This document summarizes Evelyn Roach's presentation on finding and fixing problems with Degree Works, a degree auditing software, two years after its implementation at East Tennessee State University. It describes issues encountered, such as unclear notes and substitution policies. Solutions included creating an issue committee and marketing Degree Works to students. The role of the committee is to identify and fix problems. Transit reports and Argos error reporting help troubleshoot errors. Involving IT and customizing Degree Works have also helped address challenges over the last two years.

1. 1© 2015 ELLUCIAN. CONFIDENTIAL & PROPRIETARY | Session ID: 12299
Report from the Trenches
Finding and Fixing Problems Two Years In
Evelyn Roach
East Tennessee State University
April 11, 2015
Session ID 12299

2. 2© 2015 ELLUCIAN. CONFIDENTIAL & PROPRIETARY | Session ID: 12299
Topics that will be covered
• Issue encountered
• Transit output
• Argos error reporting
• and even getting the IT folks involved

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Issues encountered
• Notes
– what notes do I enter here and do I want the student to see the notes
• Substitution
– volume
• Who should have access
• Why should I use this tool
– we have so many
• Trust
• Error on the student record
– Missing concentration, missing minor
– Wrong major
– Learner record conflict

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Solutions
• Created Degree Works issue committee
that meets weekly
• Visit all department meetings and address
issues of concern but also show the
possibilities of the software
• Market to the students
• Prove the naysayer wrong

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Role of the DW Issue Committee
• Identify and document issue sent in by
students/advisors
• Fix problems before they are noticed
• Recommend policy change that will
align DW with what the institution
wants to accomplish
• “Micro manage”

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TBR Feeder Schools
ETSU
Northeast
Walters
Pellissippi
Cleveland
RoaneVolunteer
Motlow
Chattanooga
Austin
Peay

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Adding Attributes to Gen - Ed

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Substitutions
• Students had no way of seeing the
substitutions received so they end up
doing extra courses, mostly in Gen Ed.
– With DW this issue will be solved. Wrong
– We had a tub of substitution forms that
someone had to input. Mostly involved
Gen Ed.

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Electronic Substitution Form (jot-form)

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Exception Access
• Initially only the graduation analyst
• But have now opened up the process
to allow certain advisors to have
access after training

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User with Exception Access

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Pivot Table of Substitutions

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Petitions – Used by one department only

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Managing Petitions

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Transit Output
• How often do I review this data?
• Who should review this data
(Functional or Technical users) ?
• What is our definition of Functional
and Technical users in terms of DW ?

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Transit Output

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RAD 30 – Student Action log
Number of
Errors found
in this extract

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Grade Error

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• Using Argos to generate a report of error messages
Rad 30 Error Report

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Banner Form affected

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Look at the RAD 30 EQUIV extract carefully

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What we now know
• Transit Reports
– Can identify errors in the Banner student bridge
– Shows which forms in Banner the error stems
from
– Modify Surecode if this is a global error - such
as a missing grade code
– Help identify changes during testing

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Getting IT involved
• Do your research
• Provide as much information as possible
• Document your request
• Use the Commons
• Provide a deadline
• Have campus wide support for the software

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• Report on student accepted to Grad School
but have not posted undergrad degree
• Identifying students who need to file to
graduate based on percentage complete
• Identify students who lack concentrations
• Report on repeat process
– Physic 3010 D + taken Spring 2012
– Physic 3010 W taken Spring 2013
• W marked as included. Generate report to see how
many other students had the same issue.
Reports generated as a result of Degree Works

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Marketing Efforts

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Degree Works in the Portal

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Changes to our Graduation Office
• Students can request change of catalog to use Degree
Works fully.
• Degree Works is now the major/minor sheet for students
filing intents.
• Clarification of policy to reflect what is displayed on
Degree Works
• Substitutions are loaded as soon as we receive the
request.
• We customized the audit to have a signature line for
students and advisors on the PDF printout.

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Current Challenges
• SEP
• Getting to understand error messages
• Advisor expectations
• You know I wish Degree Works would…..
• Student expectations
• My Degree Works is not showing ….
• Report
• Can Degree Works track……

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Thank you!
Dr. Evelyn Roach
Degree Audit Specialist
Office of the Registrar
East Tennessee State University
roache@etsu.edu