New version of Penn In Touch to debut this month

As the University charges into the next millennium, it is working to keep on top of current electronic innovations by upgrading one of Penn's most commonly used applications -- Penn InTouch. A new improved version of Penn InTouch, dubbed Penn InTouch 2K, will debut in two stages beginning this month, according to officials. The first phase of the $250,000 revamping of the Penn InTouch program, which is the result of the collaboration of Penn's four undergraduate schools and the Graduate School of Education, will begin by the end of this month. The first phase, entitled "Advisor-In-Touch," is expected to debut on February 28. It will allow advisors to access their students' academic records in the same manner that students can currently view their class schedules. Engineering School Director of Academic Affairs Joe Sun said this system will help advisors by giving them a fuller picture of their students' progress. Designers hope that "Advisor-In-Touch" will help improve Penn's much-maligned advising system. ISC official Jim Choate said "Advisor-In-Touch" will help advisors respond more immediately to a student's needs. "It will help facilitate more meaningful meetings between advisors and students," Choate said. The program will provide access to a student's schedule and transcript while allowing advisors to grant permits to restricted classes from their desk. A second phase of upgrades is scheduled to be released in the fall. It will allow students to test a variety of 'what-if' scenarios related to their academic careers in the University. For instance, officials said, students will be able to view hypothetical versions of their schedules. Anthropology majors, for example, will be able to see how their requirements would change were they to pursue a degree in the Engineering school. Administrators of the College and Engineering School said they were enthusiastic about the expanded program, which drew its inspiration from an existing computer-based worksheet used by Wharton students. They said they expect students to have vastly improved control over their academic choices.

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