University registration gets wired

by Valerie Rojas
Staff Writer

With lines that seem to extend for miles and countless confusing forms constantly stacking up, the stress of college registration time is all too familiar for University of La Verne students.

However, thanks to the progress of technology and a committee tasked with improving the process, ULV students will be able to complete their entire registration process without the hassle of long lines or inconvenient hours.

The Enrollment Streamlining Services Committee is a team from the Registrar’s Office, financial aid advisers and a host of registration specialty employees, all working together to simplify and improve the registration process.

On Thursday, a portion of traditional undergraduate students were given the first chance to experience the new registration process online through MyULV.

To avoid an overload from too many students logging on at once, the program is only being opened to certain groups of students at designated times, with the final group expected to be registered by January 2004.

The new and improved MyULV gives students the chance to register for classes, view financial aid information and pay bills over the Internet from the convenience of their own dorm room.

Instead of being surprised by startling information at the Student Accounts Desk, students can now access their accounts anytime they want.

“You take ownership of your student information,” said ULV Special Projects Manager Yvette Underdue Murph.

After more than two and a half years of complex work and tests, the new MyULV system is finally ready for deployment.

After logging into the MyULV system at www.ulv.edu, students will be directed to a page giving them the option to view either their personal information or a list of student services.

After selecting the student services logo, the student can begin the registration process. Because a complete listing of available classes is now available online, replacing the familiar thick workbook used in the past, students can run a search and seconds later view a number of courses available to them.

If a student happens to make a mistake, they can always go back into their account and change the information. After students have selected their class schedule, they can view their financial aid information and any fees that will need to be paid before the registration process is complete.

Students have five business days to pay off any fees. If they fail to make this deadline, they will be dropped from the system and have to register the old fashioned way, in line at Woody Hall.

“It will put an air of responsibility on the student,” said ULV Director of Academic Advising and Enrollment Management Eric Bishop.

The program is available to students seven days a week between 6 a.m. and midnight.

For the first four days of online registration, students will be able to call Woody Hall and speak with a live support team. Students can speak to someone from the Office of Information Technology, the Registrar’s Office, or the Financial Aid Office, the service will provide answers to problems students may have using the new system.

The software powering the registration system is estimated to have cost ULV between $50,000 to $60,000.

ULV will continue to use this system hoping to simplify the registration process.

“This is transformational in terms of how we manage ULV and how we serve our students,” said Chief Information Officer Clive Houston-Brown. “This is to make it easy so you can give your time to class and studying, not being stressed out or standing in line.”