Demographic data is currently maintained in a number of campus and UCOP systems. In some cases employees record the same demographic data for entry into multiple systems or even for entry into the same system. The current environment results in demographic data in various systems not being synchronized, redundant provision of demographic data by employees and additional workload to the University. Advantages and disadvantages of a central demographic database are listed below for consideration.

ADVANTAGES

1. Developing a new, people-centric demographic application would simplify demographic data maintenance, e.g., home address, via direct electronic data entry. Such an employee-empowered system could also further reduce the turnaround time for updating the data.
2. Data integrity improvements would complement the operational ease-of-use advancements as interfacing applications could access the demographic database source instead of requiring redundant data entry. Similarly, where systems are not rearchitected to utilize a demographic database, they would be able to receive a timely feed of information from the demographic database. This would increase data integrity.
3. New and evolving technologies utilized for the demographic database application could reduced paper processing by minimizing the volume of forms required and also provide for data edits not found on paper forms.
4. A common database for storing demographic information would provide a more secure environment than redundant, unsynchronized systems.
5. A database of demographic information would provide a reference point for authenticating University employees for a variety of purposes.

DISADVANTAGES

1. A dual system for updating demographic information would have to be established because not all employees would have access to technology required to update their demographic information directly.
2. There will be a degree of technical difficulty to overcome. Either the database will be central and local applications would have to access it or would be operated at each campus and central functions would be required to access multiple local databases.