Students can now access their academic records at almost any computer terminal on campus.

On Monday, Aug. 19, ISU’s AccessPlus information system became accessible through the ISU World Wide Web (WWW) server, said Kathleen Jones, associate registrar at ISU.

A-Plus, the informal name for AccessPlus, is a computerized system that provides instant information on Iowa State and its services. In the past, it was accessible only through kiosks located at 10 locations on campus, including the Parks Library, Memorial Union and ISU Visitor Information Booth. An eleventh kiosk was installed in the baggage area of the Des Moines International Airport on July 24. Since their installation, the A-Plus services have been accessed more than 50,000 times.

The airport A-Plus terminal and the one at the ISU Visitor Center can be used to get a campus map and a map showing how to get to Ames and the ISU campus from the airport. These terminals have limited access.

“You can’t bring up your schedule,” Jones said. “The focus of both of those are for visitors and people who are unfamiliar with Iowa State.”

An A-Plus terminal resembles an automatic teller machine and is accessed with a user friendly “touch screen” system.

Students working at computers with WWW access can obtain a variety of information about their academic records, including copies of transcripts, schedules, financial aid information and university bills. They can also find out their major and the name of their adviser, if they don’t already know.

Jones said the financial aid information format will change in about two weeks. It will become more like the Financial Aid Voice Response (FAVR) system. FAVR breaks down information by loans, awards and holds on financial aid release.

There is also a demo that can be used by anyone who is interested in AccessPlus but who is not a student.

“They can run the demo and once they are in there they can look at a schedule or a transcript,” Jones said.

In addition, students can look at the picture that is on their ISU card.

For security reasons, names and social security numbers are not shown Jones said. In spite of that, she encourages students to make sure they quit their web server when they are done, to prevent others from coming in and seeing their personal information.

“There are a lot of warnings so that you make sure to close your browser at the end of your session,” Jones said. “It is a secure system.”

To log on students must know their social security number and four-digit access code (available from student advisers).

Iowa State’s Web site was rated among the top 5% of Web sites by Point Communications, a New York state Web-ratings firm. It also received a four-star rating, the highest rating a site can achieve, from Magellan, a Sausalito, Calif., Internet firm.

“What the World Wide Web move does is make any microcomputer, on campus or off campus, accessible,” Jones said. “It will now serve in the same way as the kiosk locations do.”