OIT Still Upgrading Campus
by Maha Mohomed, STAFF WRITER
Students and faculty at Tougaloo College will begin to see new changes this academic year. Tougaloo is now moving into the direction of combining learning with service which is a major goal for any college campus.
The Office of Information Technology has just launched the Student Academic Records System (STARS), an innovative online service that allows students to easily access their academic and financial records. Students will be able to check their billing information, grades, unofficial transcripts and their degree audit.
Many students are thrilled about the ongoing changes on campus. “It is good to see that Tougaloo College is progressing and moving up in technology,” said Shane Gomes, 22, a junior sociology major from Ewa Beach , Hawaii . “It will be an advantage for students to be able to view their grades and finances online.”
With an account on SONISWEB students will also be able to take command of their academic and financial status, said Terry Jordan, chief officer of OIT. Each registered student already has a SONISWEB account, which a link to the site is available on Tougaloo’s homepage. Students only have to provide a valid student ID and pin. Once an account is activated students will be able to access the site’s available features like biography, billing, ledger, schedule, registration, and degree audit.
“The student information system was designed to consolidate student records into one database,” Jordan said. “It is a way to put the student’s records in their fingertips. The system is available to students as they matriculate until they graduate.”
The biography feature shows information regarding the address, phone number, and email address of the student. This feature also presents final grades from completed courses as well as grades from midterm. Courses that are still in session are also shown with an accurate display of the student’s current GPA.
Traditionally, the financial aid office posts each student’s finances for the upcoming year. However, OIT now provides the technology for the financial aid office to display a student’s finances in the billing feature. Here the student’s current bills for the semester as well as any pending awards that may come available are displayed. It lists every charge against the student including tuition, books, fees, and financial aid. Students can view their current balance and check their payment plan.
The degree audit option is one of the most useful features of SONISWEB. Here students choose their majors from a list for their intended degree. Then students can see which courses are required for graduation in their respective major as well as for general education requirements.
OIT is also working towards online student registration. This will make the registration process less burdensome especially for Tougaloo students. Students must meet with their advisors and select their courses as they have done in previous semesters. However, the difference is that students will now be able to log on to SONISWEB and actually register themselves for their selected courses. Students will be able to do mostly everything that their advisor once did such as dropping, adding, and clearing courses. As the student adds courses a display of the impending charges will be shown.
Nevertheless, the student online registration is closed for now, but interested students can wait for pre-registration in November to register online.
Chineka McGee, 19, a sophomore physics/ pre-engineering major from Jackson , is happy with the new developments at Touglaoo. “I believe that in order to get the best from our schools, it has to be able to meet the needs of every student and this is a step in that direction.” McGee who is constantly utilizing the library’s services hopes that Tougaloo will continue to progress in the technology department.
OIT also is working on other projects determined to make Tougaloo keep up with the same technology as bigger schools. In fact Terry Jordan says that all present and future projects are aimed towards bettering the student’s capability to perform. “The focus of this year is to deliver more technology to students as much as possible, says Jordan .
As students walk to class they may have noticed major construction near sites like the chapel and dormitories. This is how OIT plans to expand wireless connection around campus so that the technology is available in more places. The dirt turnovers are a way to place hard wiring fiber optics into the ground. Once the cable is placed Tougaloo’s online network will be able to reach the entire campus. Jordan says that “what we are trying to do is spread online capability and also upgrade the Internet speeds, we are also possibly trying to gain hi-speed Internet in all the dorms.”
One last project is an electronic portfolio for students. Jordan says that the portfolio is another online system that allows students to put major papers, projects, PowerPoints, and video into their accounts. “The electronic portfolio gives students the ability to post material that goes beyond traditional old media such as files. Students will be able to upload multimedia items with this technology which means that will be student managed.”
Students or faculty members who have any questions may call OIT or check their homepage on Tougaloo’s homepage.
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