This phase also re-structures the University’s identity and person management systems to PeopleSoft (the software on which the new administrative system is built) which becomes the canonical source for person data on campus. Behind-the-scenes, many people from ITS and ConnectCarolina teams have been working diligently to create the system, clean up data and minimize service outages.

The initial impact of ConnectCarolina for most of the University will be the online campus directory. Changes include a redirect to a new online location, the new enterprise portal called AccessCarolina, and a redesigned directory update account interface. Students and employees will also see minor changes in the search or update tools.

Service Outages
This transition will require some service outages from July 14, 5 p.m. to July 20, 8 a.m.:

• There will be a service outage affecting the ability to create new PIDs or Onyens; consequently, no hiring that requires creation of a new PID can take place during this service outage. Onyen passwords can still be changed during the outage. When the outage ends, PIDs and Onyens will continue to be created through the same processes as before the service outage.

• Updates cannot be made to information in the online campus directory. Look-up will be available during the service outage. When it returns, the online campus directory will be in its new location in the AccessCarolina portal (a re-direct will be in place).

• Campus users will not be able to update phone numbers for AlertCarolina notification. This does not affect the ability for AlertCarolina notifications to be sent out to numbers already in the system. When the outage ends, updates to AlertCarolina will continue to be created through the directory and through the same process as before the service outage. 

• Student Information Services (SIS) staff users will also experience the service outage as well as permanent changes affecting the screens within SIS that update student biographic and demographic information. SIS users affected by this change have been invited to training classes to learn the new system

• Students will no longer be able to update biographic/demographic (“bio-demo”) information (address, gender, birthdate, etc.) in Student Central; beginning July 20, these updates must be made through the new portal

Access Carolina Portal
AccessCarolina, the University’s new enterprise portal, is scheduled for launch in July (portal is a web-based front-end access to PeopleSoft and other enterprise applications). This will be the place for prospective students to access the admissions functionality; current students, faculty and staff will also go to the portal to use the directory. Over time, more functionality will be added to the portal, and it will replace Student Central and Faculty/Staff Central. The portal will not replace www.unc.edu as the primary information source for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The AccessCarolina portal will primarily be used by staff, faculty and students to conduct transactions (directory, registration, tuition payment, etc.); prospective students will also use the portal to access the undergraduate online application beginning in August 2009.

Changes in Online Campus Directory Service
When the upgraded online campus directory launches on July 20, it will be accessible at its new portal location, AccessCarolina. Students and employees will see a redesigned directory interface with minor changes in the search or update tools.

Notable changes:

• Several address fields will be available to students and employees.

• Individuals may provide several types of phone numbers as part of their directory profile.

• Employees’ ability to set privacy settings is unchanged.

• Students will not be able to make their information completely private (known as invoking FERPA) through the directory or through Student Central; students wanting to utilize this privacy option will have to contact the University registrar to ensure that they fully understand the ramifications of invoking FERPA.

• Employees’ position data will appear within the results of a directory search; however, employees will not see their employment or position information appear on the Update Personal Information screen; as is the process today, changes must be made through the human resources facilitator or representative within their department.

• Hospital employees will no longer be included in the online campus directory.

Next Steps
The ConnectCarolina project implementation continues with the launch of a new online application for undergraduate admissions in August 2009; the roll-out of components for the new student systems will continue through October 2010. New HR, payroll and finance systems based on PeopleSoft will be developed and implemented over the next few years, giving the University a fully integrated administrative system.

Visit http://connectcarolina.unc.edu/ for more information on the July 20 go-live and upcoming ConnectCarolina implementations.