1. Re-Inventing Centralized University Application Processing in Ontario
International Association of Admissions Organizations Conference
Dave Wallace
Executive Director, Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC)
May 2016

2. Topics Ontario University Sector and the OUAC
Application Management System (AMS) – a Foundation for Change
Strategic Directions
Your Questions!

3. Ontario University Sector
Source:
20 universities, plus the Royal Military College of Canada
Each created (provincially or federally) with a separate charter
Financially independent, but all are publically funded
Funding distributed by formula and government controlled tuition
Unifying body = Council of Ontario Universities (COU)
COU is an association of university executive heads that provides:
Cooperative issues review and policy formulation, plus advocacy roles
COU Holding Association Inc. is the corporate entity that holds charitable status, and COU and the OUAC are articles of the corporation
OUAC provides services only for the universities
Source:
Source:

4. Changing Landscape Demographics New Funding Formula Tuition
Source:
Domestic and
International
Competition
Tuition
Framework
Demographics
New funding formula
Transformation of student assistance
Review of tuition framework
Domestic and global competition
Colleges
e-Campus Ontario
Student mobility
Source:
Source:

5. The OUAC at a Glance
The Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC):
Provides online applications
Processes applications (one offer control) and collects fees
Provides information for students and guidance counsellors
Sends data to the universities
Provides data reports
Maintains an electronic transcript system
Coordinates the Ontario Universities’ Fair and University Information Program, along with the eINFO program guide
Source:

6. Some Numbers... To date, the OUAC has served:
218,544 applicants who filed 647,871 choices
Our History - Applications (Core and Contract):
Total Applicants processed ,020,063
Total Applications (choices) ,

7. International Applicants
On a Visa attending an Ontario high school
Applicants on a Visa from within Canada
Applicants from out of the country
Off-shore “Agents”
An international accreditation service (WES) pilot
Data reporting is integrated into our processes
Applicants
On a Visa attending an Ontario high school
Applicants on a Visa from within Canada
Applicants from an off-shore
Accommodations for the use of off-shore “Agents”
An international accreditation service (WES) is running a pilot and OUAC is monitoring the results
Data reporting is integrated into our processes, with separate reporting breakouts

8. EDI eTranscript Exchange at OUAC
1996: Launch of Ontario university-to-university electronic transcript exchange
2003: Hub-to-hub exchange with the Ontario College Application Service (OCAS) plus receipt of transcripts from two institutions in British Columbia
2004: Launch of stand-alone online transcript request for Ontario teacher accreditation
2015 statistics:
~ 155,000 transcripts exchanged in 2015, 89% sent entirely electronically
2.25 million transcripts sent since 1996/1997 cycle
Source:

9. PESC XML Transcript Exchange at OUAC
Secondary school
Postsecondary
CanPESC user group & transcripts beyond Canada
Secondary School
Leveraging OCAS’s eTMS service, since Sept. 2013
Postsecondary
Currently converting Ontario universities from EDI to PESC XML – one completed, four in progress
CanPESC User Group
Started in 2011 by four Canadian application organizations: OUAC, OCAS, ApplyAlberta and BCcampus; co-chaired by OUAC and BCcampus
Recognized importance of standards and the need for a Canadian presence within PESC
Key initiative is a national electronic transcript exchange network
Eight of 10 Canadian provinces have regular representation and are actively discussing or working on PESC-related eTranscript exchange initiatives
Transcripts Beyond Canada
OUAC and CanPESC support the principles of the Groningen Declaration Network via the Association of Registrars of the Universities and Colleges of Canada (ARUCC)
Canada became a Groningen signatory in May 2015
ARUCC Groningen Task Force is doing nationwide education and consultation to determine Canada’s future participation in global transcript exchange
The OUAC maintains a strong connection to the work of the ARUCC Groningen Task Force and PESC, in support of transcript exchange beyond Canada

10. Application Management System Project Overview
In 2014, the OUAC contracted with Oracle
Tight two-year project timeline
The OUAC has worked with Oracle to build the front end and the back end sections
Work is well underway and has been challenging
System will be launched in stages
In 2014, the OUAC contracted with Oracle to use their PeopleSoft Campus Solutions (CS) product
It’s a tight 2 year project to implement the new Application Management System (AMS)
Since October 2014, the OUAC has worked with Oracle to build the front end (Application Interface) and the back end (PeopleSoft) sections of AMS
Work is well underway and has been challenging

