Technical College System of Georgia, academic planning application, SunGard Higher Education, DegreeWorks, university technology, college technology, higher education information technology

GA Technical College System Taps DegreeWorks To Advise Students

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 07/06/10

The Technical College System of Georgia is implementing an academic planning application from SunGard Higher Education at its 26 two-year technical colleges. DegreeWorks is intended to help students complete their desired degree programs and to address potential retention challenges as the college system makes a transition from quarters to semesters. The solution is planned to be live at all schools in April 2011.

DegreeWorks provides a set of Web-based functions for academic advising, degree audit, and transfer articulation. It's available as a stand-alone application or as an add-on to SunGard HE's Banner student information system, which is how the Georgia system will be implementing it. The integration with Banner data allows advisors to access real-time data, with the goal of providing more consistent and meaningful counseling and direction to students.

"Typically, you lose enrollment when you change from quarters to semesters," said Bill Gray, CIO for the system. "We believe the advising tools within DegreeWorks will help students better see and chart their educational paths and stay on track, helping us to maintain our enrollment numbers while providing better advisement for our students."

"This will be a valuable tool for students and advisors to use for years to come," added Nichole Kennedy, executive director for student affairs. "Our students are balancing many different things while going to college. DegreeWorks will help them get all the information they need about their program of study and time to completion. It will help them map out their college program, graduate, and enter the workforce as quickly as possibly. And it will give our advisors valuable tools to guide students in their decision-making."