"This group believes that in order to best meet the student body's needs, a continuous dialogue between students and on-campus department directors is required in order to effectively diagnose problems and create solutions suitable to the campus community," said Vanneman.
Vanneman and Silberstein worked with Director of Institutional Research Marian Matheson to create focus groups composed of random samples of students in order to evaluate general student opinion. Participants in these first focus groups commented on different issues and problems IT.
"IT happens to be doing a very good job at addressing students' needs," said Silberstein.
Participants in the focus groups pointed out two main issues concerning e-mail accounts and use of the Media Center in Robert Frost Library. Students first voiced concern that the College's e-mail accounts were too small. In response, the IT department doubled the storage size of all Amherst accounts this summer.
Students also observed that the Media Center usually becomes crowded with Five College students, particularly during exam periods, the time when College students need computer access the most. Even though students at the College have priority over these computers, students reported that they often felt too awkward to ask a Five College student to yield a computer. To address the problem, 10 new computers were added to the Media Center, bringing the total number of computers to 48.
Another concern voiced by students in the focus groups was the lack of information about IT in general. Many students in the groups were enthusiastic to learn about the many resources offered by IT but had never heard of them before. In general, students wanted IT to be more vocal about offerings such as the ability to purchase Microsoft Office software from IT at discounted prices.
One of the many suggestions that was later taken up by IT included setting up a table in the campus center advertising the existence of K: drive software, which allows students to have access to professional and usually expensive software such as Adobe Photoshop while they are connected to the Amherst network.
The IT department also set up an IT table in the campus center selling Windows XP. Students could purchase copies of the software with the option of using their AC Dollars or charging the money to their student accounts.
In addition to more advertising, students suggested that IT publicize more events online through the Daily Jolt or the weekly e-mailed announcements rather than advertising through post office mail.
Students also proposed a change in the way IT classes are advertised. Instead of advertising software solely by program name, such as Adobe InDesign, IT will now explain how such programs are applicable to student life. For example, information about InDesign courses will also include information about the program's usefulness for making posters or table tents for an event.
As part of publicizing and informing the campus about the IT department, IT held a mandatory meeting for first-years as part of orientation week in which they were informed about the events and resources the department has to offer.
The focus groups also discussed printing on campus. Many students would like to have printers next to computers around campus, such as the two computers in Valentine, the computer at Schwemm's and the computers in the common rooms of various dormitories. The AAS is discussing plans for installing printers around campus, but the need for someone to maintain and take care of the printers makes the project harder to implement for now.
Also, remote printing from anywhere on-campus to printing centers is currently under development. Remote printing would also alleviate the crowding in the Media Center, since students often use those computers simply for printing purposes.
In addition, plans for certain IT classes are currently in progress such as a series on computing for first-year students containing Word, DreamWeaver, InDesign and Photoshop. The department is also planning Extendin, Endnote and Excel classes for upperclass as well as first-year students.
Besides increased advertising, students in the focus groups suggested that in order to coerce students to take advantage of the classes and tutorials IT offers, these courses should appear in official college transcripts in much the same way as Physical Education courses. Students believe that having courses on record will provide an extra incentive for students.
Finally, the focus groups suggested it would be a good idea to provide a guide for computing from abroad to those students spending a semester or a year off-campus.
Sara Barmettler '08, who participated in a focus group, thought that the groups were helpful in communicating with IT about student concerns. "I think that they were able to understand what the students [at the College] actually wanted and what they wanted to change," she said. Janice Asamoto '06, another participant, agreed. "I felt the suggestions raised by the individuals in the group and myself were things that we have all complained about in the past," she said.
Asamoto added that she has noticed the IT department is advertising more projects. "I think IT has responded to student suggestions; it might be just because I am now more aware of what they're doing, but I've noticed IT projects being advertised on the Jolt and Note more often," she said. "I'm especially interested in the Endnote workshop for thesis writers-I don't know if they've done that every year, but because I'm writing one now, I'm thrilled that they're having one and letting us know that they are."
President Anthony Marx said that the focus groups were part of a larger plan intended to improve the way the College uses information technology. Vanneman and Silberstein hope other departments will follow suit and decide to take advantage of these focus groups. "We are currently working with the Career Center, the residential life department and the campus center," said Silberstein.
"There are so many simple things the department could change to make things work more efficiently," she said.