Sam Tezak
Life Editor
At 8 a.m. yesterday morning, student and faculty e-mails beeped to life. Colorado College Communications contacted the student body, informing everyone that Colorado College had released its own campus mobile map.
As high school and college campuses across the country begin releasing smart phone applications that offer students mobile access to campus maps, contacts, and news, Colorado College has decided to join the ranks.
Jim Schultz, Colorado College’s Application Programmer Analyst, was hired by the college to develop CC’s website, Banner page, and now this mobile application.
CC Mobile was developed in collaboration with the ITS Team and CC Communications staff, including Karen To, Felix Sanchez, and Mark Lee. Students and faculty also contributed to its development: “We had a lot of input in what we think will best benefit the students,” Schultz said. Ellucian, the software company that sponsors Colorado College software such as Banner, is the parent company for CC Mobile.
The beta application includes various features such as a newsroom component, an events section, a page devoted to CC Tiger sports,
and dining options and their respective menus. Schultz says the app will prove to be very useful for both new and returning students: “The campus map I think is really cool. If you are a new student just arriving here who doesn’t know the actual geography—we have 93 acres here—it helps them out to see where the buildings are in relation to each other and what’s in them.”
In addition, the campus map also shows app user’s position on campus in relation to the surrounding buildings. Now students can browse the menu options for Rastall, Benji’s, and the Preserve on those restless nights when one isn’t sure if it is Meatless Mondays, Steak Night, or Pasta Bar.
Essentially, the application operates as a more accessible version of the Colorado College website. The CC Mobile newsfeed is synched with the newsfeed on the website, and under sections such as “Contacts,” app users are faced with a website-style format including general CC contact information. The application is not only useful, but it is inevitable as smart phones continue to gain popularity and students become more and more mobile.
As the application launched yesterday, Schultz looks forward to how the application can further become more integrated and useful in CC student life. “Eventually, we would like to have student log-ins so they can check their grades and eventually even register for courses. But that’s down the road a ways,” Schultz said. In addition, he is eager to investigate the possibility of developing a component that would inform students of ‘traffic jam’ lines in dining halls.
All of this and much more lies in the future, and CC Communications encourages students to download the app, try it out, and suggest feedback and ideas for development. So far, the application has received positive feedback. “I’ve only gotten personal e-mails—four or five e-mails saying how much they like it—I haven’t gotten any negative feedback yet,” said Schultz.
Ultimately, the application’s popularity will be determined democratically, as students download and consider its overall usefulness and place in their lives. “Keep your eyes open—there’s more coming. This is just the beginning,” Schultz said.
Before this CC had no mobile application, most collges are on mobile application
I was hired here to not only do my regular Banner work but also because I had development background in mobile applications, specifically iPhone applications. I built my own company. The CC Mobile App is largely a result of that but it is an Eluciant product right now, Eluciant is the company that provides software to the college it has the banner software and many other components. Right now, we are under that umbrella, the Eluciant umbrella. It was our creation, we guided them
Aid
ITS team along with Communications, several people in communications including Karen To, Felix Sanchez, Mark Lee also the faculty, we had the faculty come over and sponsor ideas, a front line on how best and innovations as well, and a student came to help us. We had a lot of input in what we think will best benefit the students.
Features
That plans to be expanded in the future with further functionality. Also, we think the newsroom and the events feed is pretty cool.
Future
Eventually we would like to have student log ins so they can check their grades, and eventually even registering for courses. But that’s down the road a ways. There are going to be quite a bit of improvements to it. Theres other things we are planning, certain times of the day differ for the dining halls, the lines get really long. Depending on how long a line is at a particular location.
This is just the start. Its rather insincere right now.
Feedback
Ive only gotten personal emails, four or five emails saying how much they like it, I haven’t gotten any negative feedback yet. So far people like it a lot.
Oddly enough one of the largest requests we’ve had, one of the biggest desires a student wants to know is what is for dinner, what is for lunch. That is why we have the dining section there. Pasta bar!
Keep your eyes open, theres more coming, this is just the beginning
Secondary Product to have a mobile application presence