Appendix G
University of North Texas
Information Resources Strategic Plan
Fiscal Years 2003 – 2007
Table 1: Goals, Objectives, Strategies and Programs
Goal |
Replace existing aging administrative support software applications with a modern, highly functional, commercially supported, Web-based suite of applications. Supports the State Strategic Plan for Information Resources Goal 1: Transformation of Government. Supports the University’s goals of instruction/operations support. |
Objective |
|
Strategy |
UNT will participate as the lead organization in the UNT System Enterprise Information System, a project described in detail in the System IT Strategic Plan. |
Programs |
UNT’s instructional, research, and services programs will be affected by this goal. |
Goal |
Increase delivery of instruction via electronic means. Supports the State Strategic Plan for Information Resources Goal 1: Transformation of Government. Supports the University’s goals of instruction/operations support. |
Objective |
Increase headcount and enrollment in distributed learning courses by ½% per year |
Strategy |
Continue funding Teaching with Technology grants to encourage faculty to develop distance education courseware. Enhance UNT’s support of WebCT by keeping up with software releases and making the hardware running WebCT redundant. |
Programs |
UNT’s instructional program will be affected by this goal. |
Goal |
Improve support for funded research. Supports the University’s goal of instruction/operations |
Objective |
Improve competitiveness of research proposals at UNT that rely on computational resources |
Strategy |
|
Programs |
UNT’s research program will be affected by this goal. |
Goal |
The University will ensure the privacy and security of the information and information resources entrusted to it by the people of Texas. Supports the State Strategic Plan for Information Resources Goal 3: Stewardship of Information Supports the University’s goal of providing instruction/operations. |
Objective |
|
Strategy |
|
Goal |
Support physical expansion of UNT to the Research Park, other properties adjacent to the Denton campus, the System Center at Dallas, and to the University of North Texas at Dallas campus that is planned for 2007. |
Objective |
As UNT expands, additional data communications as well as telecommunications capabilities will have to be built to service buildings that are acquired or constructed. The objective of the Computing Center is to provide those capabilities at a level at least equal to that on the main campus. |
Strategy |
Include communications costs in the initial planning phases of new building acquisition and construction. |
Table 2: Databases and Applications
Databases:
Name |
Admissions Management System (AMS) Database |
Description |
This database contains basic information for all categories of applicants to the University. It and the application which maintains it includes provisions for communicating with students regarding missing information, etc. Information maintained is electronically passed to the SRS (Student Records System) when admitted applicants actually register to become students. |
Type |
ADABAS |
Size |
0.04 GB |
GIS |
This database does not support spatial (GIS) operations and does not contain geographic data. |
Sharing |
This database is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this database and the application(s) that maintain it. There are no plans to add or enhance GIS functionality or to link this database to a GIS. |
Name |
Admissions Prospect System Database |
Description |
This database contains information about prospective students. |
Type |
Proprietary to vendor (APPX Software, Inc.) |
Size |
1.0 GB |
GIS |
This database does not support spatial (GIS) operations and does not contain geographic data. |
Sharing |
This database is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT has contracted with APPX Software, Inc. to convert the database from the current highly proprietary DBMS to Oracle. That conversion is well underway and is nearing completion. There are no plans to add or enhance GIS functionality or to link this database to a GIS. |
Name |
Advancement / Development Information System (ADIS) Database |
Description |
This database and the application which maintains it collects, maintains, and reports detail information about all UNT alumni and other specific donors and supplies information for various solicitation campaigns. |
Type |
ADABAS |
Size |
0.14 GB |
GIS |
This database does not support spatial (GIS) operations and does not contain geographic data. |
Sharing |
This database is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this database and the application(s) that maintain(s) it. There are no plans to add or enhance GIS functionality or to link this database to a GIS. |
Name |
eVoucher Database |
Description |
This database contains information needed to support processing of payment vouchers for purchases, travel, interdepartmental orders (IDOs) and other payments handled by UNT’s Payment Services area. |
Type |
Oracle |
Size |
1.5 GB |
GIS |
This database does not support spatial (GIS) operations and does not contain geographic data. |
Sharing |
This database is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this database and the application(s) that maintain it. There are no plans to add or enhance GIS functionality or to link this database to a GIS. |
Name |
Billing / Receivables System (BRS) Database |
Description |
This database and the application which maintains it collects, maintains, and reports student accounts receivable information. Information is electronically exchanged with the Student Records System (SRS) and the Financial Aid Management System (FAMS) |
Type |
ADABAS |
Size |
1.57 GB |
GIS |
This database does not support spatial (GIS) operations and does not contain geographic data. |
Sharing |
This database is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this database and the application(s) that maintain it. There are no plans to add or enhance GIS functionality or to link this database to a GIS. |
Name |
Capital Equipment Account Tracking System (CEATS) Database |
Description |
This database and the application which maintains it collects, maintains, and reports detail property information about individual items of capital/controlled equipment, including purchase date and cost, current location, general ledger data, acquiring account, person with inventory responsibility for the equipment, etc. This system is interfaced to the State Comptroller's State Property Accounting (SPA) system to provide that system with data mandated by the State Comptroller. |
Type |
ADABAS |
Size |
0.16 GB |
GIS |
This database does not support spatial (GIS) operations and does not contain geographic data. |
Sharing |
