Look of Web Registration site changes

Students said they liked the new look of the Web Registration site now that it has been reformatted.

The new site went up on Sunday and now includes a cardinal and gold color scheme, a calendar view with gridlines and an easier method for students to choose classes. It easier to manage the course bin because the home page is no longer split between the course list and course bin.

Jenn Kranz, a sophomore majoring in theatre, applauded the improvements for making the site easier to use and more aesthetically pleasing.

“The Web Registration is more effectively organized,” Kranz said. “It’s a lot easier to navigate and the new color scheme shows school spirit.”

Students appreciate the face-lift and improved functionality. But many feel online registration could still be improved by streamlining the process into one step, rather than separate steps

“It’s easier to use and I like the color scheme,” said Amy Beck, a sophomore majoring in French and psychology. “It would have been easier if they got [Web Registration] down to one step.”

Associate Registrar Frank Chang said the new site was years in the making.

“We have been wanting to do this for [a long] time,” Chang said. “We are always evaluating our systems and finding ways to make them better.”

Before making the improvements, the Undergraduate Student Government and administrators solicited suggestions from students through focus groups and other surveys, USG Senior Director of Communications Sabena Suri said.

“We are really excited about the fact that the whole system is running really smoothly and we feel like it reflects the changes that the administration and the students really wanted to see,” she said.

The improvements aimed at rectifying problems with the old format, such as the difficulty in using the site and its aesthetic unpleasantness.

“The changes addressed the fact that the system was outdated and difficult to use, in addition to not being as engaging of a platform as it could have been,” Suri said in an email. “They are best reflected in the aesthetics of the site, especially with the use of the cardinal and gold color scheme.”

USG hopes to host a student forum in the next few weeks with representatives from the registrar’s office and Information Technology Services to address online academic resources, such as Web Registration and Blackboard, according to USG President Monish Tyagi.