Graduate Studies signs agreement as part of GradSMAART initiative

The Office of Graduate Studies has begun an initiative, Grad SMAART, to install three major systems designed to improve the management of graduate student admissions, evaluation, and tracking.

The components include:

• An online application process from Embark, a system owned by the Princeton Review.
• A customized admission review and evaluation system. The campus is looking at two competing Web-based applications known as GSOAR and GARP. The first was developed locally, and the second is an early version of an admissions review application from UC Santa Cruz. The one chosen will be fully developed for use here starting this fall.
• A data mart for tracking students, plus an alumni tracking database that might become part of the data mart.

The Office of Graduate Studies plans to implement Embark, plus GSOAR or GARP, by the start of the 2007-08 academic year. The data mart will be developed later. The campus signed an agreement with Princeton Review for Embark right after the winter holidays, and is evaluating GSOAR and GARP.

Information and Educational Technology is providing technical support.