New Computer System At Colorado State University Helps Students Track Progress Toward Graduation
Tuesday, May 5, 1998
FORT COLLINS--A new computer system introduced at Colorado
State University will help students and faculty advisers monitor
progress toward graduation.
The GUIDE system, or Gateway to University and Individual
Degree Evaluation, is a degree tracking program that was launched
this spring. The program uses a computer printout to show
students how completed course work fits into their degree
programs as well as which course requirements remain. This
spring, 10,200 students, including all juniors and seniors,
received printouts to help them achieve their academic goals.
GUIDE has been in development since 1993, and will be sent to all
academic departments, juniors and seniors at the end of each
term.
"This system will help students understand requirements and
will encourage faculty and student communication," said Steve
Dahl, associate registrar. "It enables students to see at a
glance where they stand and what they need to do to complete a
degree. With GUIDE, students and advisers will be able to focus
on achieving goals and spend less time on paperwork and record
keeping."
Training and brochures will be provided to each department
that chooses to participate in the GUIDE system. "Only 13
departments are not yet using GUIDE, our hope is that all
departments will be participating within a year," Dahl said.
The GUIDE system compares a student's completed course work
against the catalog program requirements for each major, minor
and concentration the student has declared. The forms show
courses and credits completed, grades and grade point averages,
course options for needed credits and progress toward meeting
university, college and departmental requirements. The forms are
designed to give students an early warning and an understanding
of requirements.
"GUIDE is a tool that does not replace advising," said
Kenneth Blehm, associate professor and director of undergraduate
education in the department of environmental health. "New
advisers or advisers who are unfamiliar with new requirements
will have information at their fingertips. It is provided to aid
advisers and students in their decision making and long-term
planning. Advisers will benefit as much as students in time
savings."
With GUIDE, departments will no longer need to manually
update check sheets and calculate grade point averages each term.
These processes will be computerized and will happen
automatically each term.
The introduction of the GUIDE system is part of the
university's effort to use technology to better serve students,
faculty and staff.
"GUIDE greatly advances our mission as a university to help
our students achieve their goals," said Don Hesser, director of
Information Systems at Colorado State. "Students and advisers
will continue to benefit from GUIDE technology as it incorporates
more and more functions."
A secondary function for GUIDE is being developed to help
students who are considering switching majors. This new function
will compare students completed course work with requirements of
any available major. This function will show student's what
additional course work would be needed to complete a different
degree program. This additional service will be available within
a year.
Future plans also include putting the GUIDE system online
within a year. Students will be able to access GUIDE through a
web browser whenever they want to look up their current status.
This page © 1997-1998 World Wide Express, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Many news stories on RamLine.com come from the Colorado State University Public Relations Office. You can get copies of the news releases directly by filling out this form.