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SA/IET: Banner SIS ReVitalization

Phase I: Student Code Customization Unwind and Banner Fit/Gap Analysis

This submission represents Phase 1 of a 4 phase project to re-vitalize the UC Davis Student Information System as concieved by SISOC, the Student Information System Oversight Committee. While we refer to the entire project as the SIS ReVitalization, the four phases refer to unique projects which we all complete will constitute the ReVitalized SIS. Phase 1 however, is the only part of the project that need be accomplished first, the rest may be accomplished in any order or concurrently should funding be identified. The phases are:

1. Unwind UC Davis Code Customizations
2. Build a Complete SIS Decision Support extension
3. Automate the SIS
4. SIS Governance, Training and Community Participation

The submission presented here is for Phase 1. The other phases will soon follow.

Sponsors

Student Affairs and Information and Educational Technology (IET)

Contacts

Executive

Lora Jo Bossio, Dave Shelby

Business

Frank Wada

Technical

Paul Drobny, Deborah Lauriano

To View Entire Submission

• Banner SIS ReVitalization, Phase I: Student Code Customization Unwind and Banner Fit/Gap Analysis
• Appendix 1: Fit / Gap Analysis 3 (Final)

Reviewers

Core contributors to this review included Pamela Davis (School of Education), Bob Ono (IET), Eric Rothgarn (Office of Resource Management and Planning), and Thomas Wiley (UC Davis Extension). Comments and discussion were also solicited via the Dean’s Technology Council (DTC), Technology Infrastructure Forum (TIF), and similar venues.

Feedback Received to Date (5-14-2008)

Revision History

5-14-08
Initial feedback and responses.

Contents

• IET Recommendations
• Reviewer Observations and Comments
• Reviewer Suggestions and Advice
• Questions, Potential Gaps, and Requests for Clarification
• Campus IT Security Coordinator Review

IET Recommendations

The strategic value of the ReVitalization effort is clear. While reviewers did not have very many questions or comments about the Phase I unwind, future phases will likely garner much more extensive and wide-ranging feedback.

Reviewer Observations and Comments

Reviewer support for this project was unanimous. Participants noted the high cost of maintaining the present, heavily modified system, applauding the decision to unwind and migrate toward a “bolt-on” strategy. As one reviewer stated, “the ‘ReVitalization’ is a wise move and I'd strongly encourage it happening.”

Reviewer Suggestions and Advice

• Institutional research units should be involved in Phase I so they will already be clued-in by the start of Phase II.  In addition to the code customizations that need to be unwound, there are customized database implementations that will to be unwound as well.  These changes will likely affect many processes that access the Banner database today.
• Sponsors should consider opportunities for generating regular, consolidated extracts of data from the Banner database into an alternate, simplified database to help mitigate the adverse impacts of phased database changes.

Questions, Potential Gaps, and Requests for Clarification

The submission doesn’t mention the Data Warehouse. If fields and tables change in Banner, then the Data Warehouse must also be updated.  If Data Warehouse updates are not planned for and funded as part of the process, departments relying on student information data either would need the ability to directly query Banner, or they would need to build shadow systems. The impact across campus could be considerable.

Sponsor: Yes, this is very important point. We did not directly address the issue of our current campus “Data Warehouse.” Instead, we addressed the entire issue of downstream data accuracy if entity relationship models or values change in the Admin Integration section. The potential effect of changes in Banner Student to downstream systems in use on campus is always addressed as part of the upgrade path we have been on since we began using a vendor-supplied solution for our SIS in 1993. All of the campus systems that are potentially impacted by SIS changes are collectively referred to as “3rd Party Tool Users.” We track them carefully, and we offer individual consultation as every system modification has this potential.

In the current case of the Re-Vitalization project, we are particularly sensitive to delivering accurate data and improving all campus systems. We have a vested interest in assuring all downstream users are delighted by the changes we make to the system (either in data accuracy, timeliness or both), so it is our intention to involve the entire community in testing changes before they are run into production. As progress is made, the changes will be thoroughly tested by core offices and downstream system users.

Campus IT Security Coordinator Review

Reviewed; no comments.