PeopleTools 8.56 update

PeopleTools, the PeopleSoft development platform, will be updated June 1-2, 2019. The update includes new homepages and navigation options. All PeopleSoft users will start receiving messages about one month prior to the update with more information on what to expect, including an overview video and detailed guides on the new features.

Mid-term alerts project wrap-up

Last fall we began a project to improve the mid-term alerts process (see story from November). Our findings and recommendations fall into four different areas:

• Terminology: There are several terms in use for mid-term grades which has caused confusion. We recommend using one term: “academic alerts.” This would encompass/replace “mid-term grades,” “mid-term alerts,” “in-progress notifications,” and “progress reports.”
• Communications: We currently send a start-of-term policy email and a follow-up email to 1xxx-level instructors with information about academic alerts and will continue to send these. In the messages, we added language about the benefits of academic alerts and provided more information about how the alerts are used. We recommend expanding the recipient list beyond 1xxx-level instructors. We have heard from advisors that it is important to have this information on how the student is performing across all their classes, not just the 1xxx-level instructors.
• Policy: We recommend expanding the policy beyond 1xxx-level classes (possibly all) and beyond D, F, and N grades (possibly all). We would need to update the FAQ regarding systems (if not using PeopleSoft to collect the alerts).
• Systems: We recommend transitioning from PeopleSoft to APLUS to collect academic alerts either via Canvas or “Instructor view” (there are advantages and concerns with each). We should continue to require progress reports for student-athletes as this is working well with a high compliance rate.

If you have questions or feedback on this effort, please contact Adrienne Bricker (abricker@umn.edu). This information was presented at the March RAC meeting and slides are available on page 84.

ASR Student Success Analytics update

ASR’s student data and analytics team released the Degree Progress dashboard on December 27, 2018. The dashboard provides summary-level degree progress data to users who can then drill down to student-level detail either by entry term or by plans.

Since then, the team has been meeting with Twin Cities campus colleges to provide training for this strategic dashboard. Once the initial training is completed, ASR the Student Degree Progress team will follow up with colleges to review dashboard features and share what they are hearing from other colleges, understand what student success issues the college is working on and what opportunities there could be, hear ideas on what would make the dashboard more user friendly or usable for collegiate staff and discuss next steps both in terms of new dashboards being developed and how we can better support the college(s). Each college will determine how the tool fits with their strategic plan and who will receive access.

FERPA Q&A

Q: When a staff member ends employment but keeps their U of M Google Calendar, is it an issue that they may be able to view current employees’ calendars, possibly with confidential student information? Should current employees stop sharing their calendar with former employees?

A: Confidential student information should not be shared via a Google calendar. Not all staff retain access to their U of M Google calendars once they leave, but some certainly do, such as alumni. To be cautious, current staff should edit their sharing settings in their U of M Google calendar to end sharing with someone that has left the university. If staff have their calendars set to public or available to the U of M Twin Cities, the calendar cannot contain any private student information or it will violate FERPA either way.

NameCoach software for commencement

We previously announced new software called NameCoach that can aid with name pronunciation. At the beginning of April, NameCoach will be available to use for commencement. The project team who is implementing NameCoach has been in contact with commencement coordinators across the system campuses and will be granting access and providing training in March.

Using NameCoach for commencement will give readers the opportunity to practice names before an event. It helps to simplify the process of gathering name pronunciations and phonetic spellings and has been positively reviewed as an easy-to-use tool. View NameCoach’s commencement information. For questions about NameCoach or access for commencement events, contact Nate Peterson (pete2787@umn.edu).

The project team is currently working with Canvas to implement NameCoach in Canvas in the near future. We will share that information as it becomes available.

Certificate of Attendance

In partnership with the Office of Student Affairs and Printing Services, the Office of the Registrar will be issuing certificates of attendance for students who pass away during their time at the Twin Cities campus but do not qualify for a posthumous degree. The certificate was adapted from one created by University of Minnesota Duluth and will carry the signature of the President and Executive Vice President and Provost. A template is available to view. The intent is to present the certificates to the students’ families at the Northern Stars Student Remembrance ceremony, held for the first time in Spring 2018. Please direct any questions or feedback to Adrienne Bricker (abricker@umn.edu).

Policy review/updates

• The Senate Committee on Educational Policy (SCEP) took a first look at the Withholding Diplomas and Official Transcripts policy at its February meeting. The dollar amount in the policy may be increased and other minor language changes are also being considered. If you have feedback or requested changes for this policy, please email tidball@umn.edu.
• SCEP reviewed the Holds on Records policy at its February meeting and some minor language changes, as well as new FAQs, are likely. If you have feedback or requested changes for this policy, please email tidball@umn.edu.
• In response to feedback, we made a minor change to the Grading and Transcripts policy to clarify that we were referring to the term GPA for the dean's list. (See section E7 of the policy.)

FERPA Q&A

Q: When does the health and safety emergency exception to FERPA apply?

A: FERPA allows school officials to share private student information in the event of a health or safety emergency if disclosure is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals. It is limited to the time period of the emergency, and can’t be a blanket disclosure of information. Whether a disclosure is needed is on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the whole circumstances, and there needs to be a “significant” threat to health and safety. Contact Stacey Tidball (tidball@umn.edu) for questions.