Welcome to the SICAS Center!

SICAS - Student Information & Campus Administrative Systems

The SICAS Center develops common software and services for those campuses using Banner Software in New York State.

The SICAS Center has developed many software solutions to help member campuses. Our Application Overview page provides a global view of these applications. The Descriptions page contains a brief description of applications developed here at the SICAS Center.

Remote services have been added in order to ease the burden of campuses without the resources to perform these tasks, so their technology resources can be better utilized.

The SICAS ByLaws are the guidelines we follow as set forth by our members.

Planning a visit to the SICAS Center? Our Directions Page will give you detailed information on how to get to the SICAS Center. Also, we have added links that provide information on local entertainment, dining and accommodations.

SICAS Program Overview

The SICAS Program (Student Information and Campus Administrative Systems) supports administrative computing needs for SUNY campuses that operate BANNER software, a product of SunGard Higher Education. The software services and support provided to member campuses through the SICAS Center include SunGard baseline BANNER software, enhancements to the BANNER baseline and documentation. A Governance Board and Executive Committee of member campus administration and staff guide the philosophy, policy, direction, and accountability of the Center. The SICAS Program also has several open and associate members who purchase specific software interfaces developed by the SICAS Center.

A founding principle of the SICAS program is that cost-effectiveness accrues from shared software developed to meet universal needs. Instead of individual campuses developing and maintaining software to meet their administrative needs, software is written once either to the BANNER baseline or SICAS applications developed by the SICAS Center.

Administrative users from the member campuses are organized into functional area user groups. Each user group is responsible for identifying needs for SUNY-specific enhancements to BANNER and working with the SICAS Center to develop the software.

The Computer Centers Advisory Council (CCAC), made up of a representative from each campus computer center, advises the SICAS Center on support, service and scheduling matters.

SICAS Center Functions

The primary function of the SICAS Center is to serve as a liaison between the member campuses and SunGard Higher Education, and develop and maintain applications and enhancements to BANNER.

Liaison between the Member Campuses and SunGard Higher Education

The SUNY contract with SunGard Higher Education for BANNER products requires a liaison function to be provided by SUNY to supplement the maintenance support provided by SunGard's Technical Currency Program. SunGard provides one copy of software each time they release changes to BANNER. The SICAS Center is responsible for distributing this software to all of the members. Along with software, SunGard provides documentation that the SICAS Center distributes to the campuses. If changes in the BANNER baseline software require adjustments to SUNY-specific software, the SICAS Center includes those changes in the corresponding release of BANNER software. When campuses have problems or questions, they direct them to the SICAS Center, where they are either resolved or referred to SunGard. All members are kept informed of problems, questions and resolutions encountered by the other members.

SUNY Enhancements to BANNER Software

The SICAS Center develops and maintains enhancements to BANNER that are required by members. The methodology of the enhancements is agreed upon by all the members; a common solution to a common problem. The SICAS Center works with the functional area user groups (FAUG) who define, review and test the software product before general release. As changes are required to SUNY software, resulting from regulatory or BANNER baseline changes, the SICAS Center makes and releases the necessary software changes. Examples of SUNY enhancements are Application Processing Center interface, Institutional Research interfaces such as Student Data file, and vouchering for Federal financial aid funds.

SICAS Center Services

The services provided by the SICAS Center to member campuses include software (consisting of BANNER baseline, SICAS enhancements, and software installations), documentation, and communication.

BANNER Baseline:

- Distribute software changes to campuses

- Integrate SICAS Enhancements into new versions of baseline software

SUNY Member Enhancements:

- Develop SICAS Enhancements

- Modify SICAS software as required by regulatory or user requirements

- Provide training for members related to SICAS software

Software Installation:

- Perform test installations of BANNER baseline software

- Write software installation instructions and procedures for SICAS software

- Assist campuses in the installation of software

- Remote Database Administrative Support

Documentation:

- Distribute BANNER baseline documentation

- Write, maintain, and distribute SICAS software documentation

Communication:

- Record, report and monitor problems, questions and resolutions

- Monitor status of campus upgrades to the BANNER product

- Act as a clearinghouse for information among the campuses

- Provide members with planning information related to future releases of BANNER

- Lobby with SunGard for improvements in the BANNER software

- Assist Functional Area User Groups (FAUG) in composing requests to SunGard to modify BANNER.