By the fall of 2008, the way Prairie View students will interact with the university will change dramatically. The school’s main software system, which currently serves as the database for Panthertracks, Web CT, and online admissions programs will be completely replaced by a new database system called Banner.
Faculty and students will find new conveniences with the Banner database system. Administration will benefit from being able to instantly compare the effectiveness of recruitment strategies like Pantherland Day through the new system, and the information gathered will allow the recruitment and admissions office to be more cost-efficient. Managing the classes that will be needed most during each semester will also be aided by the Banner System, allowing enrollment management to ensure the maximum number of students will be enrolled in needed classes.
Christa Molloy, project manager for the Benchmarks implementation program, said the implementation of the Banner project began in Feburary 2006, and went online earlier this month with admissions and recruitment services, but will not be completed until the fall of 2008. The project is currently on schedule.
The Panthertracks system will not be replaced, but will be moved to a server system with Banner so that there will be less downtime needed for students to check their status through Panthertracks. The regular maintenance for the servers will require that Panthertracks occasionally shut down, but the times it will be unavailable will be made known to students in advance.
The registrar’s office and admissions will also be made more self-service with the new system, Molloy added. Prospective students will be able to provide the university with personal information before officially enrolling or applying, and admissions decisions will be made more automatic, allowing the staff to concern themselves with other duties and become more efficient.
“We’re starting from the ground up with Banner,” said Molloy. “Knowing the problems in the old system, we’ve used the lessons learned from it to build something new and better for students.”
The project has already recruited a number of students who have joined implementation teams which work to test and improve the system, but more assistance is needed. Students are urged to call 936-261-9350 if they wish to be a part of an implementation team or e-mail the Benchmarks project at benchmarks@pvamu.edu.