UNT transmits transactions quarterly reflecting activity in CEATS to the State Property Accounting System (SPA). Additionally the Agency Extract from SPA is utilized by UNT's CEATS to produce a reconciliation report for UNT's property manager. UNT's Property Manager interfaces online with SPA to enter some transactions which cannot be sent via batch due to timing or functional reasons. UNT's Property Manager also uses the inquiry functions in SPA. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this database and the application(s) that maintain(s) it. Necessary changes are being made to this database and to the related CEATS application to support GASB rule changes. Examples include a requirement to account for depreciation of capital assets. No other changes are anticipated. There are no plans to add or enhance GIS functionality or to link this database to a GIS. |
Name |
Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS) Database |
Description |
DARS or the audit report is designed to compare a student's academic work - at any point in the student's career - with the requirements of an institution's academic program or programs, and to prepare a comprehensive report detailing the student's progress toward meeting those requirements. The report may be produced to report all satisfied requirements first following by any unsatisfied requirements, vice versa, or to report using several other run options. Audit reports may be prepared in either a "batch" or "on-line" mode. Batch reports are usually prepared for large numbers of students as might be needed prior to student registration, or for all degree candidates, or for a particular major or college. On-line reports are typically prepared to handle individual student advising needs, to determine where a student would stand in some other academic program, or in using another catalog year/term, ("what if" type questions), or to confirm the affects of some academic program "exception" action for a student. The Transfer Equivalency System (TRES), a subsystem of DARS, provides automated support for determining the transferability of course work from other institutions (whose courses have been evaluated) to determine the UNT equivalent. Currently this includes all community/junior colleges in Texas and selected senior-level universities. Classes from other institutions for which course equivalencies have been established can be evaluated to determine the applicability of those courses toward a UNT degree. Course data for individual students are either input through a computer terminal or received electronically over the AHE Electronic Transcript Network. Transcripts/reports are then produced showing the equivalency of the course work. |
Type |
ADABAS |
Size |
0.25 GB |
GIS |
This database does not support spatial (GIS) operations and does not contain geographic data. |
Sharing |
Transfer equivalency information is provided to community colleges. |
Future |
UNT plans to convert the DARS application to the vendor’s client/server version, DARWIN. The associated database will also be affected. The new database will use the ORACLE DBMS rather than ADABAS. There are no plans to add or enhance GIS functionality or to link this database to a GIS. |
Name |
Development Query System Database |
Description |
This database contains selected data from the Advancement / Development System which is periodically downloaded from that system and stored in an ORACLE database file on a database server attached to the campus network. This database is made available to Advancement Personnel, College Development Officers, and others (as deemed appropriate by the Advancement Office administrators) who use Crystal Reports or other PC-based end-user oriented query and reporting software tools to run ad-hoc queries and produce reports as needed. |
Type |
ORACLE |
Size |
0.75 GB |
GIS |
This database does not support spatial (GIS) operations and does not contain geographic data. |
Sharing |
This database is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this database and the application(s) that maintain it. There are no plans to add or enhance GIS functionality or to link this database to a GIS. |
Name |
Financial Aid Management System (FAMS) Database |
Description |
This database contains information necessary to allow applicants for student financial aid to be considered for available funds. The database and the application which maintains it support financial aid awarding, packaging, student notification, and BRS system feed functions. |
Type |
ADABAS |
Size |
1.1 GB |
GIS |
This database does not support spatial (GIS) operations and does not contain geographic data. |
Sharing |
This database is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this database and the application(s) that maintain(s) it. Except for maintenance modifications required to comply with federal regulations, no other significant changes are planned for this database during this planning period. There are no plans to add or enhance GIS functionality or to link this database to a GIS. |
Name |
General Ledger Accounting System (GLAS) Database |
Description |
This database contains basic general ledger accounting information. It and the application which maintains it provide the following functions: 1) post and maintain the general ledger, 2) process claims to produce payments to vendors operating on a modified accrual basis, and 3) produce periodic accounting statements as required by the University, and to meet state and federal reporting requirements. Also allows for on-line inquiry and display of departmental account balances. System is interfaced to the State Comptroller's Uniform Statewide Accounting System (USAS) to provide that system with information as mandated by the State Comptroller. System is used by both UNT and UNT Health Science Center. |
Type |
ADABAS |
Size |
1.56 GB |
GIS |
This database does not support spatial (GIS) operations and does not contain geographic data. |
Sharing |
Selected transactions from the GLAS are sent daily to the comptroller's office to be posted in USAS. Encumbrance balances and payable balances from GLAS are calculated and transmitted quarterly to be posted in USAS. UNT receives the USAS History extract and updates some tracking information in GLAS from USAS. Additionally reports are printed locally and distributed to UNT Controller office personnel. UNT Controller Office personnel also interface online to input certain transactions directly into USAS. |
Future |
GASB rule changes may make changes to this database necessary. UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this database and the application(s) that maintain(s) it. There are no plans to add or enhance GIS functionality or to link this database to a GIS. |
Name |
Housing Information System Database |
Type |
ORACLE |
Description |
This database contains information about student housing assignments, pay plans, and payment information. This data supports generation of accounts receivable transactions, student bills, and payment receipts. |