11. Benefits of the New AMS Single-person ID
Change professional applications after submitted
Applicants, referees manage reference process online
Intuitive services for data management
Accessibility/user experience improvements
Date-driven data management
Consistency across most applications (e.g. “bio-data”)
Improved data exchange (e.g., PESC XML )
Tailored access to application data by person and role
More transparency in financial reporting
Set transcript fees by university
Improved statistical reporting
Have a single-person ID that can identify an applicant who has multiple applications
Allow applicants to change professional applications after they are submitted
Allow applicants and referees to manage the reference process online
Have more intuitive, web-based services for data management
Follow current OUAC standards for accessibility and user experience
Provide date-driven data management, allowing for easier cycle start-ups
Ensure consistency across most applications (e.g. “bio-data”)
Provide improved data exchange (e.g. PESC XML )
Allow tailored access to application data by person and role
Enable more transparency in financial reporting
Include the ability to set transcript fees by university
Provide improved statistical reporting

12. PESC XML and Alignment with AMS
Source:
Expanding students’ ability to send their transcripts electronically, securely and quickly supports the OUAC’s goals of:
Enhancing student mobility
Supporting emerging service needs
Promoting standards and best practices
Developing innovative processes
Fostering collaboration in our partnerships
The use of XML and PESC standards in the AMS aligns well with our strong commitment to PESC XML transcript exchange
This makes transcript exchange expansion, across Canada and beyond, an OUAC strategic direction
Expanding students’ ability to send their transcripts electronically, securely and quickly supports the OUAC’s goals of:
Enhancing student mobility
Supporting emerging service needs
Promoting standards and best practices
Developing innovative processes
Fostering collaboration in our partnerships

13. Conceptual Future State Diagram
Not all referee applications are online – some are downloaded and faxed in (backwards compatible to existing legacy system)
XML is record per line; Flat file – first 15 characters is a header (can change the order – each line knows its change)
XML is nested – order matters and this needs to bubble back up the nested statement
If add a new key, can make changes that would not cause amendments
Distributions – up to a certain point doesn’t care if flat file or XML – can regenerate
eTMS (electronic transcript management system) – for 105s – need a transcript to apply
Not for student mobility (treat OCAS as a trading partner)
OCT – comes through the transcript trading hubs
After finished teacher’s college – to get “licenced” as a teacher
Treat as a transcript trading partner
Finance – true re-engineering
AI – more responsive design and AODA compliant
Code quality is better (after years of incremental code changes)
Distribution is better
Interfaces – more loosely coupled
Better tools to manage
Improved infrastructure and tools
Improved security
Using Trusted Link and RJS until replace
Applicant-centric
In essence – speeding up the evolution into a new foundation – this is the “revolution” – a shortened timeframe
better positioned for changes in ecosystem
better positioned for changes with the universities (configurations versus coding)
Simple path – applicant – all of the programs (selection of approved programs) and the universities render a decision and that comes back to us
Oracle tools + Peoplesoft functionality (25%)
Significant improvements in infrastructure and high availability

14. OUAC Growth and Maturity
Improved Processing
Extended Contracting
Expanded Data Sharing
Trusted Partner
EVOLUTION
New AMS System
Contract Services
OUF, UIP and eINFO,
Transcripts
Digital
Trusted Operator
Legacy System
Professional Programs
Multiple Service Provider
Undergraduate Application Processing
Paper
Single Service Provider

