Information Technology

Moorhead State University
Information Technology Department Audit
March 9, 1977

  1. At least 100 tapes be added to the number of tapes available
  2. The number of tapes used in tape rotation should be increased to provide for better file back-up. In addition, offsite storage of data files should be provided for systems operational at the administrative computer center at St. Cloud.
  3. Provision should be made for off-site backup of the UNIVC 90/30 files and related operations documentation.
  4. Provision should be made for emergency lighting in the event of power failure.
  5. Night computer operators should be instructed in security and emergency procedures.
  6. Logs should be maintained for software and hardware problems. These logs should include the nature of the problem, date reported and follow-up information.
  7. Installation of the standard accounting system of the State University Board should be completed by July 1, 1977. Applications not currently operational on this system such as as student activities, agency accounting and bookstore accounting should be operational by this date. Duplicate accounting systems such as those arising from the local ADR system should be eliminated.
  8. Program testing procedures should be revised to ensure that "live" data files are not used in testing.
  9. On-line student files should be copied and placed in a secure location after update. Sensitive reports and forms such as grade reports and student bills should not be run by student operators.
  10. The staff complement for Computer Services should be increased to the allocated 8 positions.
  11. Sensitive forms such as check forms should be secured when not in use.
  12. The current documentation standards should be used to document present and future systems. A schedule should be adopted for system documentation which leads to complete documentation by January 1, 1978. Priority should be given to the documentation of system operation ad data input preparation.
  13. Standard forms should be adopted for tape rotations and data entry documentation.
  14. Systems now running in production mode should be controlled by the operations staff. Input-output control, tape rotations and job control language should be the responsibility of operations. A schedule for phasing this responsibility from the programmers to the operations staff should be established.
  15. A review should be made of the present procedures relating to financial aids, NDSL and loan accounting to eliminate check posting, list checking and other unnecessary clerical work. In particular, NDSL accounting should be expanded to include detail record keeping by the computer system so that manual ledger posting will not be necessary. The standard student loan accounting system in use at other state universities should be considered for adoption.
  16. A review of computer room keys should be made to ensure that only authorized personnel have keys.
  17. Unauthorized personnel should not be allowed in the computer room. Doors leading to the outside should be provided with closers and locked to prevent unauthorized access.
  18. Smoking should not be allowed in the computer room.
  19. A review of the financial control of NDSL disbursements and accounting should be made. Provision should be made for the separation of reconciliation of the NDSL account from NDSL disbursement and accounting.
  20. Provision should be made for data entry information to be verified when entered by computer services staff. Routines now being developed for key-disk entry by CRT should be expanded to allow verification of critical fields.
  21. Provision should be made for back-up of transactions as they are processed for update.
  22. Suspense account capability should be added to the student system so that money receipted but not posted to a student account can be identified and corrected.
  23. A review of the interfaces between administrative systems should be conducted in an effort to eliminate unnecessary duplication and clerical work.
  24. External controls of the accounting system should be improved to include label checking by the business office. Other administrative systems should be reviewed for the possible inclusion of similar external controls.
  25. A schedule should be enforced for production to provide for better load leveling and planning.
  26. Reports should be reviewed to ensure that titles, headings and dates are included.
  27. The use of the "amount due" field in the student system should be reviewed.