Size |
1.0 GB |
GIS |
This database does not support spatial (GIS) operations and does not contain geographic data. |
Sharing |
This database is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
No major changes are currently planned for this database during this planning period. There are no plans to add or enhance GIS functionality or to link this database to a GIS. |
Name |
Payroll/Personnel / Human Resources Management Information System (HRMIS) Database |
Description |
This database contains basic payroll and human resources / personnel information about employees. It contains the necessary information to allow automated support for payroll processing (including mandatory associated record-keeping and reporting) as well as meeting the special, complex, and critical management information needs of the University for Payroll/Personnel related information. The overall HRMIS system (which collects and maintains the information in this database) includes four major sub-systems as follows: 1) Employee Maintenance: Accommodates all master file maintenance activities related to employee-related data, benefits enrollments, and assorted codes used in payroll processing. 2) Payroll Detail: Supports gross pay and net pay calculations, printing of checks, processing of check reversals, payment of benefits vendors, and periodic payroll reporting. 3) Budgets: Supports all activities associated with the preparation of fiscal year budgets, including both personnel and non-personnel items. 4) Position Control: Supports the requisition and support of individuals to fill those positions. |
Type |
ADABAS |
Size |
1.82 GB |
GIS |
This database does not support spatial (GIS) operations and does not contain geographic data. |
Sharing |
Employee Retirement System - Two way interface of all information concerning state provided insurance benefits in support of plan administration and premium reconciliation. Online inquiry and update of the ERS system in Austin is available locally. Comptroller's Human Resource Information System - Interface of payroll and personnel data to the states human resource reporting database. Online inquiry and update of the HRIS database in Austin is available locally. Uniform Statewide Accounting System – Transmission of state paid payroll information to Austin for reimbursement. Online inquiry and some updating of the USAS system in Austin is available locally. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this database and the application(s) that maintain it. There are no plans to add or enhance GIS functionality or to link this database to a GIS. |
Name |
Student Records System (SRS) Database |
Description |
This database contains information about current students, and course-related information (by term). It also contains facilities (building and room) information to support course scheduling. The database contains the information necessary to allow the SRS application (which collects and maintains the information in the database) to report students' permanent academic record (transcript) information. It also supports student registration for classes via the Telephone Registration (Telreg) System, and via on-line terminals. |
Type |
ADABAS |
Size |
1.2 GB |
GIS |
This database does not support spatial (GIS) operations and does not contain geographic data. |
Sharing |
CBM001, 002, 004, 003, 005, 008, and 009 reports are sent to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board via FTP. The IPEDS and VA reports are sent to the appropriate federal agency and the NCAA reports are sent to the NCAA. All are sent via FTP. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this database and the application(s) that maintain it. There are no plans to add or enhance GIS functionality or to link this database to a GIS. |
Name |
Telephone Information System (TIMS) Database |
Description |
This database contains detail information about university telephones (location, characteristics, etc.) and usage for long-distance calls. The TIMS application which collects, maintains, and reports the information contained in the database receives long-distance call information from local telephone companies (e.g. Verizon and AT&T), produces statements (bills), and electronically passes information to the General Ledger Accounting System (GLAS). |
Type |
ADABAS |
Size |
< 0.01 GB |
GIS |
This database does not support spatial (GIS) operations and does not contain geographic data. |
Sharing |
This database is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT plans to replace this application with a commercial product within this planning horizon. Except for modifications required to accommodate periodic format changes in files received from telephone companies, no other major changes are planned to this application during this planning period. There are no plans to add or enhance GIS functionality or to link this database to a GIS. |
Applications:
Name |
Access Student Service Information Systems by Technology (ASSIST-IVR) |
Type |
Interactive Voice Response |
Description |
This interactive voice response (IVR) system interacts in real-time with mainframe-based systems (including the Admissions Management System, Student Records System, Financial Aid Management System, and Billing Records System) to allow students to do the functions listed below from any touch-tone phone. (Except where otherwise noted, the requested information is spoken back to the student on the phone using computer-generated speech.): Receive admission, registration, and scheduling information Order transcripts and university publications (requested documents are subsequently mailed to requester) Receive academic record and course information by phone (includes fax option for academic status and grades and for student course schedule) Receive student account receivable information (account balances and payment deadlines) Pay account balances by credit card (telephone only) Receive housing and financial aid information Receive academic calendar and graduation information Accesses Student Records System (SRS) Database which is maintained by that application. The SRS Database uses ADABAS. Development Language: C, Write-1, COBOL |
Sharing |
This application is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this application and any associated databases. |
Name |
Access Student Service Information Systems by Technology (ASSIST on the WWW) |
Type |
Web-Based |
Description |
[Note: This application is, in essence, a Web-based version of the ASSIST-IVR application described above] This web strategic system interacts in real-time mode with mainframe-based systems (including the Admissions Management System, Student Records System, Financial Aid Management System, and the Billing / Receivables System) to allow students to do the functions listed below from the WWW (world-wide web).
