Leslie Hitchcock, Staff Writer

 In preparation for the rapidly approaching next millennium, the Appalachian State University Student Information System (SIS) is being prepared for an upgrade to put it in synch with the year 2000.

 The upgrade will take place over fall break, Oct. 9-10, which is "the optimum time to keep it from being a problem for...students," said Assistant Registrar and SIS Coordinator Don R. Rankins.

 When shut down Oct. 7. the system will be revamped to SIS "Plus" to allow administrative users more direct access to student information.  The upgrade will "consolidate subsystems and improve the functionality (of the old system)," said Rankins.

 Upgrading will enhance aspects of the current SIS, said Rankins.  "(The SIS upgrade is similar to) upgrading from DOS to Windows," he said. "It is the next logical step to getting (the) system (updated)."
 
 Some improvements of the system include classroom management options, enhanced records information, expanded course and registration controls, improved class lists, on-line placement scores, and schedule information, Rankins said.

 Under the current SIS, every time a program was started, entering a different one required the opening and closing of individual programs. The updated SIS will allow the matriculation concept, which permits each program to operate in the confines of SIS Plus, said Rankins.

 A system-to-system migration of academic records from 1985-88 began Sept. 12, Rankins said.

 A migration of all current student information has also taken place. The migration of student records involves moving transcript information, GPA  and current status., said Rankins.
 
 The migration and proofreading of a quarter of a million records will be the most difficult part of the system upgrade, said Rankins.

 During the upgrade process, the university will provide extra staff in affected university departments to answer questions and access information while computers are inaccessible.

 All university offices will be affected in terms of updating information, said office of the registrar representative Diane F. Beach.  Offices will be able to view information but will have no way to enter updates until after the transfer is complete, she said.

 Offices will be limited Oct. 7-15, she said.

 Offices of the registrar, cashier, and financial aid will also be heavily affected during this time frame, Beach said. All changes to records will be noted by operators  but not implemented and computerized until after SIS Plus is implemented.

 For example, students who call the phone registration system to drop a class during the Oct. 7-15 time frame will have their calls rereouted to the registrar's office, Beach said.

 Students will speak to an operator, who will document the information as record until it can be updated with the new system, said Beach.
 Essentially, this upgrade will affect students indirectly, said Director of Computer and Management and Information Technology Services Jeff Williams.
 
 "(This system will have) no effect on anyone else except for people who regularly use the system," said Williams.

 Williams said e-mail services will continue unaffected and student advisors will still have access to students and the World Wide Web.

 All software has been extensively modified, Williams said.

 In addition, the software  assisting the upgrade is not a new concept. "(The software) has been available since 1991 and (the university) is now just converting it," Williams said.

 Williams said this upgrade is essential to a smooth transition into the twenty-first century.

 "(This upgrade) positions (the university) for the year 2000 and (new information)," he said.

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