Using Prerequisites and Consent requirements in ECAS

If you are an Electronic Course Authorization System (ECAS) user you may have spent some time puzzling over when to use non-enforced prerequisites versus enforced prerequisites versus consent requirements. Let’s shed some light on that.

First, in ECAS there are two types of prerequisites.

Course Prerequisites for Catalog are non-enforced. This field in ECAS may be used to describe a consent, class standing, or prior class prerequisite, such as having completed a college-level algebra class at any college. Students will see this type of prerequisite in the catalog and class schedule and hopefully will self-opt out of the class if they do not meet the requirement, but it will not prevent students from registering. Course Prerequisites for Catalog are advisory in nature. If you want to enforce the prerequisite, you may use the following options.

Enforced Prerequisites restrict access a course. An example of this would be a prerequisite that says you must be a senior in the College of Science and Engineering to enroll in a particular course. In this case, the system looks at the students’ records as they attempt to register for the course. If they meet the requirements and there is space in the class, they are allowed to enroll. If not, they are excluded from the class. Those that are excluded would need a permission number or student specific permission to enroll.

In addition to prerequisites, ECAS users may also choose a Consent Requirement including Instructor, Department or College consent. Consent requirements are appropriate to use when registration for the course always requires someone’s approval, BUT be aware that this requires all students to get consent to enroll - even those that meet any course prerequisites. If you select “No Consent” in ECAS, what you are really saying is that no consent is required provided the student meets the prerequisites of the course. So, if you are using Enforced Prerequisites for a course, a Consent Requirement is often not necessary.

Student Records Training Team Bids Farewell to Gary

The Training Team will be losing a popular trainer and helpdesk expert when Gary Andersen, one of the original members of the SR Training Team, retires on Monday, Jan. 5. Gary has worked at the University for over 29 years, all of them with ASR. Gary’s friendly presence, calm demeanor, and expert knowledge will be greatly missed by the Training Team and the hundreds of staff he’s aided over the years!

We can enjoy thinking of him spending time with his two grandkids, and hiking and relaxing in sunny and warm Phoenix.

Best wishes, Gary!

Registration for Upgrade Collaborative Class Scheduling training is open

Registration is now open for the PeopleSoft 9.0 Upgrade Collaborative Class Scheduling (CCS) training that is required of all ECS schedulers as part of their Upgrade training. This class provides current ECS schedulers an overview of the changes to class scheduling resulting from the Upgrade. Staff who use ECS may use the above link to register for an in-person, hands-on session where they will learn about:

• CCS pages in PeopleSoft and page navigation
• Changes to wait lists
• Access to grading
• Introduction to Faculty Center  
• Astra Schedule (for those who schedule classes into departmental classrooms)

Keep in mind:

• PeopleSoft 9.0 Upgrade Collaborative Class Scheduling (CCS) training will be offered in both Duluth and the Twin Cities. Staff should make sure they are selecting the appropriate location when registering.
• It is recommended (though not required) that ECS users complete the Student Systems Upgrade Overview prior to their PeopleSoft 9.0 Upgrade Collaborative Class Scheduling (CCS) training session.
• Neither of these trainings will be used to grant new access. Those who do not already have access to Campus Solutions or are not current ECS users will need to complete additional training.

Upgrade Overview training is now available online

The PeopleSoft Upgrade will bring changes not only to PeopleSoft, but to the processes it supports. The Student Systems Upgrade Overview training, which will prepare users for these changes is now available in ULearn. This training is required for all staff with access to student data in PeopleSoft.

The Student Systems Upgrade Overview is an online course. Staff may complete it at their own pace and on their own schedule between now and when the Upgrade goes live. Most people should be able to complete this course in 30 minutes or less.

Upon completion of this course, staff will understand:

• Upgrade-related changes to functionality in the new MyU portal
• Self Service centers
• Reporting Center
• Business process changes specific to Student Records staff
• How and where to find self-study materials on specific processes not covered in the overview

Keep in mind:

• The Student Systems Upgrade Overview will not be used to grant new access. Those who need to be granted access to Campus Solutions should complete the Access Request Form and both Student Data Inquiry and the Student Systems Upgrade Overview prior to the Upgrade go-live.
• Staff may complete the course more than one time. Staff are welcome to complete it now and then repeat it closer to go-live.

Prepare your PS Favorites for the Upgrade

Do you rely on your Favorites menu in PeopleSoft to conduct your work? Favorites that users have saved in PS 8.9 will not be moved into PS 9.0 when we upgrade. Rather, users will need to set up their Favorites in the upgraded system when it goes live in February. Start to prepare now by making list, or taking a screen print, of your Favorites drop down menu in 8.9. Then, use our PeopleSoft Quick Reference Guide to learn the navigational paths to the pages you need.

Note: A few PS pages will move to different folder locations or be renamed as part of the Upgrade. An updated, 9.0 version of the PeopleSoft Quick Reference Guide reflecting these changes will be provided in the Student Systems Upgrade Overview training.

Learn about how The Upgrade will affect students

The ASR Training team encourages staff who support students (e.g., advisers and student services staff) to attend a Student Experience Preview session, being held on all campuses now through early December. These sessions will provide staff with information about how The Upgrade will affect students and will include demonstrations of class registration, bill payment, and viewing financial aid.

PeopleSoft 9.0 Upgrade training - Coming soon!

The ASR Training team is developing two training courses to prepare staff for The Upgrade.

• The Student Systems Upgrade Overview course will be provided online and is required of all staff who have access to student information in PeopleSoft. This online, on-demand training becomes available on December 15.

• As part of The Upgrade, Electronic Course Scheduling (ECS) will change to Collaborative Class Scheduling (CCS). Staff with access to ECS will attend an in-person Collaborative Class Scheduling class, which will cover the changes coming with CCS. Registration for this class will be available on December 15, with classes starting on January 6.

In the coming weeks, staff who have current access to student data/records and ECS will be sent invitations to complete training. For more information about training, please visit the PeopleSoft 9.0 Upgrade Training website.