The UAccess system, which is in the process of replacing Student Link, is being overhauled in response to departmental problems and student fears.

Candice Eaton, a transfer student from Pima Community College, ran into records transfer issues with UAccess.

“”It’s just a big, stupid mess and there are several hundred students having the same problems as I am,”” Eaton said.

She acknowledged that system transfers can be a “”slow, tedious process,”” but wanted to make sure student issues like hers were being heard.

“”I am concerned that some people are not seeing this problem as being as serious as it is,”” she said. ””This is affecting my ability to register for, pay for and attend classes at the U of A.””

Eaton had problems with her UA NetID as well as transferring health and class records to the new system.

The UAccess team has been working to resolve issues.

Many incoming students experienced confusion when their old student identification numbers were changed to new UAccess Student IDs. The new numbers are usually the same as old IDs with the S added, according to Kay Stevens Beasock, communications director for the Mosaic program which heads UAccess.

Also, the display of class sections for summer and fall search has been expanded to 20 openings in the original window, as well as fee and prerequisite information being available in the ‘Class Notes’ section of the system starting next week, Beasock said.

Although many departments have already made the decision to circumvent the new system with manual or hand registration, some campus administrators think this might be a decision with major consequences.

“”All of the various problems that have been uncovered seem to be not actually problems but mostly fears,”” said Paul Kohn, UA associate vice president and dean of admissions. “”There are some very hasty — and I think poor — judgments in taking everything off-line and making everyone come into the office.””

Kohn hoped there was a way to “”keep people from making administrative decisions based on fear rather than fact.””

“”I’d like to be more optimistic. I think we’re going to be able to do some things better now than we used to do. I’m not as caught up in how bad everything is going to be,”” he added.

The UAccess team noted it is simply a matter of getting used to the new system.

“”(For) the UAccess student Go Live, the student administration team converted over 7 million registration records,”” Beasock said in an e-mail regarding the introduciton of the new system, noting that more than 22 years of records data was converted for the tens of thousands of students, teachers and staff affiliated with the UA.

Eaton has seen some of her records transfer since her initial encounter with the new system.

“”If (students) are having problems, make sure that they make it known,”” Eaton said. “”If I didn’t speak up, it could have been months or it could have never gotten fixed because no one would have ever known. If you have an issue, pipe up and say something to somebody.””