[Agvisors] FW: Advising Systems Task Force

Wed Feb 14 14:08:45 MST 2018

Greetings Agvisors and CAS team with Cc to Andre Wright (CALS HODS Chair- please share with HODS):

I am writing to inform you of a recently formed advising systems taskforce by Interim Provost Jeff Goldberg.  The taskforce is to evaluate the advising technology needs across campus and to review system options that can fulfill those needs.  As one of the taskforce members I will look forward to your feedback collectively on behalf of CALS as we move through the process.  We have a short timeframe to provide initial recommendations, which is one of the reasons this general email is being sent now.

The taskforce will have its initial meeting next week and updates will be provided as we move along.  In the interim refer to emails below for details on the initial planning phase. More to come. Thanks in advance!

Best,
Nancy

Nancy G. Rodriguez-Lorta, M.Ed. | Senior Director, Advising and Student Services
UA College of Agriculture and Life Sciences | Office of Career & Academic Services
Forbes Room 203 | PO Box 210036 |Tucson, AZ 85721-0036
Phone: (520) 621-3616 | Fax: (520) 621-8662
Twitter: @CALS_UA  | Website: cals.arizona.edu/cas

To schedule an appointment call (520) 621-3616

Begin forwarded message:
From: "Pope-Malings, Marisa J - (marisap)" <marisap at email.arizona.edu<mailto:marisap at email.arizona.edu>>
Date: February 14, 2018 at 9:49:56 AM MST
To: "uaac at list.arizona.edu<mailto:uaac at list.arizona.edu>" <uaac at list.arizona.edu<mailto:uaac at list.arizona.edu>>, "caac at list.arizona.edu<mailto:caac at list.arizona.edu>" <caac at list.arizona.edu<mailto:caac at list.arizona.edu>>
Cc: "Van Patten, Darcy A - (darcyvp)" <darcyvp at email.arizona.edu<mailto:darcyvp at email.arizona.edu>>, "Aronson, Meredith A - (maronson)" <maronson at email.arizona.edu<mailto:maronson at email.arizona.edu>>, "Mcandrew, Abra D - (mcandrew)" <mcandrew at email.arizona.edu<mailto:mcandrew at email.arizona.edu>>, "Rodriguez Lorta, Nancy G - (nancyr)" <nancyr at email.arizona.edu<mailto:nancyr at email.arizona.edu>>, "Pagel, Anne M - (pagela)" <pagela at email.arizona.edu<mailto:pagela at email.arizona.edu>>
Subject: Advising Systems Task Force
Good morning Advising Directors and Academic Deans,

I am writing this morning to let you know about the recently formed advising systems task force.  We have been asked by Jeff Goldberg to evaluate the advising technology needs across campus and to review system options that can fulfill those needs.  His email request is below.

Our goal is to spend no more than six weeks reviewing the needs of the campus, the available system options, and finally making a recommendation.  We will need the input of each college and will be reaching out to the advising directors in the next week or two to schedule interviews with advising directors and college and department level advisors.  Your assistance in this process is invaluable and greatly appreciated.

We will keep you updated on our progress and welcome any questions or suggestions as we move through this process.

Darcy Van Patten, Co-Chair
Executive Director, Student and Academic Technologies

Marisa Pope-Malings, Co-Chair
Assistant Director, Academic Advising – Engineering

Anne Pagel
Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Programs – Eller

Nancy Rodriguez Lorta
Senior Director, Academic Advising – CALS

Meredith Aronson
Manager, Integrated Advising Analytics

Abra McAndrew
Assistant Vice President, Student Engagement and Career Development

Best,

Marisa Pope-Malings, M.Ed.
Assistant Director, Academic Advising
College of Engineering | Office of Academic Affairs
(520) 626-9605 | marisap at email.arizona.edu<mailto:marisap at email.arizona.edu>
www.engineering.arizona.edu<http://www.engineering.arizona.edu/>

[engr logo]<http://www.engr.arizona.edu/>

This e-mail message, including any attachments, is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged and/or confidential.

