NEW STAFF
Chante Chatman - Information Processing
JoAnn Martinez - Information Processing
Monica Juneau - Student Financial Services
STAFF LEAVING
STAFF PROMOTIONS
Birthdays
Abbi Pfister - April 2
Cindy Castro - April 3
Myriah Garcia - April1 3
Paola Sotomayer - April 15
Claudia Favela - April 27
Lorinda Lamb - April 29
Anniversaries
Ron Moss
- 15 years!Sylvia Wiseman - 10 years
Ginger Oravsky - 8 years
Rod Del Rio - 8 years
Marilyn Prokup - 8 years
Stephanie Nonnemacher - 7 years
Stephen Forrest - 6 years
Cheryl Swift - 3 years
Abbi Pfister - 1 year
DES Imaging Update
by Laura Ries
In the past year, SMU has been busy implementing ImageNow and some of its functions. The first project was to convert current EC Image users to the new system. Once they were up and running, other schools and offices are scheduled to implement the imaging system.
In the meantime, DES has been working on adding functions that will improve processes. Three projects in test are capturing transfer transcripts, automatically indexing emails sent to students and using HP multifunction copiers to scan.
Using work flow within ImageNow, we are able to capture transfer transcripts information and load it into PeopleSoft directly. This alleviates the need to manually input the information. Testing is in the final stages.
Financial Aid can have up to 5,000 emails that are sent to students that need to be captured into the imaging system. With the old system, the emails were printed, scanned and then indexed. Since conversion, we’ve been able to skip the printing and scanning but indexing remains a manual process. We are testing the system ‘reading’ the subject line and automatically index the emails. This should be implemented in the spring.
Another function of ImageNow is its ability to interact with HP multi-function printers. The printer can be used to scan the documents and send to ImageNow to index. Using the printer to scan will allow some groups to have an option to do front end scanning.
Implementing ImageNow and its functions has kept SMU busy. Conversion rolling out to other schools and offices, capturing transfer transcripts, automatically indexing emails sent to students and using HP multifunction copiers to scan have made for an interesting year.
Building Bridges
by Angie Flores
The Student Account Services (SAS) Team is currently working with the staff of each Graduate
School to provide seamless service to better assist our students. The purpose of teaming with the Graduate Schools is to help both departments understand each other’s responsibilities. During the month of March the SAS Team met with the Dedman College group. This meeting was very enjoyable and a huge success. Each term, before payment due date, the staff in Dedman College will provide a list of Dedman College Scholarship recipients. This is a challenge for the College; however, will assist SAS greatly. Having this list assists the SAS Team by providing the most accurate information on student accounts. This helps with collection efforts by preventing the student from being recommended for cancellation, incurring late fees, or past due fees.Once again, with the beginning of a new academic year, it is the goal of Student Account Team to meet with the Law, Engineering, Theology, Business, and Dispute Resolution Departments. Working together and building a relationship with the Graduate Schools will provide a pleasant and professional experience for the departments and the student. Communication is the key to solving issues in a proactive manner. According to Associate Director of Student Accounts, Anna Gomez, “Our motto is building bridges across the SMU campus to better serve our students as well as strengthen inter-departmental relationships.”
Some of our VIPs this month are:
Tali Keorner - thank you again for composing and sending this on short notice for us. [e-mail on weather reports and American Airline cancellations] I had a number of families at Mustang Days comment on it and expressed their appreciation for it. While I had two families tell me directly it changed their minds about cancelling their trips, most families simply appreciated we thought it important enough to them to communicate our interest/concern. The small stuff can really matter!! We very much appreciate this important contribution you made to the success of the program.
Admission Staff - congratulations on two great Mustang Days. Even with record numbers of students and families, the weather, and airplane delays, everyone seemed to have a great time.
Jerrod Harrell
-
I just wanted to say thank you for all your hard work during our Mustang Days
this past March and April. It is always nice to have somebody that will fill in
as necessary during an event such as Mustang Days. The event was a success
because of people like you! Thank you again!
