Self Service Carolina modules to be released gradually
Parts of Self Service Carolina went live last week, allowing current students to apply for financial aid through the program that will soon entirely replace VIP.
Students will use the same login information they use currently on VIP — their VIP ID and password — but some of VIP’s functions are being taken over by Self Service Carolina.
Admitted and prospective students will also be introduced to the new program. Those who will be or hope to be attending USC in the fall are currently able to check their admission status, pay their enrollment deposit, certify their in-state residency and apply for housing through Self Service Carolina. They will never use VIP, according Elwood Hamilton, a spokesman for OneCarolina. Self Service Carolina is part of OneCarolina, an overhaul of the university’s computing systems.
“Students who are applying to the university and who are being admitted to the university are already using the system,” Hamilton said. “The new students don’t even know what VIP is. They don’t have a relationship with it.”
Current students can view their academic records as well as search for next semester’s classes with the new program, but those functions are still in testing stages. The official master schedule will be on the registrar’s website March 11, during spring break.
“The class schedule is not final and is still in development. We are not directing students at all to look at that schedule,” Hamilton said. “There might be changes. We don’t want anyone going out there and making their whole schedule only to find that those classes don’t exist anymore.”
When that feature does go live, students will be able to search for courses by criteria like subject, meeting time and professor. They plan to have it out in the near future.
“Registration is in April, so we really don’t have much flexibility on that one,” Hamilton said.
The many other features of the program will be rolled out on a timeline as they are finalized, Hamilton said. Certain modules like those for class registration are time sensitive and must come out at certain times, but others that are more flexible in timing don’t have set release dates.
“We’re set up in phases,” Hamilton said. “We’re trying to be as considerate to students as possible. We understand that it is still a transition phase. We ask students to be patient and adjust to life in the new world.”
One adjustment Hamilton would like student to make sooner rather than later, however, is to memorize their VIP ID. While students can log into VIP with their Social Security number now, once the full switch is made to Self Service Carolina, only VIP IDs will be used.
“If you’ve been using your Social Security number this whole time, go find out your VIP ID, write it down and memorize it,” Hamilton said.