PeopleTools 8.55 and PeopleSoft Campus Solutions 9.2 upgrade

The University has started to plan for the upgrades to both PeopleTools 8.55 in April 2017, and PeopleSoft Campus Solutions (PS CS) 9.2 in February 2018.

PeopleTools 8.55 is a prerequisite of PS CS 9.2, and will provide facelifts to the user interface, such as a more contemporary look to different menus and functions. Released in December 2015, PS CS 9.2 delivers new visual guides to help casual users better navigate the system and execute activities more easily. ASR has begun the initial stages of planning for this project. Carrie Otto has agreed to lead the PS CS 9.2 upgrade project.

A rough timeline has been developed by the Administrative Computing Steering Committee (ACSC) and the Operation Advisory Steering Committee (OASC).

• May-June 2016
• Preparation activities: gather, itemize, and familiarization of resources
• Build project plan details
• Form teams, organize project
• July-January 2017
• July-August
• Educate IT staff and gain familiarity of PS9/T8.55
• Review release notes
• Release test instance, OIT
• September-January
• ASR fit gap kick-off, October
• Fit gap & priority determinations
• Review/redesign business process
• MIDHEUG updates from other schools upgrading
• January-April 2017
• Testing of tools
• Update documentation for tools
• Determine tech resources for code, design, and testing
• May 2017-February 2018
• Finalize CS 9.2 design changes
• Retrofits and coding, developers
• Testing
• Training, communication, documentation, and change control
• February 2018
• Go live

Strategic direction for ASR

Thank you to all ASR staff who attended the session on Retention and Graduation at the spring ASR staff event. We appreciate your willingness to engage with one another on this topic. After the event, we collected your suggestions and have begun to map out how ASR might implement them.

A few items are already in progress:

1. Provide students with more counseling, especially financial.
• As the final handful of One Stop counselors become certified Financial Wellness Counselors, we will be able to offer more individual appointments for students.
• Starting this summer, a small cadre of Office of Student Finance staff will also complete the Financial Wellness certification. This way, even more staff will be equipped to teach and help students become more financially aware.
2. Help students better understand borrowing.
• This summer, undergraduate students who have taken out loans while at the University will be presented with “Borrowing history” when they navigate to the “Accept/Decline” page in MyU’s My Finances. 
• Students will be directed to their “borrowing history” information annually and will be able to view a copy of it any time after within their communication center (in Student Center). 

Passing the Tech Tuesday torch

ASR Tech Tuesdays will be taking a short break from its weekly gatherings during July and August. As you may have heard, its founder and co-host, Amanda Miklik, will be leaving the University, and is seeking volunteers to replace her as co-host along with Jeremy Todd.

Amanda will be holding a final information session for those who are interested in getting involved in leading Tech Tuesdays, but think it would be too much work, or too scary, or too advanced (all of which Amanda promises it’s not!). The session will include a Google Hangout option.

Take a look at previous Tech Tuesday topics at z.umn.edu/techtuesdays.

Topic: How to host Tech Tuesdays: a tech talk pep talk!
Date: Tuesday, June 28, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Location: FraserH-B20
Google Hangout video link: https://plus.google.com/hangouts/_/umn.edu/repeat-session

ASR Conference Calendar

There is a new Google calendar called “ASR Conference Calendar” that has been shared with all ASR staff members. Staff have been given access to update this calendar.

Previously, staff members were directed to use a Google spreadsheet to communicate conference attendance; the spreadsheet is no longer necessary. By using the new calendar, all staff will be able to see conferences to which any ASR staff are attending.

If you did not receive an email with a link to add the calendar, you can do so in the Google Calendar app:

• Click on “Other calendars” drop down arrow
• Select “Add coworker’s calendar”
• Copy and paste: umn.edu_togdfn15bfthftp5343baufjjc@group.calendar.google.com
• Hit enter

Entries will appear at the top of the calendar as all-day events.

When creating a conference entry include:

• What: Name of organization of the conference, summit, or forum 
• Where: Location
• When: Start and end dates
• A description of the event and or sponsoring organization is always helpful.
• Optional: listed attendees 

Sign-up for Advising Update newsletter

The Office of Undergraduate Education (OUE) has created a new newsletter for undergraduate academic advisors. It is used to share updates and promote awareness of initiatives that inform advising practices. Planned topics for the newsletter include:

• graduation and retention rates,
• student survey data results,
• transfer student initiatives,
• tuition and financial aid,
• educational policy,
• and updates from OUE coordinated committees.

While the content is created with undergraduate advisors in mind, it is available to anyone interested in the topics. You can read the June edition and/or sign up to receive future editions.

Summer in The School Yard

The School Yard on the McNamara Alumni Center lawn

Looking to soak up some rays on your lunch break? Grab a co-worker (or two or three) and visit The School Yard on the McNamara Alumni Center lawn!

With the goal of making full use of the park outside McNamara, The School Yard program invites all students, faculty, and staff to have some healthy fun in the Minnesota sun. Enjoy Wednesday concerts, lunchtime fitness classes, yard games, and more. As the summer heat rises, don’t forget your water bottle!

Join The School Yard newsletter, or take a look at the list of activities and concerts on The School Yard Facebook page.

Hurry sickness: do you have it?

Do you rush from meeting to meeting? Do you often over-commit your time, sometimes even skipping lunch? Does your work week sometimes feel like a never-ending cycle of panic?

If you answered yes—or even considered yes—to the questions above, you may suffer from “hurry sickness.” Discover new strategies that can help you slow down and make the most of your time »