Highlights
of SMU’s Upcoming Academic Ceremonies
by Gretchen
C. Voight
The University’s annual Honors Day Convocation is scheduled for Monday, April 21. You will notice a few additions to this year’s event -- an a cappella performance by the Meadows Chorale and processional music by a string trio, led by Professor Larry Palmer. Professor Willard Spiegelman, Duwain E. Hughes Jr. Distinguished Professor of English, will give an address titled Success and Obedience: A List of Suggestions and Advice. A reception in the Umphrey Lee Ballroom will immediately follow the ceremony. We encourage all of the SMU community to attend the event beginning at 5:30 p.m. in McFarlin Auditorium.
Commencement Convocation is one of the happiest days on campus, and is only weeks away! Approximately 2,100 students will become alumni on May 17, and we anticipate that 1,000 candidates will attend the Commencement ceremony. Dr. Allen Weinstein, the historian who oversees the nation’s presidential libraries, will deliver the Commencement address. Professor Weinstein heads the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). NARA is an independent federal agency that preserves the permanent records of the federal government. NARA's 38 facilities include the National Archives headquarters in Washington, DC and 13 presidential libraries. The newest addition is the George W. Bush Presidential Library Center which will be located on our campus. If you’re curious how the Bush Library will change/enhance our campus, I’m confident most of your questions will be answered during Professor Weinstein’s address.
After years of research, Professor Lorn Howard, Chief Marshal Emeritus, completed a document titled Commencement Development: 1916 – 1988. We now have a complete history of SMU’s academic ceremonies and traditions! Professor Howard will present an overview of this document at the May DES meeting on Wednesday, May 7. This special meeting will be devoted to academic ceremonies – past and present – and will serve as an excellent venue to ask questions about Commencement Weekend. Diploma ceremony coordinators throughout campus have been invited to attend the May 7 breakfast meeting.
If you have any questions about the most exciting weekend on campus or wish to volunteer, please contact Gretchen Voight at gcvoight@smu.edu or 214.768.2037.
Important Dates
Quotation of the Month
SMU Trivia
Question
Answer Student Authorized Accounts
A project is in the works that will
allow students to create and manage Access.SMU accounts that have view
access to the student’s educational data. This project is scheduled to go
live in production on June 21. The current system of hard copy release forms
will be abolished; students will control the release of information through
Access.SMU student self-service. Students will be able to grant view access
to any person within Access.SMU who has a defined relationship with the student.
The student may request a new relation be created. Currently, they may grant
some or all of the following areas: Academic Record (enrollment, grades, etc),
Holds, Financials (account balance, and Financial Aid). If needed, a new account
will be created (an automated process). The student may at any time modify or
remove the access. When a person has been granted a Student
Authorized Account, they will go through an authentication process, and will
then be able to login. If the person already has an account for another reason
(e.g. an employee), then the new access will be available immediately. They will
be able to select students who have granted them access, and view data the
student has approved. These pages are modeled after the Student Center (student
self-service pages). The Relationships page will show whether or
not there is a student release on file for a student’s relation. There will a
page available to staff to see to whom a student has granted access, and which
areas have been approved.
Summer School Registration Off to a Good Start
Thanks to the efforts of many people, Summer School Registration is off to a
good start. The schools have been very instrumental as they have provided
courses for the Prelude students and the student athletes who are attending
summer school. In addition, the schools have increased their offerings of
General Education and Cultural Fundementals classes. SMU in Taos and
Education Abroad continue to added courses and destinations that are very
attractive to our students.
Financial Aid and Student Financial Services continue to explore ways to
increase financial assistance for students to attend summer school. The
zero percent loan is offered again this year and additional dollars are
available through several initiatives in Financial Aid.
Summer programming is expanding through a partnership with Residence Life and
with the Dedman Center. There will be a "Welcome" event at the beginning
of each summer term. We hope to provide mini trips to highlight Dallas --
such as boating on White Rock Lake, going to the many museums, and trips to area
sporting events.
Summer in the City will be Degrees above the Rest in 2008. Check us out at
www.smu.edu/summer .
April 22 -Last day to
withdraw from the University
April 30 - Last day of instruction
May 1&2 - Reading days
May 3-9 - Examinations
May 10 - Residence Halls close
May 16 - Baccalaureate
May 17 - Commencement
May 26 - Memorial Day
Holiday
Science and Technology revolutionize our lives, but memory, tradition and myth
frames our response.
Lydia Maria Child