Receive admission, registration, and scheduling information Order transcripts and university publications (requested documents are subsequently mailed to requester) Receive academic record and course information by phone (includes fax option for academic status and grades and for student course schedule) Receive student account receivable information (account balances and payment deadlines) Pay account balances by credit card (uses the same access method to the clearing house as the IVR ASSIST application) Receive housing and financial aid information Receive academic calendar and graduation information Accesses Student Records System (SRS) Database which is maintained by that application. The SRS Database uses ADABAS. Development Language: Java |
Sharing |
This application is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this application and any associated databases. Because of the anticipated short-term benefit, UNT plans to add functionality to allow students to change addresses and PINs via this application. No other significant changes are anticipated for the application. |
Name |
Admissions Management System (AMS) |
Description |
This application maintains the AMS Database which contains basic information for all categories of applicants to the University. The application includes provisions for communicating with students regarding missing information, etc. Information maintained is electronically passed to the SRS (Student Records System) when admitted applicants actually register to become students. |
Type |
Mainframe-based application using OLTP and batch techniques. ADABAS. Development Language: COBOL, NATURAL |
Sharing |
This application is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this application and any associated databases. |
Name |
Admissions Prospect System (Undergraduate) |
Description |
Collects, maintains, and reports information about prospective applicants. This information potentially comes from a variety of sources, including Admissions Office staff recruiting visits to high schools and junior/community colleges. Student information accompanying admissions exam scores processed on the mainframe is also downloaded to the Prospect System, creating prospect records. The system produces personalized reply letters and labels for mailing requested materials, including Catalogs and Schedules of Classes. If the prospect has requested an application for housing, financial aid, or information from a specific school or college, mailing labels are forwarded to the appropriate unit for mailing the requested materials. Periodically the prospect records contained in the Prospect System are matched against the records contained in the Admissions Management System (AMS) on the administrative mainframe. Prospect records which contain essential identifying information can create a new record in the mainframe based AMS if no record exists there for the person. For matching records, information from AMS is added to the Prospect System to provide a more complete and current record. The Prospect System supports and tracks followup contacts with prospective students over an extended period of time, in some cases for years, depending upon an individual's classification, or year in school, at the time of initial inquiry into UNT. The Prospect System was substantially enhanced in 1994 to support electronic transmittal of student information requests to Printing Services via the (then) new Recruitment Materials Distribution System (RMDS). |
Type |
Unix-Based Transaction Processing System.SPEED II (4GL Application Development Product from APPX Software, Inc.) |
Sharing |
This application is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT has contracted with APPX Software, Inc. to convert this application from the older SPEED-II to their newer APPX environment. This will allow us to move the application from the aging and highly proprietary WANG equipment and environment to modern equipment and operating environment from SUN. The new (converted) application will accommodate the functions currently provided by the Graduate Admissions Prospecting System (described elsewhere in this document) and that system will then be phased out as a separate system. This conversion is currently underway and nearing completion. |
Name |
Admissions Prospect System (Graduate) |
Description |
[Note: This application serves the Graduate School and accomplishes essentially the same functions for that area as the companion Admission Prospect System (Undergraduate) System performs for the Undergraduate Admissions Department.] This system collects, maintains, and reports information about prospective applicants. This information comes from a variety of sources, including Admissions Office staff recruiting visits to other universities and to business education fairs. The system produces personalized reply letters and labels for mailing requested materials, including Catalogs and Schedules of Classes. If the prospect has requested an application for housing, financial aid, or information from a specific school or college, comma-delimited data files are forwarded to the appropriate unit for mailing the requested materials. The Prospect System supports and tracks follow-up contacts with prospective students over an extended period of time, in some cases for years, depending on an individual’s classification, or year in school, at the time of initial inquiry into UNT. The system supports electronic transmittal of student information requests to Printing Services via the Recruitment Materials Distribution System (RMDS). |
Type |
Client Server. Oracle. Development Language: Visual Basic 6.0 |
Sharing |
Information from this system is passed to the Recruitment Materials Distribution System (RMDS). |
Future |
As discussed in the "Future" paragraph for the Undergraduate Admissions Prospect System, these two systems (Undergraduate and Graduate Admissions Prospect Systems) will be combined into one single Admissions Prospect System once the conversion of the Undergraduate Prospect System from SPEED-II to APPX has been completed by APPX Software, Inc. That conversion is currently well underway. |
Name |
Advancement / Development Information System (ADIS) |
