- Project management for the Coursedog & Chatbot projects are in-progress.
- Coursedog is in the final phases and preparing for an August 21 “go-live”.
- Chatbot implementation is in the testing phase, which is scheduled to continue through August 18.
- The four training courses we developed for Coursedog authors and approvers were recently launched.
- The OSI Project Team continues to provide oversight and guidance for WorkflowGen process transitions. For more information, see the WFG Retirement Status Update.
- Jadu work is ramping up again as we take on WFG transition initiatives, new development requests, and make updates to existing processes.
- A new Jadu work intake process was implemented last month.
- We are currently working on a new Jadu backlog, prioritization, and status dashboard for ASR staff to view to get key highlights on our work. We expect this to roll out this fall with additional project team resources.
- A new ASR project intake and prioritization process is being developed and reviewed before it is implemented for all-ASR use.
- We’ve been working with OSF to update financial aid notices (FANs) for 2023-2024, which were sent out last week to students, and to update the One Stop website for any FAFSA simplification changes.
- We updated tuition & fees on the One Stop website for 2023-2024.
- The DORS support website was recently redesigned to attract new users, highlight the benefits of using DORS, and to make getting started easier.
- We are working with the Office of Information Technology, University Content Management, the ASR Application Development team, and website stakeholders on the Drupal 10 upgrade.
- Frank is back!
Thursday, July 27, 2023
Operations & Strategic Initiatives
Staff Recognition
We want to thank and congratulate everyone involved in the successful launch of the financial aid notices! Last week, almost 21,000 students from the Twin Cities and Rochester campuses received their financial aid notices.
We want to express our sincerest gratitude to all who had a part in this process, from the importing of ISIRs, to the assigning of budgets, to verification processes, to the manual adjustments of student records, to the communication efforts, to the technical changes necessary, to the sending out of the notices, and to the handling of the calls and emails coming in. All of these steps were vital to our success, and we have our friends in OSF, ASR-IT, the UX & Content Strategy team, and One Stop to thank!
We want to express our sincerest gratitude to all who had a part in this process, from the importing of ISIRs, to the assigning of budgets, to verification processes, to the manual adjustments of student records, to the communication efforts, to the technical changes necessary, to the sending out of the notices, and to the handling of the calls and emails coming in. All of these steps were vital to our success, and we have our friends in OSF, ASR-IT, the UX & Content Strategy team, and One Stop to thank!
Wednesday, July 26, 2023
Update from Stacey
I had the wonderful opportunity to see most of you in person and give an update face-to-face at the picnic, so I’m keeping this message short. I am grateful for the work you do in ASR, and I was happy to celebrate you with our staff picnic and wellness time!
ASR Staff Engagement July 27 Survey
This week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey is summer movie themed. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences.
According to the last survey, most feel proficient at using Google products, including 25.8% who are expertly proficient. When asked about which Google product you feel most adept at using, 51.5% say Google Calendar followed by 36.4% who say Google Docs. Most respondents (48.5%) feel that further training and resources on Google products would have a positive impact on their daily work.
Finally, we asked about the last movie you watched in a movie theater. The most frequent responses were The Little Mermaid, Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. The results from the last survey are available below.
July 13, 2023 survey results
In general, on a scale from 1 (amateur) - 5 (expert), how proficient are you at using Google products (such as Google Docs, Sheets, etc.)?
According to the last survey, most feel proficient at using Google products, including 25.8% who are expertly proficient. When asked about which Google product you feel most adept at using, 51.5% say Google Calendar followed by 36.4% who say Google Docs. Most respondents (48.5%) feel that further training and resources on Google products would have a positive impact on their daily work.
Finally, we asked about the last movie you watched in a movie theater. The most frequent responses were The Little Mermaid, Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. The results from the last survey are available below.
July 13, 2023 survey results
In general, on a scale from 1 (amateur) - 5 (expert), how proficient are you at using Google products (such as Google Docs, Sheets, etc.)?
