DARS/CAS Implementation Status Update
Audit Committee – March 19, 2008
John Asmussen, CPA, CIA, CISA, MBA
Executive Director, Office of Internal Auditing
Beth Buse, CPA, CISA, CIA, GSEC
Deputy Director, Office of Internal Auditing
The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System is an Equal Opportunity employer and educator.
DARS and CAS - Background
• DARS – Degree Audit Reporting System
– Degree Audits
• CAS – Course Applicability System
– On-line tool for determining course transfer
information.
• October 2007 - reported 26 of 37 colleges and
universities has not fully implemented
• Board approved motion in November 2007
requiring colleges and universities to
implement by 12/31/07 or have an
implementation plan approved by Senior Vice
Chancellor and Audit Committee Chair.
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DARS and CAS - Approval of College
and University Implementation Plans
• 14 of 26 colleges and universities
planned for a 12/31/07 implementation
date.
• 12 institutions requested extensions past
12/31/07
• Extension requests approved on
February 10, 2008
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System-wide Summary of DARS and CAS
Implementation – As of August 2007
Components of DARS/CAS Implementation
System-wide Profile (n=37)
Data Integrity
Undergraduate program encoding complete and up-to-date.
28
Transfers entered into DARS.
31
Exceptions entered into DARS.
24
Course equivalencies established for common transfer courses.
5
4
2
4
23
4
9
10
4
Functionality Available to Students
DARS reports available for monitoring academic progress toward degree.
CAS reports available to assess course transfer options.
26
17
7
11
4
9
Functionality Used by Institution
Used to evaluate transfer courses.
31
Used to determine whether graduation requirements are met.
26
Counselors and advisors use to work with students on academic progress.
28
Legend:
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- Substantially Implemented
– Partially Implemented
1
4
5
7
4
5
- Not Implemented
System-wide Summary of DARS and CAS
Implementation – As of February 2008
Components of DARS/CAS Implementation
System-wide Profile (n=37)
Data Integrity
Undergraduate program encoding complete and up-to-date.
36
1
Transfers entered into DARS.
36
1
Exceptions entered into DARS.
32
Course equivalencies established for common transfer courses.
5
29
8
Functionality Available to Students
DARS reports available for monitoring academic progress toward degree.
CAS reports available to assess course transfer options.
33
4
27
10
Functionality Used by Institution
Used to evaluate transfer courses.
37
Used to determine whether graduation requirements are met.
Counselors and advisors use to work with students on academic progress.
Legend:
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- Substantially Implemented
32
32
– On track to implement by June 30, 2008
5
5
DARS and CAS - Implementation Status
as of February 2008
• December 31, 2007 implementation date
– 13 of the 14 colleges and universities met
the date
– MSU Moorhead needs to establish
additional course equivalencies.
• 3 additional institutions have fully
implemented
• All others on track to be fully
implemented by June 30, 2008
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DARS and CAS – Full Implementation
Definition
• Clarification of what is meant by full
implementation
– Significant variances exist on when the different
components of DARS were implemented at each
institution, these components include:
•
•
•
•
Academic programs encoded,
Course equivalencies defined,
Transfer-in courses entered, and
Academic Exceptions entered.
– Usefulness of DARS is a product of current usage
and when all components were implemented.
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DARS and CAS – Full Implementation
Definition continued
• On July 1, 2008:
– All new students and all students newly entering a major
will have a reliable ‘degree audit’.
– NOT all current students will have reliable ‘degree audits’.
• Some institutions have a substantial backlog of transfer-in
courses and academic exceptions to record that were
accepted in prior years.
• Student transparency considerations
– Institutions need to alert students that ‘degree audits’ may
not be reliable.
– Institutions should have a mechanism in place for students
to request that past transactions be recorded.
– Academic and Student Affairs division should consider
setting a future target date when all currently enrolled
students will have reliable ‘degree audits’.
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– Information Technology Issues
• Adequate IT Support
– No dedicated IT support for three years.
– Three failed searches.
– Search in progress
• E-Transcript
– Facilitate electronic transmission of transfer
transcripts from institutions.
– Delayed for several years
– ITS Division committed to complete by
September 2008
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Office of Internal Auditing…
… A catalyst for improvement
www.internalauditing.mnscu.edu
651-296-3471
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