Description |
This application collects, maintains, and reports detail information about all UNT alumni and other specific donors and supplies information for various solicitation campaigns. |
Type |
Mainframe-based application using OLTP and batch techniques. ADABAS. Development language: NATURAL, COBOL |
Sharing |
This application is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this application and any associated databases. |
Name |
Billing / Receivables System (BRS) |
Description |
This application collects, maintains, and reports on student accounts receivable information in the BRS Database. Information is electronically exchanged with the Student Records System (SRS) and the Financial Aid Management System (FAMS). |
Type |
Mainframe-based financial application using OLTP and batch techniques. ADABAS. Development Language: COBOL, NATURAL |
Sharing |
This application is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this application and any associated databases. |
Name |
Capital Equipment Account Tracking System (CEATS) |
Description |
This application collects, maintains, and reports on the detail property information about individual items of capital / controlled equipment maintained in the CEATS Database. Information maintained includes purchase date and cost, current location, general ledger data, acquiring account, person with inventory responsibility for the equipment, etc. System is interfaced to the State Comptroller's State Property Accounting (SPA) to provide that system with data mandated by the State Comptroller. |
Type |
Mainframe-based application using OLTP and batch techniques. ADABAS. Development Language: COBOL, NATURAL |
Sharing |
This application is shared between the UNT System and its constituent institutions – UNT-Denton and UNTHSC-Fort Worth. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this application and any associated databases. Necessary changes are being made to this application and to the associated CEATS database to support GASB rule changes. Examples include a requirement to account for depreciation of capital assets. No other significant changes are planned for the application.. |
Name |
Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS) |
Description |
DARS or the audit report is designed to compare a student's academic work - at any point in the student's career - with the requirements of an institution's academic program or programs, and to prepare a comprehensive report detailing the student's progress toward meeting those requirements. The report may be produced to report all satisfied requirements first following by any unsatisfied requirements, vice versa, or to report using several other run options. Audit reports may be prepared in either a "batch" or "on-line" mode. Batch reports are usually prepared for large numbers of students as might be needed prior to student registration, or for all degree candidates, or for a particular major or college. On-line reports are typically prepared to handle individual student advising needs, to determine where a student would stand in some other academic program, or in using another catalog year/term, ("what if" type questions), or to confirm the affects of some academic program "exception" action for a student. The Transfer Equivalency System (TRES), a subsystem of DARS, provides automated support for determining the transferability of course work from other institutions (whose courses have been evaluated) to determine the UNT equivalent. Currently this includes all community/junior colleges in Texas and selected senior-level universities. Classes from other institutions for which course equivalencies have been established can be evaluated to determine the applicability of those courses toward a UNT degree. Course data for individual students are either input through a computer terminal or received electronically over the AHE Electronic Transcript Network. Transcripts/reports are then produced showing the equivalency of the course work. |
Type |
Mainframe-based application using OLTP and batch techniques. ADABAS. Development Language: COBOL, NATURAL |
Sharing |
Transfer equivalency reports are provided to area community colleges. |
Future |
UNT plans to convert the DARS application to the vendor’s client/server version of the product, named DARWIN. The associated database will also be affected. |
Name |
EC Image Imaging System |
Type |
Imaging |
Description |
This application allows for scanning, filing, retrieving, viewing, and printing of document images on laser optical filing media. It also provides the capability to fax images. This system is currently being used by the Controller's Office to file backup documentation relating to claims disbursements made to vendors. Over 800,000 document images are currently maintained in the system, consisting of vouchers and related documents processed beginning September 1, 1990 (for fiscal year 1991). |
Type |
Oracle. Development Language: C++ and Centura SQLWindows |
Sharing |
This application is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
Other than expanding its usage, no major modifications are planned to this application during this planning period. |
Name |
Facilities Inventory System |
Description |
This application collects, maintains, and reports on information about the University's buildings and room. |
Type |
Mainframe-based application using OLTP and batch techniques. This application uses information stored in the SRS database, which is stored in ADABAS. Development Language: COBOL, NATURAL |
Sharing |
This application is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT anticipates phasing out the operating environment (hardware and operating system and utility software) on which this application runs within this planning horizon. The application will either be converted to run in the UNIX / ORACLE environment or will be replaced by a commercial system. The decision as to which will be done (converted or replaced by a commercial system) has not been finalized. |
e
Name |
Financial Aid Management System (FAMS) |
Description |
This application collects, maintains, and reports on information stored in the FAMS Database. The application supports financial aid awarding, packaging, student notification, and BRS system feed functions. |
