Date 11_20_2014
Phone Conference: 10:30am
*Highlighted = attended
Co-chairs
*Susan Maxwell
Clark College
Business Affairs Commission (BAC)
*Terence Hsiao
Cascadia Community College
Human Resources & Management Commission (HRMC)
Kim Garza
Big Bend
Information Technology Commission (ITC)
*Brandon Ray
Lower Columbia College
Instruction Commission (IC)
Tom Nielsen
Bellevue College
Public Information Commission (PIC)
*Katie Rose
SBCTC
Research and Planning Commission (RPC)
Cynthia Requa
Green River
Student Services Commission (WSSSC)
*Ata Karim
Bellevue College
Guest: Sheila Delquadri, RPC for Cynthia Requa
*Carmen McKenzie
SBCTC
Linda Schoonmaker
Clover Park Technical College
*Sue Williamson
Highline Community College
Eva Smith
Edmonds Community College
Peter Lortz
North Seattle
*Janelle Runyon
SBCTC
*Hal Royaltey
Peninsula
Dave Paul
Skagit Valley College
1 DGC Meeting 11/20/2014

January 8, 2015 at 10:30am. December 4, 2014 is cancelled.
This meeting will be WebX. As you sign in it may help others if you put your commission in parentheses so everyone knows which commission we represent. Once you enter your name and email you can enter your phone number and then you receive a phone call (instead of you having to dial in). If you are not at a computer there is a number to call in.
Introduction of new members: Kim Garza from Big Bend, unable to attend today and Terence Hsiao from Cascadia. Terence was instrumental in the initial decision to create a Data Governance Committee and setting up the framework for non-invasive data governance.
Mononyms
Discussion: a.
Review feedback collected on mononyms b.
Determine the appropriate workgroup composition c.
Determine a deadline
PeopleSoft requires some text in both first and last names – they can’t be left blank. This is for both students during admissions and also for employees. First question is where to put the mononym – first or last name field:
Ata – if we look up names by last names in the systems then we should put a mononym in the last name field. Focus on federal requirements.
Hal – Turbo tax says use last name field.
Susan - Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is going to change their protocol for the ‘one-word names’. Last name is the required field in the DHS’s systems. So the DHS is asking the International
Student Programs/Office in all US schools to convert all ‘one-word name’ international students in the
“last name” field and leave the ‘first name’ field blank – no more using FNU (first name unknown) or
LNU (last name unknown). NOTE: PS does not allow for blank but will strip whatever characters we decide on out of the database when uploading to SEVIS.
Agreement that LastName field was the best place for the legal name or mononym.
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Section decision is what character(s) to use to fulfill the requirements that something be in both fields.
PS only supports the 4 optional characters listed below. Options discussed and comments:

FNU The first name is not “unknown” the person only has one name. This minimizes the person. In addition, there are students with FNU and LNU as actual names.

N/A Better than FNU. Do not like how this will display in PeopleSoft where we have no control.
Also, it might produce too many variations when students enter their names (n/a, N/a, NA)

Underscore _ Because it is the bottom of the space it is sometimes hard to see, especially when a name is underlined or part of an email.

Period . Same issue as underscore – hard to see.

Slash / People are confused by slash and back slash – do not want to create any confusion

Hyphen - Visible, does not get lost in an underline. No negative connotations like FNU, it is just a required placeholder.

Repeat the name in both first and last name fields - there are people with duplicate first and last names, would not be able to distinguish from them. In addition, automatic displays of names with first and last would have no way of knowing to suppress one of the names.
After an impassioned speech by Terrence advocating for the hyphen the DGC members reached consensus that a proposal would be brought forward to commissions and councils by the DGC Data
Governors to standardize mononyms in PeopleSoft as the legal name (mononym) in the last name field with a required – (hyphen) in the first name field. There is no need for a workgroup to be formed unless serious concerns are raised by anyone.
Motion to take forward the proposal made by Ata Karim and seconded by Terrence Hsiao. Vote – all in favor with one abstention.
Proposal – need to take out to commissions and councils.
Remind people that having a standard in PeopleSoft will make it easier for data linkage to supporting systems.
This proposal will not impact the Legacy system, although schools are encouraged to adopt this proposal if they can in Legacy.
Overview of DGC projects: Carmen gave a quick overview of DGC projects. The second part of names is all other name differences from our standard first/middle/last; prior learning – these are the two big projects.
Data Governors to do:
A one page document is attached. This should go out to commissions and councils as soon as possible.
We will review feedback and vote at the January 8, 2014 meeting. If your commission is meeting before
Jan 8 th please discuss with the group, otherwise solicit feedback via email or other ways.
3 DGC Meeting 11/20/2014