Currently he maintains a parallel big text file that he searches with grep. This contains notes on applicants as he does not have direct access to the Grad Office systems (FileMaker).

A new system should be accessible 7/24 from anywhere. It needs to store student status, average, GRE, TOEFL, etc. He needs to be able to sort students by area, and easily email faculty indicate who has applied to their areas, with information like marks.

Statistics - how many applied/accepted/rejected. Note that "rejected" really means "no faculty interested by an appropriate expiry date" (except for clearly unacceptable candidates?).

Letter generation needs to be more flexible - it is frequently useful to be able to add a postscript or otherwise edit the letter for a specific student. Email should be an option for sending the letters.

Faculty need to be able to see applications/summaries since their last log on. There may be a policy of not advertising acceptances that take place more than 2 weeks after application (still to be decided).

Application: arrives on paper. It consists of:

• Printed OUAC form - do we have access to the electronic version?
• CS Research Interests form (PDF on website http://www.cs.uwaterloo.ca/grad/newGradHB/Forms/Forms.html)
• CS Supplemental Information form (PDF on website http://www.cs.uwaterloo.ca/grad/newGradHB/Forms/Forms.html)
• Recommendation letters (apparently there is an electronic reference letter service)
• Transcripts

OUAC form goes electronically direct to the UW grad office; our only copy is the printed one from the student.

Faculty grad offices are mostly not concerned applications, other than to be passed stuff for signature.

-- Main.ijmorlan - 20 Jun 2005