15. OUAC STRATEGY MAP
MISSION: To provide world-class services and resources that connect students to Ontario universities
VISION: Connecting students to opportunities
COLLABORATION:
We foster collaboration, mutual respect and trust in our partnerships
INCLUSIVENESS
We strive to provide services that are accessible to all
EXCELLENCE:
We pursue excellence and continuous improvement in all we do
EMPOWERMENT:
We seek a respectful, positive and supportive work environment
STAFF GROWTH AND SUCCESS:
We are committed to being highly skilled, trained and motivated staff
IMPROVE FLEXIBILITY, EFFICIENCY AND FUNCTIONALITY
Improve flexibility, efficiency and functionality of application services through future utilization of the AMS and other enablers
INCREASE SUPPORT FOR EMERGING SERVICE NEEDS
Increase responsiveness to support specialized service needs of Ontario universities
EXPAND DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL INTEGRATION
Expand domestic and international application processing integration and data sharing, and facilitate student mobility
Financial Sustainability:
Strategic and timely investment into human, technological and financial resources
Continuous Improvement:
Maintain operational excellence by applying a continuous improvement mindset and methodology for all our business and operating processes
Standards and Best Practices:
Actively promote compliance standards and best practices to increase processing effectiveness and efficiency for the sector
Technology Lifecycle Management:
Evolve a sustainable information and information technology structure and life cycle
Innovation:
Develop innovation processes to create service solutions that meet or exceed requirements
Staff Development and Wellness:
Equip and support staff to be a highly skilled and motivated workforce
INTERNAL PROCESSESES
WHAT PROCESSES MUST WE EXCEL AT?
ORGANIZATIONAL CAPABILITIES
WHAT CAPABILITIES MUST WE EXCEL AT?
STAKEHOLDERS AND USERS
WHAT CREATES VALUE FOR THE CLIENT/USER?
CORE VALUES
FINANCIAL AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
HOW WILL WE SUSTAIN A STRONG FINANCIAL POSITION?
Risk Management:
Identify and manage key operational risks including data security and privacy
New Revenue Growth:
Identify new future revenue growth opportunities for services facilitated or housed by OUAC
Governance:
Ensure effective and evolving governance structures are in place to support the OUAC’s mandate
Organizational Agility:
Evolve organization flexibility, capability and capacity to respond to the future evolution and growth of the OUAC
MANDATE: To support application processing for Ontario universities, help students make informed educational choices and enable document and data sharing between universities and their stakeholders
Sector Collaborator:
Enable effective communication and facilitate engagement among stakeholders based on sector-wide knowledge
VALUE PROPOSITION: To be a trusted partner to Ontario universities by delivering reliable and efficient services

16. OUAC Strategic Objectives
OBJECTIVE 1: IMPROVE FLEXIBILITY, EFFICIENCY AND FUNCTIONALITY
Improve flexibility, efficiency and functionality of application services through future utilization of the AMS and other enablers
Successfully implement the AMS “new normal” (2016)
Build additional functionality of AMS ( )
Improve other systems and processes
Develop new training services and programs to support the adoption of new AMS services

17. OUAC Strategic Objectives
OBJECTIVE 2: INCREASE SUPPORT FOR EMERGING SERVICE NEEDS
Increase responsiveness to support specialized service needs of Ontario universities
Create contract service model to accommodate legal, financial, organizational and governance requirements for inter-university contracts ( )
Increase capacity of contract services ( )

18. OUAC Strategic Objectives
OBJECTIVE 3: EXPAND DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL INTEGRATION
Expand domestic and international application processing integration, data sharing and student mobility
Actively encourage adoption of multiple PESC component standards
Identify the feasibility of developing an expanded partnership with WES to support international applications
Expand the domestic reach of the OUAC’s transcript trading hub
Enable greater applicant/student data transfer between colleges and universities (XML standard)
Investigate the feasibility of housing future domestic program extensions for application services
Enhance data sharing and data analysis capabilities

19. OUAC Purpose Statements
VISION: Connecting students to opportunities
MISSION: To provide world-class services and resources that connect students to Ontario universities
MANDATE: To support application processing for Ontario universities, help students make informed educational choices and enable document and data sharing between universities and their stakeholders
VALUE PROPOSITION: To be a trusted partner to Ontario universities by delivering reliable and efficient services

20. OUAC Strategic Planning Process
Planning Timeframe - Fall 2015 to Spring 2016:
Consultation
Next Steps:
Finalize metrics
Develop implementation plan
Analysis
Identify Strategies
Verification
Metrics
Implementation
Plan
Comms Plan
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May

21. Questions or Comments?