Type |
Mainframe-based financial application using OLTP and batch techniques. ADABAS. Development Language: COBOL |
Sharing |
This application is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this application and any associated databases. Except for maintenance modifications required to comply with periodic changes in federal regulations, no significant modifications are planned for this application. |
Name |
Financial Aid Voice Response System (FAVORS) |
Description |
This interactive voice response (IVR) system interacts with the Financial Aid Management System (FAMS) to allow students who have applied for financial aid to determine the status of their application from any touch-tone telephone. System includes provision for programmatically directing problem calls to appropriate individuals in the Financial Aid Office for resolution. Computer-generated voice messages provide students with requested information. [Note: The FAMS application is described separately.] |
Type |
Interactive Voice Response. The application accesses information collected and maintained by the Financial Aid Management System (FAMS). That system uses ADABAS. Development Language: C, Write-1, COBOL |
Sharing |
This application is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this application and any associated databases. |
Name |
Financial Aid on the Web (My Financial Aid) |
Description |
[Note: This application is essentially a web-based version of the Financial Aid Voice Response System described above.] This interactive web strategic application system interacts in real-time mode with the mainframe-based Financial Aid Management System (FAMS) to allow students who have applied for financial aid to check on their financial aid status and other functions as listed below. This system is a secure access system and is available only to those students who have records in the FAMS database. Options available to those students who are in the database are:
|
Type |
Web-Based. The application accesses information collected and maintained by the Financial Aid Management System (FAMS), just as the ASSIST-IVR system does. The FAMS system uses ADABAS as its database system. Development Language: Java |
Sharing |
This application is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this application and any associated databases. |
Name |
General Ledger Accounting System (GLAS) |
Description |
This application collects, maintains, and reports on the information contained in the GLAS Database. It provides the following functions: 1) post and maintain the general ledger, 2) process claims to produce payments to vendors operating on a modified accrual basis, and 3) produce periodic accounting statements as required by the University, and to meet state and federal reporting requirements. Also allows for on-line inquiry and display of departmental account balances. System is interfaced to the State Comptroller's Uniform Statewide Accounting System (USAS) to provide that system with information as mandated by the State Comptroller. |
Type |
Mainframe-based financial application using OLTP and batch techniques. ADABAS. Development Language : COBOL, NATURAL |
Sharing |
This application is shared by the UNT System and its constituent institutions – UNT-Denton and the UNTHSC-Fort Worth. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this application and any associated databases. We anticipate that GASB rule changes will result in changes to this database and to the GLAS database. Because of anticipated short-term benefits, we also plan to automate the preparation of the Annual Financial Statement, which will be a modification to the GLAS application. No other significant modifications are planned for the application. |
Name |
Electronic Voucher (eVoucher) Payment Preparation System |
Description |
This application processes payment vouchers for purchases, travel, interdepartmental orders (IDOs) and other payments handled by UNT’s Payment Services area. |
Type |
Client Server |
Sharing |
This application is shared by the UNT System and its constituent institutions – UNT-Denton and the UNTHSC-Fort Worth. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this application and any associated databases. |
Name |
Housing Information System |
Description |
This application collects, maintains, and reports on the information maintained in the Housing Information System Database. It also generates accounts receivable transactions, student bills, and payment receipts. Data are available to the residential system. Demographic data are passed to the Student Record System each semester for update and comparative purposes. |
Type |
Client Server. ORACLE. Development Language: Vendor Proprietary |
Sharing |
This application is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
No major modifications are planned to this application during this planning period. |
Name |
Payroll / Personnel / Human Resources Management Information System (HRMIS) |
Description |
This application collects, maintains, and reports on the information contained in the HRMIS Database. It provides support for payroll processing (including mandatory associated record-keeping and reporting) as well as meeting the special, complex, and critical management information needs of the University for Payroll/Personnel related information. The overall HRMIS system (which collects and maintains the information in this database) includes four major sub-systems as follows:1) Employee Maintenance: Accommodates all master file maintenance activities related to employee-related data, benefits enrollments, and assorted codes used in payroll processing. 2) Payroll Detail: Supports gross pay and net pay calculations, printing of checks, processing of check reversals, payment of benefits vendors, and periodic payroll reporting. 3) Budgets: Supports all activities associated with the preparation of fiscal year budgets, including both personnel and non-personnel items. 4) Position Control: Supports the requisition and support of individuals to fill those positions. Both UNT and UNTHSC use the system. |
Type |
