OnePurdue launching new student systems

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — OnePurdue began releasing its fourth and final major software package on July 7, reaching a milestone in a project that began more than three years ago.

SunGard Higher Education’s Banner Student module, which comprises every new student system except financial aid (released in February), is being rolled out over a two-week period, July 7-21. Its numerous functions will allow all students and faculty to access up-to-date, “real-time” information and perform several tasks online that they could not before.

Purdue North Central also is releasing Banner, although its implementation schedule and functionality is slightly different than that at West Lafayette.

The University is using Banner to prepare for the fall 2008 semester. All faculty and students will access it through the new myPurdue Internet portal beginning July 21.

Among its numerous features, the faculty will be able to post grades online and assign plus/minus grades, and students will have the ability to drop and add classes — and register for them online — from any computer, day and night.

“These new systems will allow our students to manage a variety of data with just a click of a mouse,” said Provost Randy Woodson at a June 10 ceremony commemorating the software launch. “Banner is already making it easier for students receiving financial aid.”

Several University leaders from both West Lafayette and North Central spoke at the event, including Woodson; Morgan R. Olsen, executive vice president and treasurer; Pam Horne, dean of admissions; North Central Chancellor James Dworkin; and Tom Robinson, vice president for student services.

OnePurdue Executive Director Gary Newsom emphasized that though one chapter of the project is closing, work will continue on an ongoing basis to continually improve the new systems.

“There is no finish line,” Newsom said. “We have laid a good foundation, and now will continue to build on it to make sure that OnePurdue remains a cutting-edge system that evolves with Purdue and meets its needs.”

Purdue faculty finally get plus/minus grading option

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Plus/minus grading, approved by the Purdue University Senate in 1997, will finally become a reality beginning this fall after the new Banner student systems go online in July.

This has been something that much of the faculty has wanted for several years, according to Registrar Bob Kubat. But it would have required too many changes to the Purdue’s “legacy” computing systems for it to be practical.

“The amount of time, money and energy that would have had to be invested in this was simply deemed to be too great,” Kubat said. “But Banner can implement it with no trouble at all.

“This is not an enhancement to Banner, but part of its standard grading functionality.”

James McGlothlin, associate professor of health sciences and director of the occupational and environmental health sciences graduate program, said, “Plus/minus grading will give the faculty more opportunities to grade on a continuum. Some faculty will want to stick with whole grades, while others may prefer the plus/minus option.

“The most important thing the faculty should remember for this fall semester (and beyond) is to make sure they describe their grading schemes very clearly in each class syllabus. The students need know how they are being evaluated and how their grades were derived.”

Kubat said that grades will remain on a 4.0 scale.

“An A+ and an A will still be a 4.0, while an A- will be weighted as 3.7 when calculating total index points for each class,” he said. “Index points will be computed by Banner, so faculty will only need to select a grade from a drop-down menu when entering them online.”

The new grading policy, which will include a chart showing the weight of each possible grade, will be included in the upcoming version of the University Regulations.

In addition, this new grading option will be for undergraduates only.

“Graduate students don’t normally receive plus and minus grades.” Kubat said.

Both Kubat and McGlothlin agree that some “consistency” issues still need to be resolved.

Kubat said, “Will each faculty member use plus/minus grading, or will departments, schools and colleges make their own individual policies? This is something the Senate and deans will need to decide.”

Kubat emphasized that the faculty won’t be required to give plus and minus grades.

“This will just be another option for them,” he said.