- 1 (3.2%)
- 2 (3.2%)
- 3 (25.8%)
- 4 (41.9%)
- 5 (25.8%)
- Google Docs (36.4%)
- Google Sheets (9.1%)
- Google Forms (3%)
- Google Calendar (51.5%)
- Yes (48.5%)
- No (27.3%)
- I’m not sure. (24.2%)
- Top Gun: Maverick
- Probably one of the Avengers movies. It's been a while!
- Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse 😍😍😍
- Everything Everywhere All At Once
- The new Little Mermaid!
- No Hard Feelings
- Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Thursday, July 13, 2023
One Stop Student Services
- One Stop Student Services, University Veterans Services, Graduate Student Services & Progress, Student Account Assistance, and Third Party Billing will be closed 8 a.m.-1 p.m. on Thursday, July 27 for the ASR Picnic. This includes phone, email, and in-person services at all three One Stop Student Services locations, Student Account Assistance, and Third Party Billing.
- All services will resume at 1 p.m. on July 27, except for the West Bank and St. Paul One Stop locations, which will remain closed the entire day.
- The details of this closure are being communicated to both staff and students across multiple platforms, including RAC, GPCN, and AAN. Please share this information with others as needed.
- The Financial Wellness Committee is attending the Higher Education Financial Wellness Alliance (HEFWA) Summit hosted at the University of Oregon July 15-18. This professional development opportunity has been great for collaboration and networking as we continue to grow our Financial Wellness offerings. Ralph Daby and Erin Anderson will lead a session titled “Connecting Underrepresented Student Populations with Financial Wellness.”
- The One Stop chatbot project has entered its testing phase. Counselors are working with the project team to build up the bot’s brain in preparation for the October launch date.
- Is summer over already? New student orientation is almost complete! One Stop counselors have met with new students and families and have provided two presentations daily throughout June and July. Next week is the final full week of on campus orientation. Welcome to the Class of 2027!
On-going Google Chrome browser error: “Bad Message 431”
There have been reports about an error message when logging into various University web resources that are behind authentication, like Jadu forms or our Drupal websites. The error message states: “Bad Message 431 reason: Request Header Fields Too Large”.
This issue appears to be isolated to Google Chrome, and is a caching and cookie bug that is inconsistently affecting a small number of users. Some folks may never get this message, but others may repeatedly see it. You can get rid of the message by clearing your browser cache and cookies. It is recommended to clear browsing data for “all time”, as the other timing options do not always work to prevent this error. Once you clear your browser cache and cookies, this should resolve the issue. But if it returns after a few days, clear the cache and cookies again.
This issue has been escalated to various teams in OIT who are investigating. If this issue is reported to you, please instruct the person to clear their browser cache and cookies (provide the linked instructions if needed) and to try accessing the resource again. They can also try accessing the resource from a different browser. If you have repeated issues, please contact help@umn.edu.
This issue appears to be isolated to Google Chrome, and is a caching and cookie bug that is inconsistently affecting a small number of users. Some folks may never get this message, but others may repeatedly see it. You can get rid of the message by clearing your browser cache and cookies. It is recommended to clear browsing data for “all time”, as the other timing options do not always work to prevent this error. Once you clear your browser cache and cookies, this should resolve the issue. But if it returns after a few days, clear the cache and cookies again.
This issue has been escalated to various teams in OIT who are investigating. If this issue is reported to you, please instruct the person to clear their browser cache and cookies (provide the linked instructions if needed) and to try accessing the resource again. They can also try accessing the resource from a different browser. If you have repeated issues, please contact help@umn.edu.
Mental Wellness in the Workplace
Reviving and reimagining
It’s been over a year since this group took a pause. In the next few months, we will be assembling again, and you are invited to join us. We would like to take some time to reimagine the group with your fresh ideas and perspectives. We’d like to think of ways to engage with each other about the topic of mental wellness in the workplace. Have some ideas? Join us!
While the goals and charge of the group will be redefined by group members, we do expect that all participants will take a leadership role in meetings and community opportunities. Of course, all of this can be done within your comfort level—we won’t make you stand up on stage and give a speech if that is not your jam!
