Two weeks ago we introduced you to NAO (Postgraduate Academic Support), a web based system to help you manage postgraduate student information without too much effort.
The following questions are most often asked by staff members who are already putting NAO to good use:
- Why is NAO not available via my.sun.ac.za? I am forever losing the link sent to me!
- Could someone please wave a magic wand and get rid of all the forms we have to complete and replace them with pre-populated ones?
- Could we please be notified when new functionalities are implemented in the NAO system?
The good news is that both questions 1 and 2 will receive attention next semester and we have a solution to the problem in question 3 already. Bits & Bytes and the blog will be used to make information about NAO available to staff members.
As far as question 1 is concerned, a workflow process is envisaged for staff members to receive permission from their line managers to use NAO. The reason behind the strict access is that sensitive information, necessary for the management of postgraduate students, is available via the system and your line manager knows whether you should have access or not.
The SU auditors would need to be in the know about the outcome of the authorisation process to decide whether legislation regarding the privacy of individuals’ personal information, is complied with. They also need to know who has access and who gave permission.
As soon as the authorisation process becomes available, staff members would be able to apply for access to NAO via my.sun.ac.za and be assigned a specific Role within the system on the basis of answers given to questions and agreed on by the line manager.
Question 2 has been under discussion for a long time. At the moment, much thought is given to generic forms generated and pre-populated by NAO for various purposes e.g. nomination of M and PhD candidates, nomination of Study Leaders/Supervisors and numerous other examples, which could be used by all Faculties and Departments.
The information collected by the forms of different Faculties correspond 95% and the idea is to add the other 5% as optional extras for staff members to fill in if their areas require the information.
Maybe the best way to get people interested in generic forms, is to gradually add prototypes to NAO and wait for users of the system to respond. It is virtually impossible to involve everybody personally and it is easier to comment on something more tangible than an idea.
We’d like to invite you to leave us comments, ideas and suggestions on this on this blog post or contact Rita de Jager.
[ARTICLE BY: Rita de Jager (Head: Postgraduate Academic Support, Information Technology, SU]
Twee weke gelede het ons julle bekendgestel aan NAO (Nagraadse Akademiese Ondersteuning/Postgraduate Academic Support), `n webgebaseerde stelsel om jou te help om jou nagraadse studente se inligting sonder moeite te bestuur.
Die vrae wat die meeste gevra word deur personeellede reeds bekend met NAO, is die volgende:
- Hoekom is NAO nie op my.sun.ac.za beskikbaar nie? Ek verloor aanmekaar die skakel na die stelsel!
- Kan jy nie ‘n towerstaffie swaai en ontslae raak van al die vorms wat ons moet invul en met interaktiewe vorms vervang nie?
- Kan jy ons asb laat weet as daar iets nuuts op die NAO front gebeur het?
Die goeie nuus is dat vraag 1 en 2 volgende semester aandag gaan ontvang. Vir vraag 3 is daar reeds ‘n oplossing. Bits & Bytes en die blog sal voortaan gebruik om inligting ivm NAO bekend te maak.
Wat vraag 1. hierbo betref, word daar beoog om ‘n werkvloei-proses in plek te stel waarmee peroneellede magtiging by hul lynhoofde moet verkry om die stelsel te gebruik. Die rede hiervoor is dat sensitiewe inligting, wat noodsaaklik is vir die bestuur van nagraadse studente, via die stelsel verkry kan word en jou lynhoof sal weet of jy toegang behoort te hê of nie.
Inligting in verband met die uitkoms van bg magtigingsproses moet ook aan die US ouditeure beskikbaar wees sodat hulle kan bepaal of daar aan betrokke wetgewing voldoen word wat betref die privaatheid van individue se persoonlike inligting, wie toegang het en wie toegang verleen het.
Wanneer hierdie toepassing in plek is, sal personeellede via my.sun.ac.za kan aansoek doen om toegang tot NAO en ‘n spesifieke Rol binne die stelsel ontvang op grond van vrae wat vooraf beantwoord en deur die lynhoof bekragtig moet word.
Vraag 2. hierbo is ‘n onderwerp wat al lank onder bespreking is. Die rigting waarin daar tans gedink word, is generiese vorms vir verskillende doeleindes, wat outomaties deur NAO met die korrekte inligting bevolk word, soos benoeming van M en PhD-kandidate, benoeming van Studieleiers/Promotors en talle ander voorbeelde, maar wat deur alle Fakulteite/Departemente gebruik kan word.
Die inligting wat deur die vorms van verskillende Fakulteite ingewin word, stem 95% ooreen en die gedagte is om die ander 5% as opsioneel by te voeg sodat personeel dit kan invul indien hulle areas dit benodig.
Om NAO-gebruikers geinteresseerd te kry, sal daar gaandeweg prototipes via NAO bekend gestel word om sodoende terugvoer van personeel te kry. Jy is ook welkom om jou idees en voorstelle op hierdie blogpos te kommentaar-area te plaas en ons te laat weet wat jou opinie is. Jy kan ook vir Rita de Jager kontak.
[ARTIKEL DEUR: Rita de Jager (Hoof: Nagraadse Akademiese Ondersteuning, Informasietegnologie, US)]
