2002
The Voice: Spring 2002
Datatel comes to campus
By Andrew De Young
The computer services team is hard at work implementing Datatel, a newly purchased
administrative database system that will serve the whole campus. According to Brian Van
Donselaar, director of computer services, Datatel is a piece of software to manage
business affairs of the college. Datatel will replace the existing system, which was
built over the years by computer services employees and the students they hired.
The switch to Datatel will have many advantages, Van Donselaar says. “The software
is very customizable, so we can set it up to fit the way
we do business.” However, he admits that this means more work in implementing
the system.
“We have to customize all of the software, and then convert the information
from the existing system,” he says. The first office to go online with
Datatel will be the business office on July 1, 2002. The entire campus
should be online by December 31, 2003.
The benefits of the Datatel system should be worth the wait. Once the
system is up and running, students will be able to register for classes
online, switch classes, or request a transcript at any time. Faculty will be
able to get student records, which will make advising easier. Alumni will be
able to go online and find information pertaining to them, and even make
contributions to Dordt College with a credit card.
Van Donselaar is excited about the change. “Datatel will simplify operations a lot,”
he says. “Many things that are difficult to do right now will be
more convenient when the new system is up.”