Mainframe-based human resources application using OLTP and batch processing. Development Language: COBOL, NATURAL |
Sharing |
This application is shared between the UNT System and its constituent institutions: UNT-Denton and the UNTHSC at Fort Worth. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this application and any associated databases. |
Name |
Recruitment Materials Distribution System (RMDS) |
Description |
Contact information and requests for materials are received by the Admissions Office and entered into the Admissions Prospect System. This system (RMDS) is interfaced with the Prospect System such that information from these requests is automatically downloaded (i.e., no manual action required) via the network to the Printing Services machine at pre-selected intervals. Printing Services collects, packages, and mails the materials. Optionally, a copy of the prospect information, or just summary counts, or both of these types of feedback is also electronically forwarded (via the network) to the respective administrative and academic units who want the opportunity to send additional materials specific to their own area(s). |
Type |
Client Server. Visual Basic 6.0 |
Sharing |
This application is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The RMDS application will be interfaced to the new EIS. |
Name |
Student Employment Job Line |
Description |
This interactive voice response system allows any student who is currently enrolled or was enrolled during at least one of the previous 4 semesters to call in and hear descriptions of job offerings in various categories. This system is for off-campus jobs only. Employers first call Student Employment and describe job openings. Student Employment staff record the information about job offerings and categorize jobs into four major categories. These are jobs for Dallas, Denton, Fort Worth, Lewisville and Flower Mound, and other metroplex cities. Jobs are further categorized by office duties, retail sales, general labor, human services, food services, and computer related jobs. The recorded job information is maintained on the voice server and the student information is maintained on the administrative mainframe. This interactive voice response application receives information from that system as needed. |
Type |
Interactive Voice Response. C, Write-1 |
Sharing |
This application is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
No major modifications are planned to this application during this planning period. Usage of this application has declined sharply over the past 12 months. If this trend continues, we will likely discontinue use of and support for the application within this planning horizon. |
Name |
Student Records System (SRS) |
Description |
This application collects, maintains, and reports on information stored in the SRS Database. It reports students' permanent academic record (transcript) information. It also supports student registration for classes via the Telephone Registration (Telreg) System, the WebReg System, and via on-line terminals. |
Type |
Mainframe-based application using OLTP and batch techniques. ADABAS. Development Language: COBOL, NATURAL |
Sharing |
CBM001, 002, 004, 003, 005, 008, and 009 reports are sent to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board via FTP. The IPEDS and VA reports are sent to the appropriate federal agency and the NCAA reports are sent to the NCAA. All are sent via FTP. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this application and any associated databases. |
Name |
Telephone Information Management System (TIMS) |
Description |
Collects, maintains, and reports detail information about university telephones (location, characteristics, etc.) and usage for long-distance calls. Receives long-distance call information from local telephone companies (GTE and AT&T), produces statements (bills), and electronically passes information to the General Ledger Accounting System (GLAS). |
Type |
Mainframe-based application using OLTP and batch techniques. ADABAS. Development Language: COBOL, NATURAL |
Sharing |
This application is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
This application is targeted for replacement by a commercial system during this planning horizon. Except for modifications required to accommodate periodic format changes in files received from telephone companies, no other major changes are planned to this application during this planning period. |
Name |
Telephone Registration System (Telreg) |
Description |
This interactive voice response (IVR) system allows students to interact with the registration component of the SRS (Student Records System) providing students with the ability to accomplish the course scheduling functions of the registration process from a touch-tone telephone. Computer-generated voice messages notify the student of the result of requests, prompts for additional information, etc. [Note: The SRS application is described separately] |
Type |
Interactive Voice Response. This application uses data maintained by the SRS system in the SRD Database, which is stored using ADABAS. Development Language: C, Write-1, COBOL |
Sharing |
This application is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this application and any associated databases. |
Name |
Web Registration System (WebReg)) |
Description |
[Note: This application is, in essence, a web-based version of the Telreg-IVR system described above.] This interactive web strategic system allows students to interact with the registration component of the SRS (Student Records System) providing students with the ability to accomplish the course scheduling functions of the registration process from the World Wide Web (WWW). [Note: The SRS application is described separately.] |
Type |
Web-based. This application uses data maintained by the SRS system in the SRS Database, which is stored using ADABAS. Development Language: Java |
Sharing |
.This application is not shared with other agencies or entities. |
Future |
UNT has selected a commercial Enterprise Information System (EIS) and anticipates implementing that system within this planning horizon. The EIS and its associated databases will supersede this application and any associated databases. |
