Audrey Tchaa –
Connect is the new, happening thing on campus right now. This is a new platform that students and faculty are using campus wide. Jennifer Lee, an Associate Director at the Memorial Student Center, gives us the scoop of why we’ve made our huge transition from OrgSync to Connect.
Based on a response page that was put out, many of the University of Wisconsin Stout’s students are in the mix of liking or disliking Connect as a program. Out of 16 responses, 50% of these students said they do “like” it, 18.8% said they “dislike” it, and 31.3% said they “kind of like” it.
Overall, a lot of people enjoy how easily accessible Connect is compared to OrgSync. One response said, “It feels a lot more fluid and the fact that it’s on both mobile and desktop, so it can be accessed by more devices does influence how much it’ll be used. A lot of people check their social life on their phones instead of on their laptop.”
Reasons why people dislike Connect is due to the constant notifications that people are receiving and how it resembles a social media page. Lee understands that students would like to keep their social life separate from their school life and added that they can customize their notifications. “You just have to click on ‘Notification Settings’ and you’re free from 100 notifications a day!”
Deon Canon, a current student and Stout Students Association (SSA) director of communications, is a frequent user of the platform.
“I think Connect beats OrgSync by far, just due to aesthetics. The customization abilities of the website also give organizations a nice way to express themselves. There are some kinks with Connect that needs to be fixed, but with all transitions, there will be some pains. I’m not sure how OrgSync was when it was the new tool on campus, but I think the way the Involvement Center advertise and utilize Connect should make more individuals utilize the app.”
The transition from OrgSync to Connect is based on a contract. The contract the school had with OrgSync was over and it was time to find a new platform. “Connect is a very robust, user-friendly option that our students really enjoy,” said Lee. She continues to explain that Connect was a cheaper and overall accessible alternative compared to OrgSync.
University of Wisconsin-Stout is currently under a three-year contract with Connect, and so far, it has been a positive beginning to the new software. Lee explained that her team members and members of SSA were a part of the demonstration process. They had three platforms, and everyone loved the way Connect operated.
“I’ve heard nothing but positive reviews and feedback about Connect. I look forward to seeing how students use it this year,” concluded Lee.