150 likes | 257 Views
Paperless Class Scheduling on a Budget. Presenter: Katherine Rousseau Assistant Director of Scheduling Systems Portland State University. Inspiration. Sungard Summit 2007 Ronald Silco, Systems and Data Specialist, St. John Fisher College. Staffing 2 Full-time Academic Schedulers
E N D
Paperless Class Scheduling on a Budget Presenter: Katherine Rousseau Assistant Director of Scheduling Systems Portland State University
Inspiration • Sungard Summit 2007 • Ronald Silco, Systems and Data Specialist, St. John Fisher College
Staffing 2 Full-time Academic Schedulers 55 Primary Departmental Schedulers 50+ Secondary Contacts and Program Coordinators Resources 115 General Pool Classrooms Statistics 27, 279 Headcount ~ 7,000 CRNs offered ~ 4,500 CRNs rolled ~ 4,200 CRNs edited/added prior to registration ~ 3,000 CRNs edited/added after registration begins PSU Academic Scheduling
Historical Process • Term Drafts • Generate legal size report from the Data Warehouse • Print all draft materials on paper • Assemble draft materials • Hand deliver across campus • Departments made hand edits • Paper drafts returned in one drop off location • Repeat process (two-draft cycle) • Course Section Maintenance Forms (CSMs) • Filing System • E-mail Setup
Why Change? • Enhance team communication • Easy access to files • Clear distinction between draft changes and changes submitted after registration begins • Legible drafts • Improved customer service • Realistic process flow given deadlines • Sustainability “I cannot say whether things will get better if we change; what I can say is they must change if they are to get better.” -Georq Christoph Lichtenberq
New Process Goals • Develop a process that would improve our existing process flow until we are ready to implement distributed scheduling • Implement process improvements with minimal IT support • Eliminate the need for a second draft • Develop one communication hub for requests and correspondence • Eliminate the use of paper drafts and paper CSMs • Establish a filing system that is easy to access and maintain • Reduce draft processing error rate due to illegible drafts and duplicate requests • Use staff time efficiently
Process Tools • Joint e-mail account • Scheduling distribution list • Adobe Acrobat licenses • Standard – Departments • Professional – Academic Schedulers • Space on network drive • Paperless drafts • Data Warehouse • Microsoft Excel • Macros • Dual Monitors
Paperless Process Steps • Prepare course data in Banner • Pull course data from the Data Warehouse • Import course data into Microsoft Excel and run formatting/distribution macros • Compile electronic draft materials • Deliver drafts via e-mail • Edits are made by each department and sent back via e-mail • Process drafts electronically using dual monitors • Proof processed drafts using Microsoft Excel • Publish the online Class Schedule • Additional edits/additions/cancellations are submitted via electronic CSMs
Oops…Learning Opportunities • Varying levels of general computer knowledge • Varying levels of Microsoft Excel experience • Adobe Acrobat licenses • E-mail file size limitations • Resistance to going paperless • Microsoft Excel functional limitations • Communication between departments • Unique ways to use technology • Electronic format can make deadlines & policies confusing
Positive FeedbackDepartmental Schedulers • Paperless drafts & CSMs • Greater ease in making edits • Course additions are added directly to the excel spreadsheet • Can receive and return draft when they are away from the office • Paper CSM forms are not lost in Campus mail • Joint Scheduling e-mail account • Quicker response times • Comfort in knowing that their request will be processed no matter who is on vacation
Positive FeedbackAcademic Schedulers • Paperless drafts & CSMs • Ability to quickly look up filed forms when there is a question or trouble-shooting is required • Benefit of electronic date and time stamp • Ease of accessing various archives • Encourages each department to look at the materials they sent first before questioning a change • No paper cuts or dry hands from filing paper forms • Sustainability • Joint Scheduling e-mail account • Can track the workflow for any pending request • Ability to juggle workload between two people
Plans for the Future • Distributed Scheduling • Campus-wide Scheduling Software • Document Imaging • Automated Workflow
Katherine Rousseau rousseauk@pdx.edu 503.725.5526