Please reach out to Amanda Grimm (grim0079@umn.edu) if you are interested in joining. You can also reach out to our group sponsor Amber Cellotti (knap0071@umn.edu) with questions.
Mental Wellness Q&A
It’s been over a year since this group took a pause. In the next few months, we will be assembling again, and you are invited to join us. We would like to take some time to reimagine the group with your fresh ideas and perspectives. We’d like to think of ways to engage with each other about the topic of mental wellness in the workplace. Have some ideas? Join us!
While the goals and charge of the group will be redefined by group members, we do expect that all participants will take a leadership role in meetings and community opportunities. Of course, all of this can be done within your comfort level—we won’t make you stand up on stage and give a speech if that is not your jam!
Please reach out to Amanda Grimm (grim0079@umn.edu) if you are interested in joining. You can also reach out to our group sponsor Amber Cellotti (knap0071@umn.edu) with questions.
Mental Wellness Q&A
This section is devoted to answering general questions related to mental wellness in the workplace. Please continue to submit questions using the Mental Wellness in the Workplace Q&A form.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
Disability Pride Month
Beginning in July 2004, Disability Pride Month celebrates the passing of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), which passed in July 1990, as well as the lives, histories, and achievements of people with disabilities worldwide. Governor Tim Walz officially declared Minnesota’s recognition of the month in 2022, and there are events to celebrate the month all over the world and online.
If you’ve attended the “Abelism and Disability Justice” course offered by the Office for Equity & Diversity Education, then you’ve seen a video of the dramatic and effective protest known as “The Capitol Crawl,” where disability advocates climbed the steps of the US Capitol by any means necessary to show the need for equitable and accessible accommodations. A recent oral history of the Crawl provides background and details from those that attended.
Although the ADA has led to immense improvements, the struggle for disability justice continues. For example, this summer in Minnesota, thousands of families will visit our state parks and hike along their trails. But most of these trails are inaccessible to people with reduced mobility. Last year, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) introduced a track chair pilot program to five of its parks—a step towards making our parks available to people of every ability.
Know of other resources for celebrating Disability Pride? Please share them with the ASR DEI Community of Practice Group (ASR DEI CoP). Not a member? See below!
Join our DEI Community of Practice
Subscribe to our DEI Google Group to discuss the latest news, connect with the committee, and keep up with DEI initiatives. More information about the group and DEI committee can be found on the ASR Intranet.
Beginning in July 2004, Disability Pride Month celebrates the passing of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), which passed in July 1990, as well as the lives, histories, and achievements of people with disabilities worldwide. Governor Tim Walz officially declared Minnesota’s recognition of the month in 2022, and there are events to celebrate the month all over the world and online.
If you’ve attended the “Abelism and Disability Justice” course offered by the Office for Equity & Diversity Education, then you’ve seen a video of the dramatic and effective protest known as “The Capitol Crawl,” where disability advocates climbed the steps of the US Capitol by any means necessary to show the need for equitable and accessible accommodations. A recent oral history of the Crawl provides background and details from those that attended.
Although the ADA has led to immense improvements, the struggle for disability justice continues. For example, this summer in Minnesota, thousands of families will visit our state parks and hike along their trails. But most of these trails are inaccessible to people with reduced mobility. Last year, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) introduced a track chair pilot program to five of its parks—a step towards making our parks available to people of every ability.
Know of other resources for celebrating Disability Pride? Please share them with the ASR DEI Community of Practice Group (ASR DEI CoP). Not a member? See below!
Join our DEI Community of Practice
Subscribe to our DEI Google Group to discuss the latest news, connect with the committee, and keep up with DEI initiatives. More information about the group and DEI committee can be found on the ASR Intranet.
Update from Stacey
Since the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling against race-conscious admissions on June 29th, there have been many articles and conversations about the impacts of the decision. The system website includes some information about the decision, and future content will be added as guidance and process changes are determined.
To comply with the decision, campus admissions offices are working to obscure race and ethnicity fields from application reviewers. The University will still be able to recruit students with diversity in mind and is committed to bringing in a diverse student body. I’ll talk a bit more about the decision when we gather for our in-person all staff meeting and picnic later this month.
