Computer upgrades move ND closer to Web-registration
By Jason McFarley
News Writer
Following this week's preliminary round of testing, the University is now one step closer to having an Internet-based class registration system by November, officials said Thursday.
Those closely connected with the project warned that implementing the new system by the Nov. 8 start of registration is still no guarantee.
"We're trying to be prepared to have some usable form of registration, hopefully online," said Don Steinke, assistant registrar.
And Notre Dame may be on track to do so, following what Steinke called the "crossing of an initial hurdle" in the implementation process.
That hurdle comes in the form of upgrading current University software, a process officials said is necessary for ushering in Web registration. Software testing began this week, with the analysis of systems in the University's admissions departments.
As of Thursday, no difficulties in upgrading the software had been reported.
"That [testing admissions software] was a critical step in our being able to move forward," said registrar Harold Pace.
The next stage in the process includes upgrading other University departments' software over the course of the next two months, according to Steinke. While the change to Web registration will require an upgrade of the entire Notre Dame system, experts plan to focus their efforts on testing software in the offices of the registrar, financial aid and student accounts — departments in which problems would delay the process indefinitely.
"If any one of these [departments] experiences problems, it would certainly be a showstopper," Steinke said.
Barring any setbacks, a group of about 2,000 students, probably members of one University grade level, would be the first to test the new system when they register for spring semester courses. If all goes well with this experimental group, officials expect to utilize the system for the course drop/add period in January 2001. It would then be fully in place by next April, when students register for the 2001 fall semester.
All News Stories for Friday, September 15, 2000
