Student Information Management Systems (SIMS)
The SIMS Team support and develop the information systems which underpin student administration at the University of Leeds
The primary information system is SCT Banner Student which, along with SCT Banner Financial Aid and SCT's self-service web products, known at Leeds as 'Student Services', form the University's corporate student information management systems (SIMS). In addition, there are numerous related satellite systems, such as SCT Workflow (business process automation software), Scientia Syllabus Plus (scheduling software), and SPARCS (classification software), which also contribute towards providing an integrated corporate information system in support of student administration
These student information systems cover almost every aspect of student administration, from student recruitment and admissions, through to enrolment and registration, onto monitoring student progress through the recording of examination results, before calculating degree classification and scheduling graduation ceremonies. The student information management system also supports the generation of essential statistical information such as the HESA return for the UK government
The SIMS Team support this corporate system, carrying out technology upgrade projects and applying supplier patches, whilst also maintaining the interfaces between other corporate systems, such as interfaces between Banner and other corporate systems. We also fix software bugs, resolve user problems, train and advise users, and implement minor system enhancements in response to user demand. Requests for enhancements come to us either via the Banner Super Users, the Student Offices or direct via Development Requests
Each year we undertake projects, providing additional or improved functionality to reflect UK and EU government initiatives, statutory regulations and the University's own strategies
Activity level descriptions define the core activities provided by ISS for the University. These activities are funded through the University's Overheads model. ISS update the document annually in consultation with University committees, to keep users abreast of the services as they are developed, changed or removed and as new services are introduced. Events beyond the reasonable control of ISS are not counted as activity failures (for example complete campus-wide power failures, campus closures because of bad weather, industrial action, or off-campus failure of Internet connections). The activity level description for Banner can be found here