From: Goldberg, Jeffrey B - (jbgoldbe)
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2018 8:30 AM
To: Van Patten, Darcy A - (darcyvp) <darcyvp at email.arizona.edu<mailto:darcyvp at email.arizona.edu>>; Pope-Malings, Marisa J - (marisap) <marisap at email.arizona.edu<mailto:marisap at email.arizona.edu>>; Aronson, Meredith A - (maronson) <maronson at email.arizona.edu<mailto:maronson at email.arizona.edu>>; Mcandrew, Abra D - (mcandrew) <mcandrew at email.arizona.edu<mailto:mcandrew at email.arizona.edu>>; Rodriguez Lorta, Nancy G - (nancyr) <nancyr at email.arizona.edu<mailto:nancyr at email.arizona.edu>>; Pentland, Anne - (annep) <annep at email.arizona.edu<mailto:annep at email.arizona.edu>>
Cc: Williams, Karen Ann - (karenwilliams) <karenwilliams at email.arizona.edu<mailto:karenwilliams at email.arizona.edu>>; Baygents, James C - (baygents) <baygents at email.arizona.edu<mailto:baygents at email.arizona.edu>>; Burd, Gail D - (gburd) <gburd at email.arizona.edu<mailto:gburd at email.arizona.edu>>; Perry, Pamela A - (pperry) <pperry at email.arizona.edu<mailto:pperry at email.arizona.edu>>
Subject: Advising Systems

Dear Darcy, Marisa, Meredith, Abra, Nancy and Anne (and supervision).  I need you to serve on a quick single-task evaluation committee.  Let me know if this works.    Motivation follows.

I have been in the loop concerning the potential adoption of the Eller eSMS system on an enterprise level.  Jim Baygents talked to me about this more than a month ago and we were investing.  Jim likes the system and that goes a long way for me.  At that time, I made the following comments:

·         I am not a big fan of Colleges managing enterprise systems.  It is a big effort to:
·         ensure that systems run all the time (as close as possible)
·         manage user calls for help,
·         make updates so that the system is secure and is compatible with new data, hardware, and software updates make updates so that the system meets user needs
·         We typically never use ”home-grown” software as at some point, the programmer(s) leave and the systems eventually become antiquated..

So, when I was told of the plan to run such a system out of Eller, I was hesitant.   I do believe that if we are going to do such a project at the enterprise level, then I would rather funding come out of the enterprise level rather than the colleges.

I know there has been some discussion with the Provost team, UITS, and Eller.  I believe that we could use some additional work to get to a decision.  I want to understand user needs as well as some competitor product possibilities.   There seems to be multiple tools on campus for doing some of the tasks and I know that Meredith Aronson has been working on the development of an advising tool.

Ok, to get this going, I request that we set up a task force to conduct a quick evaluation of technology needs for supporting advising relative to potential expanded use of eSMS or other products licensed by the UofA.  I would like the 6 of you to serve on this task force.  I know that there is a ton of talent on this team.   I suggest that the group undertake the following activities:

·         Document high-level needs for technologically enabling academic advising and student services, with emphasis on needs associated with features in eSMS and alternative solutions that may be available on campus. These discussions will build from the College’s previous understanding of eSMS and other tools, but focus on understanding their functional needs in a ‘tool neutral’ way.

·         Identify candidate solutions (including eSMS) and assess their suitability for addressing these needs. This assessment should address concerns about overlapping capabilities and dis-integration of data and processes.

·         Make a recommendation for a solution path that addresses common, high priority needs and next steps.

Based on the recommendation and proposed next steps, we may need to convene a team to participate in a second phase of work to see this discussion through to implementation.  I suggest that Darcy and Marisa co-chair the process.

Proposed Timeline and Process: I think that the proposed process will take 4-6 weeks (depending on scheduling). Darcy/Marisa can follow-up to schedule meetings and propose a meeting roadmap.  I know this is an aggressive schedule, but I think that we can come to a recommended path forward quickly.

looking good

jeff

*************************************************
 Jeff Goldberg
 Dean
 College of Engineering
 University of Arizona
 Tucson, Arizona 85721
 jgoldberg at arizona.edu<mailto:jgoldberg at arizona.edu>
@UA_ENGR_Jeff_G
 Office 520-621-6594      Fax    520-621-2232
[smaller UA_CENG_RGB_Promo]
*************************************************

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