The Standard

Issue date: 10/30/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Matt Moore

Computer services was recently awarded a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to upgrade and unify information systems for Missouri State's Springfield and West Plains campuses.

Jeff Morrissey, director of computer services, said the cooperative grant will provide $500,000 each year for five years and was the only one of its kind awarded by the department. It will be divided between the Springfield and West Plains campuses.

"About 20 percent will go towards the West Plains campus, while 80 percent will stay in Springfield," he said.

Morrissey said he was informed of the award in June.

Kent Thomas, Missouri State's enterprise resource planning project manager, said the grant will help merge two campus information systems that are almost completely separate, making it more efficient.

"The way that we run the system now is that we run separate campuses with a unified e-mail system," he said. "(The new system) allows a more focused effort to get information you need."

Morrissey said students should notice a difference. The system will be less complex, and improvements will help with things like paying bills, getting transcripts and securing student data.

"These (changes) are about how you can do business with the university," he said.

Another improvement is that students will no longer need to provide social security numbers to conduct business with the university, Morrissey said.

"We are removing social security numbers from the system, and they will only be stored with those offices that need to have them," he said.

"'M' numbers" will replace social security numbers, Morrissey said. An 'M' number will be assigned by the university and will consist of an 'M' and eight digits, with 'M' representing Missouri State.

Thomas said the student module will be customizable, and students will be able to access different systems, like Blackboard and student information by using their 'M' numbers and a single password or personal identification number.

Students will start using 'M' numbers when registration for the fall 2009 semester begins in April, Thomas said.

Morrissey said plans to upgrade and unify the information systems for Missouri State's Springfield and West Plains campuses are already underway and will continue through July 2009.

Continued...

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