VII. Access to Electronic Information

STUDENT RECORDS

STUDENT INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (SIMS)

SIMS is the Brooklyn College Student Information Management System. It is mainframe-based and operates on the CUNY central computer system. Authorized users can view registration and student records. A Web version of SIMS allows students to complete many college-related tasks.

SIMS ACCESS LAN INTERFACE (SALI)

ITS publishes a SALI Guide to assist users with the program. Contact the office for a copy.

SALI provides extracts of SIMS information. It is a Windows-based application designed to both supplement SIMS reporting facilities and reduce the need for ITS technical staff to produce standard and ad hoc reports.

SERVICES

• View class rosters
• Print class rosters from any desktop, LAN-based, or Windows-compatible printer
• View student transcripts
• Print student transcripts
• Multiple term records are provided
• Maintenance and updating of information daily from CUNY mainframe SIMS program
  

REQUIREMENTS

• SALI client software is available for Windows 3.1, Windows 95 and Windows NT

FEATURES

SALI combines user-friendly features with practical utility. Its Sort and Selection options, for example, provide a variety of on-screen and printed inquiries for the following items:

• Class Rosters
• Mailing Labels
• Export files
• Student Transcripts
• Open/Closed Sections
• Sections Taught by an Instructor

SALI INFORMATION LOCATOR

• Students can be located by by partial name, full name or student ID number. It can search a course by reference numbers or other, specific identifiers.

SALI COMMUNICATION

• The program provides the timesaving feature of allowing you to e-mail a student directly from the roster.

SALI SECURITY

• SALI is secure and uses the most advanced security technology.
• Levels of user security are implemented that admit or restrict access through personal IDs configured for specific disciplines or courses.

SALI REPORTS

SALI can produce tabular reports of student records based on specific criteria. You can create your own set of parameters with these tabs and save them for future inquiries. The criteria are as follows:

• Admission Code
• Admission Status
• Billing Code
• Credits Earned
• Division (Day, Evening, Grad)
• Ethnicity
• Grade Point Average (GPA)
• Group Code
• Honors Earned
• Major Code (Maximum: 2)
• Minor Code (Maximum: 2)
• Residence
• SEEK
• Stop Code

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WebSTUDENT INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (WebSIMS)

WebSIMS is an ambitious Internet program that allows students to complete many college-related tasks quickly and easily from any computer with Internet access. (IVR, the Interactive Voice Response program, will remain available.)

SERVICES

• Check Course Availability
• Check Financial Aid
• Change SIMS PIN or Personal Information (including e-mail address)
• File for Graduation
• Pay BC Bills and Fees by Credit Card
• Register for Courses
• Request and Official Bill
• Request Official Grade Letters
• View Billing and Financial Aid Information
• View Current Schedule
• View Transcript and Grades

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INTERNET FACILITIES

INTERNET ACCESS ON CAMPUS

The ITS Help Desk provides Internet-related information and arranges Internet access.

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INTERNET SERVICES

• World Wide Web
• File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
• Telnet
• TN3270
• Usenet (News Groups)

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INTERNET ACCESS OFF CAMPUS

• Off-Campus Internet access can be obtained by subscribing to any Internet Service Provider.

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BC WEB PAGES

• The College Web sites are organized into three main pages.
  1. OFFICIAL BC WEB PAGE
     www.brooklyn.cuny.edu
     
     

     CONTACT	FOR TECHNICAL ISSUES Information Technology Services (ITS) 718 951 5861
     	FOR CONTENT Public Relations 718 951 5882	or	College Information & Publications 718 951 5163

  2. ACADEMIC MAIN WEB PAGE
     
     

     CONTACT	FOR TECHNICAL ISSUES Information Technology Services (ITS) 718 951 5861
     	FOR CONTENT AND STRUCTURE Academic Information Technology (AIT) 718 951 4634	or	Advisory Committee On Academic Computing (ACAC) 718 951 5342

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MAJORDOMO (Mailing List Server)

Majordomo is an electronic mailing list server, very much like ListServ. It receives e-mail from users who wish to subscribe or un-subscribe to mailing lists or gain access to list archives. Majordomo is similar to a newsgroup or forum, except that the e-mail messages are transmitted as e-mail and therefore available to the individuals on the list only.

COMMUNICATING WITH MAJORDOMO

1. Send e-mail to: majordomo@brooklyn.cuny.edu.
2. Write each command (request) in the body of the e-mail.
3. Place each command on a separate line in the body of the e-mail.

Majordomo will respond via e-mail with detailed instructions. The “help” command will provide instructions for all areas listed below in “Majordomo Services”.

MAJORDOMO SERVICES

• Locate lists on the system
• Subscribe to a list
• n-subscribe from a list
• Locate lists by address
• Locate lists by name
• Retrieve files from list archives
• Request help documentation
• Request a command summary

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NEWSGROUPS

NewsGroups, like forums, are online discussion groups organized by topic. Access to NewsGroups is provided by news readers, which are components of both Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator. There are also freeware, shareware and stand-alone news readers.

