Policy:     Information Technology: Administrative Computer System Baseline Modification
Authority:    Information Technology
Contact:      Bill Schuetz, (541) 463-3355            schuetzb@lanecc.edu
 
Policy Statement:  College Information Technology policy is to implement and maintain Banner and related administrative computer systems as closely as possible to the baseline product(s) delivered by the vendor.

Scope:  This policy applies to any software system maintained by the Information Technology Department.

Definition(s): The college defines an Administrative Computer System Baseline Modification as a programming change to a form, table, view, process or other object that must be re-applied when the system is updated to a new version supplied by the vendor.

Purpose:  The purpose of this policy is to:
•    Maximize the benefits of vendor updates,
•    Reduce the time needed to test and apply system upgrades,
•    Minimize the commitment of staff time to program, test, apply and re-apply system modifications,
•    Simplify system debugging and testing, and
•    Maintain the college’s ability to obtain vendor support if the system is not operating as expected.

Related Procedure: In reviewing a request for a system modification, Information Technology will evaluate if the change is required to:
•    Meet a contractual or regulatory requirement,
•    Provide critical information to the college Board of Education or administration,
•    Protect student and/or staff privacy, or
•    Meet a critical business need that cannot be accomplished without making the modification.

Before approving a modification, Information Technology and the requestor of the modification will review the following:
•    Can the contractual or regulatory issue be addressed in some other way?
•    Can critical information be provided using tools that do not modify the system?
•    Is the business need a “best practice”?
•    Is the investment of programmer time justified by an equal or greater reduction of staff time to complete the business process without the modification?
•    Can the modification be made and maintained relatively simply?

Information Technology will maintain a detailed log of all Banner modifications that are approved.