Process improvement gets electronic diplomas to students more quickly

Receiving a diploma is a momentous milestone marking the successful completion of a student’s educational journey. More than just a piece of paper, diplomas also serve as key educational records that many graduates need to submit to licensing boards, employers, international agencies, and graduate schools to demonstrate they have fulfilled their degree requirements. Thanks to the efforts of the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Office of the Registrar (RO), many newly-minted graduates are now getting electronic copies of their diplomas sooner than before. An update to the diploma ordering process that launched in December reduces the amount of time that international students studying at the university on F-1 and J-1 visas have to wait before receiving these important documents. Due to shipping issues and high volumes of diplomas not reaching recipients, F-1 and J-1 students are required to enter a diploma address in MyUW before their physical diplomas are ordered; previously, missing a diploma address also meant the issuance of the international students’ Certified Electronic Diplomas (CeDiplomas) was also delayed. Now, the RO sends out the CeDiplomas once degrees are posted to students’ records, even if they don’t have a diploma address on file. It may sound like a simple change, but it involved significant efforts from developers Leslie Gardner and Sean McConnell on the office’s Application Development and Technical Services team. The duo rewrote code in the Student Information System (SIS) to make the system logic align with the process change. It also required them to find a way for the system to identify which diploma(s) graduates needed – physical, electronic, or both – when diploma orders were initiated. “Removing this barrier that many of our international students had faced ensures we are treating all students – regardless of diploma destination – in an equitable fashion,” says Beth Warner, Deputy University Registrar. “It is also a tangible representation of our commitment to continuous student-centered improvements. Students are rightfully proud of their academic achievements, and helping them receive electronic diplomas even sooner is one way the Office of the Registrar can help them celebrate their success.” All UW–Madison students whose degrees were awarded in December 2015 or later can access their certified electronic diplomas at no cost. Visit the Office of the Registrar’s website for more information.