Technical difficulties delaying ECC registration

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

ELGIN — Elgin Community College may not buy the old “my dog ate my homework” for late assignments. But it may be more sympathetic to the “my computer crashed” excuse.

Summer and fall registration for courses at ECC will be delayed more than a week because of issues with the college’s computer system for managing college records and operations, the college announced Friday.

“This was not security-related; there was never a threat to ECC data. We know that,” said Paula Amenta, a spokeswoman for the college. “Why it happened is something that they’re looking into.”

Elgin Community College uses Virginia-based Datatel, Inc.’s Colleague system for managing records and operations, according to the college. That system went down Tuesday, Amenta said.

While the college’s information technology staff and Datatel consultants had the system operating again by Friday, they need time to re-enter and verify about two weeks’ worth of data, according to the college.

And that will push back registration for the college’s fall semester to allow students to register, purchase books and make other preparations before classes begin Monday, Aug. 22.

“We regret the inconvenience to our students, but we also recognize that this delay is in their overall best interest,” Chief Information Officer Ned Coonen said in a written statement.

“We must ensure that all systems are functioning properly and all data is complete and correct before opening the system up for functions like summer and fall registration.”

Priority registration, which allows current students to register before the general public, had been scheduled to start Monday, April 4. Priority registration now will start Wednesday, April 13, according to the college.

Students can get a new priority registration permit from the college beginning Wednesday, April 6.

Open registration, scheduled to begin on Monday, April 11, now will begin Monday, April 18.

The delay should not affect the start of summer classes, which is scheduled for Tuesday, May 31. ECC’s other systems, such as its email, website and Desire2Learn distance learning system, also were not affected by the outage, according to the college.

Students or the general public can register at the ECC Registration Center in the Student Resource Center, Room 165, at 1700 Spartan Drive. They also can register online at elgin.edu/accessecc.

Those who are new to the college must apply for admission and satisfy any prerequisites before registering.

For more information, visit elgin.edu/apply or contact the ECC Registration Center at 847-214-7393.