Range Rider, Volume 20, Number 6, May-June, 1967 Page: 1
13 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
This is the second in a series of articles
designed to acquaint the alumni of Har-
din-Simmons with the possibilities and
needs of the university in the area of
data processing and computer science.
This article will discuss some specific
areas where data processing can be ap-
plied to good advantage at Hardin-
Simmons.
By ED BARNES
The most obvious application is in
administrative areas such as registra-
tion. When a prospective student
makes application to the University for
admission, his records can be put in a
single, central, co-ordinated file; per-
haps on magnetic tape or disk. Class
cards, partially pre-punched, are com-
pleted by the student during the regis-
tration period.
The completed cards are fed into the
data processing system and merged
with existing information on magnetic
tape. All pertinent information about
a student during his college career may
be kept on a piece of tape a few inches
in length. From these records a pro-
fessor may obtain class lists within a
few hours after the completion of reg-
istration. An additional list, in any
desired sequence, can be produced by
the computer in a matter of minutes
from the completed student file to pro-
vide actual print formats for a student
directory. This is a task that currently
may take as long as several weeks due
to the rush of preparing more important
documents.
The administration can obtain lists
of students receiving grants or scholar-
ships, those expected to graduate at the
end of the current semester, by geog-
raphical backgrounds, religious group-
ings, or by any other logical sequence.
Grades may be posted, averaged and
distributed quickly along with special
reports of those failing courses and
those having high grade averages. Stu-
dent finances and biographical informa-
tion can also be kept in the same file.
Many Advantages
There are many advantages to this
type of system. The most important is
that of having all information about a
student in a single location available
to any authorized person or group. It
prevents inaccuracies due to having in-
formation duplicated in several places.
It also makes the record-keeping tasks
easier for both student and administra-
tion. Mailing labels for grades andreports can be automatically produced
by the computer, providing better com-
munication between the faculty, ad-
ministration, the student and his
parents.
The computer system also aids the
administration in other ways. An in-
tra-school institutional research group
made up of faculty and administrative
personnel can utilize the computer for
studies of faculty workloads, plant
utilization, instruction costs, etc. The
group would use techniques such as
linear programming (a means of arriv-
ing at optimum solutions to problems
involving many variables) and simula-
tion (the use of mathematical and logi-
cl models against which various
courses of future action can be tested).
The computer can also be used to
handle the university accounting and
payroll systems.
A special area of administrative ap-
plication is in alumni and development
activities. The same master student
file mentioned previously becomes in-
put to a master alumni file at the time
when the student graduates. From this
file the alumni office can obtain up-to-
date lists of alumni by geographical
areas, by business type, or those who
are currently in military service. Mail-
ing labels can be printed automatically
for alumni publications, regional mail-
ings, notices of class meetings, etc.
Manual searches through the alumni
files for lists of ex-students whose
backgrounds a n d accomplishments
qualify them for service on special
committees are prohibitively slow.
With a high speed data processing sys-
tem, this can be done quickly and with
very little effort.
Development Aids
In the development area, files of
donors and prospective donors can
be maintained on a magnetic tape
for ready access. If a development
field representative plans a trip to a
particular area, he can have on his desk
in a very short time, a complete report
of all prospects in that area showing
their current gift status, biographical
information and business activities.
Gifts can be posted and receipts printed
and ready for signatures and mailing
the same day they are received.
In mentioning possible applications
of data processing, the library should
not be overlooked. Book circulation
provides an excellent opportunity for
automation, releasing library personnel
for more important duties than charg-
ing and discharging books. A studentwishing to check out a book, takes the
book to the charge desk. A clerk takes
a punched card from the )ook pocket,
along with a special card that the stu-
dent carries and inserts both into a
machine.
The machine produces a punched card
showing the borrower's number, the
book name, and number, and the date.
This procedure takes only about ten
seconds and the book is ready after the
clerk manually stamps the due date.
At the end of each day, the cards are
sorted, circulation lists are printed and
overdue notices are automatically
printed for mailing. Statistical reports,
for use in planning and purchasing, can
he produced showing usage of the li-
brary facilities. When a book is re-
turned, the card is again taken from
the book pocket, is inserted in the ma-
chine along with a special "return" card
and another card is automatically
punched indicating the return. Inter-
library loans can be handled in the
same way.
The computer can also be used in
teaching. Prior to the beginning of a
semester, a history professor transcribes
course material to special forms which
;are then keypunched and submitted to
a computer. A course file is produced
and placed on a magnetic disk. A stu-
dent enrolled in this course is seated
at a typewriter console to do his lab
work. lie types in his student number
and course number. The computer
searches a list to be sure that he is reg-
istered in the course. If everything is
in order, the computer begins to type
questions and exercises to which the
student must respond and his answers
are recorded and analyzed.
Periodically, a report is generated for
the professor showing those who have
completed the assignments and the an-
swers to the questions. Optionally, he
may receive a listing of only the in-
correct answers to indicate where em-
phasis should be placed in class. These
exercises supplement rather than re-
place classroom instruction.
These are only a very few of the
many possible applications of data pro-
cessing at Hardin-Simmons. High
speed machines and methods can relieve
faculty and administration of many
time-consuming tasks and allow them
to spend more time on the essentials of
instruction and guidance. Information
can be available quickly to provide a
more accurate basis for decisions. Sta-
tistical studies can be made which pres-
ently are impossible due to time and
personnel limitations.Data Processing
nformation
Helps
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Hardin-Simmons University. Range Rider, Volume 20, Number 6, May-June, 1967, periodical, May 1967; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth116976/m1/3/: accessed June 11, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hardin-Simmons University Library.