Table 3: Information Resources Management Organizations, Policies and Practices
Priorities |
The responsibility for setting IR (Information Resources) priorities is jointly shared by the IRC (Information Resources Council,) the UNT Information Resources Manager (the Associate Vice President for Computing and Communications Services), and the IR Steering Committee. The IRC represents all academic units as well as major administrative units on campus and its advisory groups are key to successful UNT IR planning and effective resource sharing. Permanent subcommittees of the IRC which advise the IRC regarding issues related to specialized areas include: · Instruction Planning Group· Research Planning Group· Communications Planning Group· Standards and Policies Planning Group· EIS Project Planning Group· Student Computing Planning GroupThe University also depends on the IRC and IR Steering Committee to regularly evaluate policies for the assignment of priorities for computer use and the allocation of computing information and instructional technology resources to ensure academic and administrative needs are adequately served. Priorities for development and maintenance of administrative information systems are set by the Vice Presidents for their respective areas (jointly for applications encompassing two or more VP functional areas). Other capital funding priorities are recommended by the IRC |
Planning |
The methodology used for information resources planning at UNT follows the state-mandated requirements and instructions. The responsibility for preparation of IR plans is jointly shared by the designated UNT Information Resources Manager (the Associate Vice President for Computing and Communications Services) and the University Information Resources Council (IRC). The Strategic Planning Committee of the IRC prepares a plan, which is reviewed by the IRC. |
Quality Assurance |
Providing and maintaining high quality administrative software that functions correctly and predictably is a major concern of the UNT Computing Center staff at all levels. Currently, the Administrative Computing division uses LBMS' Systems Engineer CASE (Computer Assisted Systems Engineering) product and follows LBMS' Logical Structured Development Methodology (LSDM) for developing major administrative software applications. Also, rigorous change control procedures are followed when developing, testing, and making modifications to mainframe computer programs. A separate test environment is maintained on the mainframe and all testing must occur in the test environment. New programs (or programs which have been modified) are tested prior to being moved to the production environment. The level of testing done is proportionate to the criticality of the program or the significance of any modifications that have been made. This testing typically includes observation and/or hands-on testing by responsible end users. A major ERP project to include Peoplesoft development tools and applications is expected to commence in June, 2002. An implementation services vendor has been tentatively selected for that project, and part of the requirement of that vendor is to provide UNT with project management tools that meet DIR quality assurance practices. Relevant DIR guidelines are followed in quality assurance practices at UNT. |
Personal Computer Replacement Schedule |
UNT’s personal computer replacement procedures (http://www.unt.edu/irc/plan/upgrade.htm) follow DIR’s PC Life Cycles: Guidelines for Establishing Life Cycles for Personal Computers. That procedure manual, which will be revised within the next fiscal year, states that personal computers are replaced based upon the needs of personnel for different levels of computing power. Some machines are upgraded rather than replaced, and obsolescent machines are reused until they are no longer viable for tasks at the University. In general, UNT can’t afford to totally replace all of its desktop machines every three years, but instead exercises judgment about the appropriate point at which a particular machine is no longer viable for any use at the university. |
Procurement |
The vast majority of information technologies that are purchased at UNT are bought with capital equipment funds that are available in the fiscal year of the purchase. While UNT periodically reviews the relative costs and benefits of lease vs. purchase, our practices and funding model to date have consistently favored purchase. |
Disaster Recovery |
A Disaster Recovery Plan is written for UNT's administrative mainframe and critical data communications systems. The plan is regularly updated and improved. Critical data files and programs needed to resume normal operations are backed up on a regularly scheduled basis and stored in an off-site location. The current plan uses our former mainframe computer room as a cold site. The University utilized Northrop Grumman to perform a Business Impact Analysis (BIA) last calendar year and continues to evaluate the West Texas Disaster Recovery and Operations Center for its potential value to us in disaster recovery operations. To date, however, it has not shown to be cost effective because our current operations are relatively standardized and provide an adequate level of recovery assurance. UNT has asked Northrup Grumman to provide a quote for data center operation and disaster recovery at the West Texas Disaster Recovery and Operation Center and will evaluate that quote in light of our existing disaster recovery procedures and costs. |
Data Center Operations |
UNT operates a relatively large data center operation on its campus, comprised of an IBM mainframe for administrative applications and a large number of Sun servers for academic functions. We are currently evaluating the WTDROC for it potential to provide cost effective data center operations in conjunction with our forthcoming Enterprise Information System project, however. |
Standards |
UNT fully complies with all relevant statewide information resources standards. Computing Center senior staff regularly attend DIR briefings and monitor DIR’s Web site for new or changed standards and insure that current standards are adhered to throughout the University. |