1.
Mock Registration
Just as it is possible to make an apple pie with crackers and no apples,
so is it possible to test the Student Records portion of LEWIS without
using real students. During the week of December 13th, the Student
Team, with help from a number of individuals in the bursar's office, information
resources, and enterprise systems implementation plus the SCT consultants,
performed the first mock registration. Approximately 200 students
were admitted, assigned rooms, registered for classes, and charged for
tuition and room and board, in a simulation of real life LEWIS activities.
Records for some current students were used and about 100 student test
records were created to make up the balance. The test demonstrated
that the basic system functions work and highlighted some areas of training
that should be addressed. For photo and full story, see the LEWIS
Web page: http://www.lehigh.edu/lewis
2. Phased
Rollout
The implementation schedule Lehigh has undertaken is an ambitious one,
and therefore, the various Banner 2000 systems or modules will be rolled
out or implemented over the course of the next eighteen months to two years.
During the spring semester, representatives of the LEWIS steering committee
will be making presentations about LEWIS to various faculty, staff and
student groups. Coming soon is a report to the faculty at its first
meeting of the semester on Monday, February 7th. Watch for more details
of upcoming meetings in your area.
3. Who's On First?
The first two Banner 2000 systems to be implemented will be the Student
Records System followed closely by Financial Aid. The first mock
registration in December (see above) and a second mock registration in
mid-February will test all of the functions of the Student System as well
as the various reports and printed products (student schedules, for example)
that are needed in order to use the new system for Fall 2000 pre-registration
which begins April 10th. Portions of Financial Aid will go live in
mid-February and this is necessary in order to be able to generate financial
aid package letters for the freshmen who will be entering next fall (class
of 2004).
4. Miami in January
The thought of Miami in January is an enticing one, unless, of course,
it is Miami, Ohio. On January 10th, a group of Lehigh staff
involved in the LEWIS effort visited Miami University to learn more about
its recent Banner implementation. Those making the trip were Rhonda
Gross, Denise Blew, Manny Pena, Bob Siegfried, Bruce Correll, and Tom Smull.
A report on the results of their trip and their observations will be forthcoming
soon.
5. Web Access to Come
In the future, it will become possible for faculty, staff and students
to access LEWIS anytime anywhere using their own Web browsers at their
own computers. Faculty will have a Web-based interactive interface to a
centralized database for grading and academic advising. Staff will
be able to view their career and/or pay histories, enroll in benefits,
and update their personal information in Lehigh's database. Eventually,
students will be able to use LEWIS to apply for admissions, register for
classes, and retrieve financial aid data.
If you have comments or questions on this newsletter or communication about LEWIS, contact Jean Farrington at jwf3@lehigh.edu. See also www.lehigh.edu/lewis