Effective Date: 10/31/07
Policy Statement 2: Software Development Services (Administrative
Computing)
Administrative applications are software systems and services designed to
support the academic and administrative functions of the University. These
consist of enterprise (mainframe-based), client-server and web-based
applications designed to help administrators and faculty members do their jobs
better. Specific applications will be covered below. Central computing
processors (servers) are available on the administrative network and can be
accessed from all departments on campus. Support is also available, on a limited
basis, for departmental microcomputing applications. The campus phone directory
has numbers listed for personnel in administrative computing Software
Development Services.
These are the major administrative applications available for staff use at
the University. If you wish for more information about an individual system,
call ITCS at 328-6401 and you will be referred to the appropriate area.
- Accounts Payable: This application provides an efficient means of
producing checks and maintaining an audit trail for all payments made by ECU.
The system tracks voucher information from point of data entry when the
invoice is received to where the check is reconciled with a tape received from
the bank.
- Alumni System: The system contains demographical and biographical
information on ECU graduates and donors. The main objective is to provide
meaningful information to the alumni of the University and to garner their
continuing support to improve the University.
- Demurrage: Records on gas cylinder rental charges are maintained by this
system. It assists storeroom personnel in tracking cylinder location.
- Financial Reporting System (FRS): This is a comprehensive accounting
system used by all departments on campus to maintain their budgets. Accounting
transactions enter the FRS from Accounts Payable, Physician's Billing,
Purchase Order, Student Loan, and Payroll/Personnel systems.
- Fixed Assets: This application tracks all university owned equipment with
a value of $5000 or more. Lower valued items can be tracked at the discretion
of the department.
- A comprehensive Human Resources System is utilized and training is
available on the various components.
- Student Loan System: This system is used to track student loans and to
record payments as they are received. Information can be transferred directly
into the system from the Financial Aid Office.
- Purchase Order System: This system was designed so that campus departments
can enter their requisitions for supplies and equipment online and transmit
them electronically to Materials Management. The system tracks all purchase
orders until they are matched with invoices at time of payment. Transactions
from this system are automatically passed to the Financial Reporting System.
- Student Data Base: The student data base is the data file for all student
applications. All student administration systems including the web-based
portal ECU OneStop are designed to use one data base containing information in
a central, controlled location. The specific applications are listed below.
- Admissions: Information about prospective students is entered into the
system and letters are generated to insure that all needed material is
received and processed for admissions.
- Registration: Registration includes many things besides Online, telephone
and web-based Registration. The process also involves the preparation of the
University Catalogue and Schedule of Classes and the scheduling of the
classrooms themselves. After students are registered, programs generate class
rosters and reports. Recorded grades are passed to the online transcript
subsystem.
- University Portal: Provides access to campus-wide information sources.
- Degree Audit: This system provides student reports showing their standing
towards a degree and what is still required to complete their degree
requirements.
- Financial Aid: This system determines eligibility of applicants and
performs the packaging process. It then ensures that funds are actually
distributed to the students.
- Athletics: Several programs use information from the Student Data Base to
determine eligibility of athletes.
- Academic Affairs: The current system is used to generate reports, track
student teachers in the School of Education, and to assign advisors for
incoming freshmen. Future plans include programs to project class schedules
for coming terms to insure that students can know what is needed to graduate.
- Cashiers Office System: This system generates statements to students which
includes charges for housing, dining, and student health services.
- Housing System: This is a data base of students living in residence halls.
- Student Health Services: This system (IDX) is used for appointment
scheduling and patient registration.
- Planning and Institutional Research: This office is responsible for
producing the Personnel Data File and the Student Data File. They also do the
Teaching Effectiveness Survey and maintain the classroom inventory.
- Parking & Transportation Office: This office uses the system to
collect on parking fines, register vehicles, and to sell parking permits.
- Business Office: The student data base is used to create a file for the
telephone company to complete the University telephone directory.
- Continuing Studies: The student registration system is used for Continuing
Studies, but in a multiple campus environment.
- Intramural: This system keeps rosters of intramural teams, reports on
participation, and tracks equipment checkouts.
The PirateID is a way of protecting data. Each administrative
user will have a unique PirateID that will be deleted when no longer needed or
used. Under no circumstances will one PirateID be given to an entire department.
All PirateID'S will also have a password that will be known only by the
individual using the ID. Passwords are a second security step to protect the
integrity of the systems.
Production Control in the Cotanche Building is responsible for scheduling jobs
to be run on the computers in ITCS. Most jobs are scheduled automatically since
they run on a regular basis. Other runs may be requested by completing the
Special Run Request form. Most batch jobs will be run during the evening shifts.
Job output can be picked up at the Input/Output window, located on the first
floor of the Cotanche Building.
Opscan requests may be turned in at Austin 103.
ITCS purchases standard computer paper for printed reports. If a department
has a need for reports on special forms, ITCS must be involved in the
programming effort and form's design before the forms are ordered. ITCS is not
responsible for the cost of special forms.
Putting reports on microfiche in order to save on paper is very cost-
effective and efficient. Production Control will forward tapes to the
appropriate vendor for this purpose.
Most services are provided to state-funded departments without charge. The
exceptions are special forms, parts to repair computer equipment, and
communications equipment. Auxiliary units will be charged for services.
Requests for new applications software or modifications of an existing system
must be made via the "Request for Service" web application found on the ITCS web
site or ECU OneStop.
The methodologies and procedures for software development are outlined in the
ITCS Standards Manual.
There are several different project development teams that develop software.
The manager of each group may elect to complete small modifications that can be
worked into the existing schedule without impacting the overall systems
development plan. Other requests will be prioritized by one of the University
administrative subcommittees including the Administrative Computing Committee.
The committee will also review systems development to make certain that projects
stay on schedule.