Another item that will be covered at our in-person meeting is ASR’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) goals. The DEI committee has been working with ASR directors on developing these goals to help us focus on where our organization needs to grow. There are five goals related to people-centered practices, accountability, administrative equity, inclusivity, and accessibility. A lot of thoughtful work has gone into developing these goals and how they will be used in ASR. Supervisors will hear more at their meeting on Monday, and the DEI committee will present in more depth during the all staff meeting.
To comply with the decision, campus admissions offices are working to obscure race and ethnicity fields from application reviewers. The University will still be able to recruit students with diversity in mind and is committed to bringing in a diverse student body. I’ll talk a bit more about the decision when we gather for our in-person all staff meeting and picnic later this month.
Another item that will be covered at our in-person meeting is ASR’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) goals. The DEI committee has been working with ASR directors on developing these goals to help us focus on where our organization needs to grow. There are five goals related to people-centered practices, accountability, administrative equity, inclusivity, and accessibility. A lot of thoughtful work has gone into developing these goals and how they will be used in ASR. Supervisors will hear more at their meeting on Monday, and the DEI committee will present in more depth during the all staff meeting.
Chatbot project for One Stop Student Services
One Stop Student Services is replacing their live agent chat with chatbot technology provided by Ivy.ai. The chatbot, “Goldy,” is the same chatbot technology the Office of Information Technology uses on their website for limited topics. The chatbot crawls web content to provide conversational responses to user questions.
The project is being led by Kristen Clements (strategic project/program management team), Trinity Muller (One Stop Student Services), and Eric Anderson (user experience & content strategy team). Testing and training is underway to help ensure accurate and consistent responses to the complex content that One Stop supports. The chatbot is planned to launch on the One Stop website in October 2023.
The project is being led by Kristen Clements (strategic project/program management team), Trinity Muller (One Stop Student Services), and Eric Anderson (user experience & content strategy team). Testing and training is underway to help ensure accurate and consistent responses to the complex content that One Stop supports. The chatbot is planned to launch on the One Stop website in October 2023.
ASR Staff Engagement July 13 Survey
This week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey asks about your proficiency with Google products. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences.
According to the last survey, most respondents did not travel over the 4th of July (67.6%). There were mixed opinions when asked about fireworks: 29.4% love them, 32.4% like them (but only on the 4th of July), 20.6% tolerate them, and 17.6% dislike them. When asked about your preference between snakes and sparklers, sparklers were the runaway favorite (70.6%).
Finally, we asked about your favorite foods to have cooked on a grill (or outdoors). Burgers and steak were tied with the most responses, followed by corn on the cob and pineapple. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. The last survey results are available below.
June 29, 2023 survey results
Are you planning to travel anywhere over the 4th of July?
According to the last survey, most respondents did not travel over the 4th of July (67.6%). There were mixed opinions when asked about fireworks: 29.4% love them, 32.4% like them (but only on the 4th of July), 20.6% tolerate them, and 17.6% dislike them. When asked about your preference between snakes and sparklers, sparklers were the runaway favorite (70.6%).
Finally, we asked about your favorite foods to have cooked on a grill (or outdoors). Burgers and steak were tied with the most responses, followed by corn on the cob and pineapple. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. The last survey results are available below.
June 29, 2023 survey results
Are you planning to travel anywhere over the 4th of July?
- Yes (32.4%)
- No (67.6%)
- I love them! (29.4%)
- I like them, but typically only on the 4th (32.4%)
- I tolerate them, but not a big fan (20.6%)
- I do not like fireworks (17.6%)
- Snakes (5.9%)
- Sparklers (70.6%)
- Neither! (11.8%)
- I don’t know what those are. (11.8%)
- Grilled cheese on the grill aka grilled, grilled cheese
- Burgers! Or any veggies
- Corn on the cob
- The grilled Caesar salad from the pop up grilling station that used to be in front of Bruininks Hall by the bridge!
- Grilled halloumi
- Fresh pineapple
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