SAFARI Project - Admissions Team Project Charter - January 2003

Table of Contents

1. Student Administration System - A Critical Need
2. Admissions Module Background
3. Project Scope
4. Project Objectives
   • Overall SA Project Objectives
   • Recruiting Module Objectives
   • Admissions Module Objectives
5. Project Timeline
6. Organization and Staffing
   • Ad Project Module Lead
   • Subject Matter Experts
   • Functional Application Specialists
   • Module Consultant
7. Key Risks
   • Risk

Student Administration System - A Critical Need

Implementation of the Student Administration system is a critical need required to support the University Strategic Plan and to replace out-dated technology. Specifically, the new Student Administration system helps CWU accomplish the following:

• Supports the goal of providing, "quality, integrated academic advising and career development support to all students from pre-admission to graduation," and, "easy access to accurate information," critical to this effort;
• Supports the goal of providing, "for an outstanding academic and student life at the university centers," by improving student record access regardless of physical location;
• Supports expanding, "Central Washington University's student base through recruiting and retention," by providing state-of-the art, Web-based application, registration, financial aid, and university account access; and,
• Supports the goal to, "Expand sources of revenue to support university initiatives," through easier student registration, financial aid, and bill paying statewide and elsewhere.
• Completes the conversion of the three, separate legacy administrative systems to a single platform with the same programming language and database;
• Efficiently leverages the existing technical staff knowledge of the PeopleSoft system;
• Maintains critical compliance with federal regulations, particularly Title IV requirements that (if not met), has potential to restrict our ability to disburse millions of dollars in aid; and,
• Expands ease of access to Central's application, enrollment, financial aid, and financial information processes, critical to attracting and retaining our students.
• Provides effective solutions for State reporting requirements relative to student accounts
• Provides the required audit controls for managing student and other accounts

Admissions Module Background

The Admissions Office at CWU is facing new challenges associated with servicing prospective students in the information age. Outdated legacy systems are not able to provide timely and effective communication tracks for prospective students and applicants, efficient and effective data entry on prospects and applicants, efficient processing of non-university admissions (Running Start, High School Enrichment, etc.), effective maintenance of high school and community college contact information, and management of segmented marketing.

Project Scope

The function of the Scope Statement is to act as a filter that allows appropriate work to be included in the project while excluding inappropriate work. This is a critical function if we are to bring the project in on time and within budget. The SA Project will provide processes and technology necessary to Recruit and Admit Students:

• Collect and classify prospect information
• Manage communications with both prospects and applicants
• Develop and maintain an effective recruiting strategy
• Process applications for admission
• Handle "Non-University Admissions" (WUE, Running Start, High School Enrichment, etc.)
• Provide effective reporting solutions for external regulatory requirements
• Provide effective reporting solutions for strategically critical purposes
• Provide data access and reporting tools to non-regulatory and non-critical reporting users

Not included in this scope are the following activities and/or work processes.

• Re-creation of the admission file Cover Sheet maintenance process

Project Objectives

These objectives specify what the Module Team will accomplish in this project.

Overall SA Project Objectives:

The following objectives were set out for the entire SA Implementation Project but that are particularly meaningful to the Module Teams.

• Adopt best practices where possible during the implementation process in order to minimize customizations.
• Provide ready access to current, accurate, and complete administrative information and the means to use it in an efficient manner.
• Develop cross module integration issue identification and definitions to guide overall implementation efforts...

Recruiting Module Objectives:

• Install interface to CollegeNet for automatic loading of prospect data.
• Provide the capability to analyze the recruit population and classify it into segments such as high achievers, ethnic groups, etc..
• Create communication tracks that can be targeted by population segment, event, intended admit term, etc..
• Provide tools that will enable the recruiting staff to respond quickly to inbound communications from Prospects. This may include the capability to trigger communications manually, by calendar, or by the notation of receipt of communication from the Prospect.
• Ensure that Prospect communications with the CWU Centers are captured and processed efficiently.
• Create an interface for the Calling Center.
• Provide the capability to evaluate the success of recruiting strategies, methods, and tools.
• Provide reporting capability for deans and department chairs to track prospects interested in their colleges and departments.
• Create a method for prospective students to request information regarding extra-curricular activities.