ENTERING NEWSGROUPS IN MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER

1. Click the [Discuss] icon on the right-hand side of the Internet Explorer navigation bar.
2. Follow the instructions.

ENTERING NEWSGROUPS IN NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR

1. Click [Help], located on the top-middle of the toolbar.
2. Click [Support Center?Using Netscape News & Mailgroups].
3. Follow the instructions.

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LIBRARY / RESEARCH FACILITIES

BROOKLYN COLLEGE DIGITAL LIBRARY: CUNY + (ON CAMPUS)

CUNY+ is a mainframe-based electronic library catalog maintained on the CUNY central computer systems. CUNY+ includes the collections at Brooklyn College and all other CUNY campuses. Off-campus access is available via modem to the CUNY Computer Center or via the Internet.

ELECTRONIC LIBRARY RESOURCES: OFF CAMPUS

The Brooklyn College Librarians specialize in many areas and can assist faculty with research. Visit the Web site indicated directly above to view the Librarians’ specialties, e-mail addresses and phone extensions.

PROXY

Access to licensed, published resources is provided via requests routed through an Internet server called “Proxy”. Located at the college, Proxy authenticates authorization of the user of these resources.

ELIGIBILITY

• All faculty, staff and currently enrolled students.

REQUIREMENTS

• A Brooklyn College Microsoft Outlook or Exchange e-mail account, which serves as your Proxy account.
• Web Browser: Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator

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APPLYING FOR AN E-MAIL ACCOUNT

IN PERSON, GO TO

• Information Technology Services (ITS)
  ITS Entrance, LaGuardia Library, 4th Floor, Reception
  
  or
  
• Faculty Development and Training Lab (FTDL)
  Room 382 Library, 3rd floor

ONLINE

1. Go to http://techweb.brooklyn.cuny.edu/its/text/home/pubs.htm
2. Click the [E-mail – LAN Account Application] in the “Applications & Guides” category
3. Follow instructions

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CONFIGURING YOUR WEB BROWSER FOR PROXY

There are two (2) ways to configure your browser for a proxy account.

1.  
   1. Go to http://library.brooklyn.cuny.edu/electronic_resources/facproxy.htm
   2. Follow the instructions.
2.  
   1. Go to http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/library/
   2. Click [Research Resources]
   3. Click [Proxy Accounts]
   4. Follow instructions

HELPFUL PROXY LINKS

Once you have a Proxy account and your website is configured for it, you may find these links helpful:

• Proxy Troubleshooting: http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/library/electronic_resources/troubleshooting.htm
• Online Library Resources: http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/library/electronic_resources/short_dbs.htm

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NETWORK FACILITIES

PC AND NETWORK-BASED SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS

• BC has licensed many PC software applications. See Chapter XII: Appendix, “Software Inventory”

CD-ROM SERVERS

SERVICES

• ITS and AIT have centralized CD-ROM servers containing several CD-ROM drives and titles

CD-ROM Titles

• National Phone Directory
• Zip Code Directory
• Full-text access to digital publications

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NETWORK TELEPHONE DIRECTORY

The BC website and the BC LINK kiosks provide access to several directories, including individual and department directories. The search facilities locate all entries. There are 13 kiosks, located throughout the campus as follows:

• 5 “Sit down” kiosks in Boylan Hall cafeteria.
• 1 kiosk each in the entrance to:
  • Roosevelt
  • Plaza
  • James
  • Boylan
  • Whitehead
  • Ingersoll
  • New Ingersoll
  • Student Center (formerly “SUBO”)

More kiosks are planned for the cafeteria for Spring 2004.

TELEPHONE DIRECTORY MAINTENANCE

The Brooklyn College Directory is a database-driven application accessible from the BC Web site: www.brooklyn.cuny.edu. The Directory includes expanded phone, location, e-mail, and web page information for BC faculty and staff.

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OTHER SERVICES

IFAS: INTEGRATED FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SOLUTIONS

IFAS is a mini-computer-based, integrated financial accounting system that provides easy access to consolidated financial information in areas including Budget, Accounts Payable, Payroll, and Central Stores. Eventually, IFAS will be available to all departments and will facilitate electronic, or “paperless,” submission of purchasing requisitions. IFAS training is available for new users.

The following departments currently use IFAS:

1. Accounts payable
2. Auxiliary Services
3. BC Copy Center
4. Budget
5. Budget & Planning
6. Central Routing
7. Central Stores
8. Comptroller
9. Deputy Comptroller
10. Facilities
11. Financial Reporting
12. Mail Room
13. Print Works
14. Property Management
15. Purchasing
16. Revenue Accounting

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REFERENCE RESOURCES

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