Getting the FACTS in Florida

1. Getting the FACTS in Florida Linda Thanasides Florida Center for Advising and Academic Support October 13, 2000

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. “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

15. 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

16. Helpful Hints • Be aware of time commitments for “volunteers” • Prepare for growth • Communicate!! Copyright - FCAAS 2000

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. Current Status of FACTS • Enhancing current functions • Adding informational functions • Working toward implementation of private institutions Copyright - FCAAS 2000

26. VISIT THE SITE! FACTS.ORG Copyright - FCAAS 2000