Our Work

Modernizing USC’s Legacy FoxPro System to Secure and Simplify Student Record Access

Overview

The University of Southern California (USC) is one of the nation’s most prominent research institutions, known for its long academic history and extensive data archives. Among these archives were student records dating back to the early 1900s, stored in a FoxPro application that was no longer maintainable or secure.

Industries

Higher Education

Technologies

Microsoft ASP.NET, C#, SQL Server, SSO Integration, Data Mapping & Migration Tools

Services

Legacy Application Modernization, FoxPro Migration Services, Database Modernization, User Authentication Integration, System Architecture Redesign

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Challenge

USC’s records team discovered that its pre-1980 student transcripts were still being stored in the outdated FoxPro database. While the application had served its purpose for decades, it now posed several serious challenges.

Access was limited to a small internal group familiar with the system’s quirks, and all users shared a single login—creating security risks. The database lacked documentation, leaving file paths and data relationships largely unknown. Even more concerning, portions of the system had been disabled over time, concealing additional records that no one realized still existed.

With FoxPro approaching end-of-life and no in-house expertise to maintain or migrate it, USC needed a trusted partner to reverse-engineer, modernize, and secure this critical historical data, without losing any of its integrity or accessibility.

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Designing the Solution

Ticomix began by analyzing the legacy FoxPro database and code to reconstruct how records were linked to scanned degree cards, transcripts, and grade sheets.

Working closely with USC’s IT and records teams, Ticomix established three design priorities:

  1. Security & User Control: Replace the single shared login with individual accounts integrated into USC’s Single Sign-On (SSO) system.
  2. Data Discovery & Recovery: Identify and restore hidden data that had been disabled or overlooked in the original application.
  3. Usability & Efficiency: Create a modern web-based lookup tool that made it fast and intuitive for staff to search, view, and export archived student records.
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Developing the Solution

Once the data structures were mapped, Ticomix built a custom lookup application using ASP.NET and SQL Server. The goal was to replicate the original functionality, while also offering modern performance, compliance, and scalability.

Key solution highlights included:

  • Data Reconstruction: Rebuilt all relationships between transcript records, scanned images, and associated identifiers (name, student ID, SSN).
  • Role-Based Access: Implemented user groups so specific teams could access only the data sets relevant to their functions.
  • SSO Integration: Connected to USC’s central authentication system for seamless and secure access.
  • Modern Search Interface: Enabled fast lookups by name, student ID, or SSN, with options to view and export transcript images as PDFs.

During development, the Ticomix team uncovered four previously unknown types of records, expanding USC’s archive beyond what their records team thought existed.

“Ticomix met deadlines and stayed on budget. They had a definite technical background and a kind, collaborative nature. They were incredible collaborators and were eager to help and flexible in how they incorporated our needs.” via Clutch.co

– University’s IT director (via Clutch.co)

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Results

The project successfully transformed USC’s archival data access while preserving historical integrity.

  • Legacy data secured: Migrated decades of historical transcripts into a compliant, maintainable environment.
  • Improved usability: Staff can now locate, view, and export records in seconds rather than minutes.
  • Granular security: Individual authentication replaced shared logins, eliminating a key data risk.
  • New discoveries: Four previously hidden record types were identified and restored.
  • Sustainable modernization: The new system’s modular architecture allows future enhancements or integrations as needed.

USC’s modernized lookup system now provides a secure, sustainable way to manage historical student records. Though the data remains isolated, it’s now fully protected, accessible, and preserved for the future.

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