Admissions Module Objectives:

• Install interface to CollegeNet for automatic loading of application data.
• Design and implement an efficient method for processing paper applications.
• Redesign the paper admission application for simplified data entry.
• Provide the capability to electronically accept documentation required in support of applications.
• Automate Admissions Index calculation.
• Auto-populate fields (where feasible) to speed data entry.
• Auto-admit freshman applicants with an Admission Index >=28 and no core deficiencies.
• Auto-admit transfer applicants with gpa >=2.5.
• Track the success of admissions processes.
• Provide a convenient daily scorecard for admissions statistics.
• Create an interface for the Calling Center.
• Provide the capability to record core high school requirements for admitted students and report deficiencies to the State.
• Provide the capability to evaluate the success of admissions methods and tools.
• Provide reporting tools and access to data for Ad Hoc reporting users.
• Provide capability for deans and department chairs to track applicants interested in their college and departments.
• Provide applicants with self-service access to information about application status.
• Create an interface to allow the receipt of electronic transcript transmissions from Washington community colleges.
• Provide capability to track applicant cohorts and predict continuing enrollments.
• Provide the capability to collect and store test scores used in the admission process such that historical scores required for reporting are maintained.
• Implement self-service facilities for students to request information and communicate with Admissions Staff.

Project Timeline

The table on the following page was extracted from the SAFARI Project plan and it shows only tasks which are involved in implementing the Recruiting and Admissions portions of the software. Please note that this project plan is subject to change through out the project. For current plan information please contact the project office.

Organization and Staffing

The Module Team will consist of a Module Lead, one or more Subject Matter Experts, a Module Consultant, and assistance from one or more Functional Analysis Specialists. The roles of these team members are described in this section.

AD Project Module Lead

Summary
The Student Administration System Module Lead (SAS) works to design and implement technology solutions to support CWU staff and departments, specifically for one of the SA modules. This is primarily accomplished through documentation and analysis of business process and reporting requirements and design and set up of the PeopleSoft Student Administration system and peripheral products.

Typical Work Activities
Assist in developing, coordinating, and monitoring multiple aspects of a task or project plan. Principal resource for fit/gap analysis. Develop and review prototypes for respective module to determine current business processes and to test and demonstrate new business processes. Determine best practices for business processes for module. Coordinate definition, analysis and proposed resolution of issues. Identify and communicate to others tasks that have cross-system and/or module impacts. Coordinate closely with individuals responsible for other PeopleSoft systems and/or modules to maintain necessary integration and data quality. Participate in outreach activities to the campus community including written communications, meetings, and presentations as necessary. Coordinate subject matter work groups within and/or between campus units. Develop documentation and assist with training efforts. Primary contact to regular work unit to report progress, seek assistance and communicate project activities and impacts.

Subject Matter Experts

Summary
The Subject Matter Experts will provide detailed descriptions of the services, work tasks, reporting, and other information requirements of the Admissions Office and assist the full-time Module Team members in configuring and testing the Student Administration System in a way that provides optimal support for CWU.

Typical Work Activities
Business process documentation; population of system set-up tables; fit/gap analysis; assist with performance of software testing; advise on end-user training requirements; communicate objectively with other Admissions Office staff about the pros and cons of the PeopleSoft Student Administration system.

Functional Application Specialists

Summary
The Functional Application Specialist (FAS) works to design and implement technology solutions to support CWU staff and departments. This is primarily accomplished through documentation and analysis of business process and reporting requirements and design and set up of the PeopleSoft Student Administration system and peripheral products.

Typical Work Activities
Business process documentation; population of system set-up tables; fit/gap analysis; functional specifications for modifications, interfaces, reports, and security; assist with design and performance of software testing; assist in developing end-user training materials; advise the project team on general technical matters; applying approved project methods and processes.

Module Consultant

Summary
The Module Consultant provides in-depth knowledge about the functions and capabilities of the PeopleSoft Module and advises the Module Team on optimal application of this software to support CWU processes and information users.

Typical Work Activities
Provide training, information, and mentoring necessary to support the Module Leads in becoming PeopleSoft experts, facilitate the team through implementation workshops and tasks; troubleshoot the software when it is not operating properly, research and find solutions to CWU-specific requirements for system set-up and/or modifications, and assist team members with the various activities of implementing the system (business process documentation; population of system set-up tables; fit/gap analysis; writing of functional specifications; design and performance of software testing; developing end-user training materials)

Key Risks

Any project of this scale will encounter problems along the way. Good project management includes periodic attempts to identify the potential problems, which are most likely to happen, and are the most potentially damaging to the project timeline or deliverables. The Director of Admissions is encouraged to bring any such risks to the attention of the Module Lead so mitigation/contingency planning can be done, thereby protecting the project's success.

Risk:

• The IDP happens at the busiest time of the year for the office. The processing staff is relatively new with a lower level of knowledge and experience.
• The use of XAP/Mentor as our new online application.

• The implementation lead will need to stay in close communication and keep the processing staff informed.
• Closely monitor the decision being made on the use of XAP. Cedar has written an interface for XAP for other clients.