University Business - August 2006 - (Page 60)

Good Data IN, Good Data OUT Users inputting their own information often introduce errors or hit Submit too many times on a web form, essentially duplicating themselves in the system. With more than 5,000 address changes made per month to its databases, Yale dedi- cates 10 staffers to updating contact information. This helps ensure continued alumni involvement at school events, such as this 55-year reunion from the Class of '47. duplication and assuring quality data, but such a switch can also policies strong for the future. A systems user group was created at spark frustration and even downright resentment from those who Plymouth State to represent each department with a stake in how believe they should have more control over the databases they used the central database is utilized. Included are the Registrar, Bursar, to manage. Administrators who don't put at least some thought Financial Aid, Admissions, Graduate School, and IT offices. This into preventing hurt feelings could have a harder time making da- steering committee creates data standards, and policies about who can extract data and what long-term goals need to be achieved. tabase management into a group effort. When you implement a new, integrated information sys- Today's information systems are integrated, says Dwight Fischer, CIO of Plymouth State University N.H. . They require tem, you agree on standards, on data and business practices, and teams to work integrated with one database, one set of standards, you make that the context within which everyone works, notes one means of making changes. The teams that are most success- Fischer. When everyone reads from the same sheet music, the ful are those that come to realize if they work together they can harmony is wonderful. In addition to the larger, executive-level group, a subgroup deliver better services. On the other hand, teams that continue can be established that deals with database to focus more on their individual offices particulars, says Krogh of the University of rather than seamless services tend to have Resources Idaho. Rather than build on the fly, you far more organizational friction. 21st Century Technologies, should have a team working together to To help ease user grumbling, training is www.21stsoft.com think about what fields are needed, or which important and not utilized often enough Alpha Software, www.alphasoftware.com categories are just one-time use, she says. If at schools, believes Tim Cooper, vice you have a mishmash of fields that people president of Sales for Higher Education AlumniFinder, www.alumnifinder.com created because they needed them once, you Technology at Oracle. Getting everybody BMC, www.bmc.com can't see any kind of longitudinal trends or to work together to see data as one source Citrix, www.citrix.com build a comprehensive data store. represents a paradigm shift, Cooper says. At many universities, there are too many Cogito, www.cogitoinc.com Outside Help people who want to control the data. In dbaDIRECT, www.dbadirect.com Software, whether it's purchased or created Cooper's view, IHEs could create more Hyperion, www.hyperion.com in-house, can help to streamline database goodwill among users by ramping up edu- Melissa Data, www.melissadata.com management, but some IHEs have decided cation and training efforts, rather than just to go with managed services as well. Benefits spending most of their budget money on Microsoft Access, to outsourcing this type of work can include technology itself. If users understand their http://office.microsoft.com more frequent de-duplication of records, role, and how to get data back out of the Oracle, www.oracle.com access to multiple information storehouses, system, they won't be frustrated, he says. SAP, www.sap.com and manual data entry that's done by the While conflict is being smoothed at the user level, IHEs should also be con- Virtual Nerds custom developers, service rather than by university staff. www.virtualnerds.com An entire database doesn't have to be templating ways to keep data management 60 | August 2006 universitybusiness.com 06 ddni.naelCataD MP 91:83:21 60/42/7 http://www.21stsoft.com http://www.alphasoftware.com http://www.alumnifinder.com http://www.bmc.com http://www.citrix.com http://www.cogitoinc.com http://www.dbadirect.com http://www.hyperion.com http://www.melissadata.com http://office.microsoft.com http://www.oracle.com http://www.sap.com http://www.virtualnerds.com http://universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - August 2006

Contents
College Index
Advisory Board
Company Index
Editor's Note
People Watch
Sense of Place
Stats Watch
Viewpoint
Financial Aid
On the Hill
Admissions
Future Shock
An Education in AV Technology
Retention Intentions
Endowment Management
Good Data In, Good Data Out
Sticking with the Tried & True
Home, Sweet Home
Faculty Issues in Online Education
Internet Technology
What's New
Calendar of Events
Direct Connect
End Note

University Business - August 2006