully concluded the E-bill Discovery Project with Student Financial Services and the Controller's Accounting Office that examined the possibility of presenting the student monthly statement electronically. This new system would replace the current paper-based process. In addition, the discovery project team also examined how an electronic billing solution could benefit MIT Cashier's Office. The project concluded with a recommendation to partner with Infinet Solutions to provide an electronic billing and payment system using the QuickPay™ product. An FY2004 implementation is planned.
- Implemented the Institute's new student life fee, developing additional functionality and modifying existing processes and user interfaces that support the processing of tuition.
Internally, SSIT focused on training. We maintained the technical currency of the SSIT Desktop Support Team with numerous formal training sessions (WinXP, Mac OS X) in preparation for migrating DUE/DSL machines to new operating systems for FY2004.
Staffing Changes
We entered FY2003 with analyst/programmer Deepali Sinha joining the Academic Services Support Team. In the third quarter, two analyst/programmers, Bin Zhou and Boguslaw Pierscionek, left MIT to pursue other opportunities. As a result of these departures, SSIT reviewed the office and client needs being met by the two positions. The result was the updating of both position descriptions. The process to replace these two positions was initiated.