DARS/CAS Implementation Status Update Audit Committee – March 19, 2008

1. DARS/CAS Implementation Status UpdateAudit 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

2. 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.

3. 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

4. System-wide Summary of DARS and CAS Implementation – As of August 2007 Legend: - Substantially Implemented – Partially Implemented - Not Implemented

5. System-wide Summary of DARS and CAS Implementation – As of February 2008 Legend: - Substantially Implemented – On track to implement by June 30, 2008

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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’.

9. – 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

10. Office of Internal Auditing… … A catalyst for improvement www.internalauditing.mnscu.edu 651-296-3471