Alum Success

Andrea Hornblower

"An opportunity like this never would have come available to me if I had not taken the program in the Sault College/LSSU International Division," Hornblower said. "My employer was very impressed with the fact that I not only had a degree in computer networking, but the hands-on knowledge, as well. This is the main reason that I was hired."

Andrea Hornblower, '06
Network Administrator
Brac Informatics Centre,
Cayman Brac, Cayman Islands

LSSU Banner Implementation

Frequently Asked Questions

Why migrate?

Lake Superior State University is currently using SCT's IA-Plus software. This software was designed over 20 years ago and is very difficult to provide, in a cost-effective manner, the functionality needed to keep LSSU competitive.

There are many advantages to migrating from our SCT IA-Plus environment to SunGard SCT Banner, including:

Banner supports 24/7 operation. Currently, our administrative system is taken offline each night at about 8:00 p.m. for batch processing. Banner's relational database will eliminate this offline need.
Banner will offer new and enhanced reporting capabilities. Banner will provide users with dynamic reporting within and across administrative areas.
Banner is user friendly. Banner will enable users to see all information in one place as opposed to accessing several separate systems for information. Banner will support self/service applications for students, faculty, staff, alumni, etc. The system is decentralized and empowers each user to do what he/she needs to do when ever necessary.

SunGard SCT Banner rests on an Oracle-based relational database platform. Once a record is created in a relational database, it becomes part of a data pool and can usually be used system-wide. This means that there is less duplication of effort in file creation and once created, there are significant increases in processing efficiency.

Apart from Banner's increased speed, efficiency and reliability, the SunGard SCT Corporation has signaled SCT Plus customers that product development of SCT Plus is on a downward slide. Though product support may continue, fewer and fewer innovations to make SCT Plus a better product are likely.

Why migrate to SunGard SCT Banner?

Two replacement software packages were evaluated – PeopleSoft and SunGard SCT Banner. SunGard SCT Banner was selected because 1) SunGard SCT's experience with a large variety of schools with different implementation strategies 2) the conversion tools available to deploy Banner 3) appropriately sized product for our University

SunGard SCT has strong experience to demonstrate the feasibility of this project. SunGard SCT is the leading provider of administrative systems to higher education institutions of 2,000 to 20,000 students, and SunGard SCT Banner has been successfully implemented in more than a dozen universities and community colleges throughout Michigan .

What does SCT stand for?

SCT stands for Systems and Computer Technology Corporation.

What modules are available in SunGard SCT Banner?

The new SunGard SCT Banner systems will replace most of LSSU 's current administrative systems. LSSU's current SCT Plus LMS (Student Loan Management System) is incorporated into SunGard SCT Banner software components.

The new SunGard SCT Banner Systems will include the following software components:

• SunGard SCT Banner Student
• SunGard SCT Banner Financial Aid
• SunGard SCT Finance
• SunGard SCT Alumni
• SunGard SCT Human Resources

• SunGard SCT Banner Web for Students
• SunGard SCT Banner Web for Faculty & Advisors
• SunGard SCT Banner Web for Finance
• SunGard SCT Banner Web For Employees
• SunGard SCT Banner Web for Alumni
• SunGard SCT Luminis
• Campus Loan Manager
• Touchnet 1 Payment Gateway

What are some of the features of these modules?

Banner Finance includes

Contracts and Grant Administration
Cash Management and Disbursements
Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable

Banner Student includes

Recruitment
Admission
Registration
Enrollment Management
Degree Audit
Graduation

Banner Financial Aid includes

Scholarships
Waivers
Tuition Management
Federal grants, loans, etc
Class Fees

Banner HR (Human Resources) includes

Applicant Tracking
Employee recruitment
Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity
Benefits Administration

The list above is a not a comprehensive listing of all the features available in each module.

How much will upgrading to SCT Banner cost?

Funding of about $2.4 million is earmarked for the Banner project. These funds are part of the additional state support for the Arts Center. Since the holder of the bonds will not sell them, we must use the funds for other campus capital needs. The Banner project is one of these needs. Most of the dollars for Banner will be spent on SunGard SCT implementation support and services.

How long does a typical installation of SunGard SCT Banner normally take?

Banner implementation will occur over approximately 30 months and will begin July 2004 and end December 2006.

How do I obtain access to Banner and/or Banner Self-Service?

Enrolled students will automatically be granted access to the Student Self-Service Module as soon as the implementation is complete. Employees requiring access to Banner or Banner Self-Service must fill out a Banner Access Form. The completed form must be signed by the employee and the employee's Director and submitted to the Human Resources Office. The Human Resources Office will verify employment and forward the form to the I.T. Helpdesk for processing. Please allow 2-4 days for processing. Your signature on the Banner form ensures your adherence to FERPA and LSSU's Network, Computing Equipment and Electronic Use Agreement.

Career Focused...

Rebecca Secrest
Social Science
Alanson, MI

"LSSU's size is perfect. I see familiar faces every day. There is a security and comfort in that. The professors are wonderful, and there is a lot of interaction in the smaller classes. The level of attention students get is the same as at a small private college, but at a great price." [ more ]