Linnea Kedziora
Contributing Writer
Those already planning classes for the next semester have had firsthand experience with the new Colleague Self-Service software. Returning students who have not had the chance to look at classes for the upcoming semester will have accessed the new online housing services earlier this semester. These changes, both new to planning for the 2019-2020 academic school year, will soon become a familiar part of the academic planning process.
The Voice contacted Ellen Falduto, chief officer of Information and Planning, on the topic of Colleague Self-Service, the program that is replacing ScotWeb for academic planning. According to Falduto, the timing of this change is due to Ellucian, the school’s software provider, ceasing to support the program that is referred to here at The College of Wooster as ScotWeb. Fortunately, this software combines functions that had to exist separately in ScotWeb such as class selection and planning the “Major Audit” section, which can now share information with each other, letting students see digitally how many of their required credits are “planned.”
According to Falduto, a pilot group of 150 students and their advisors tested this software for the fall 2018 semester. These students have reported that they appreciate other new features, including a schedule that can show a weekly calendar, advisors having access to the same information as students and the fact that future classes can be planned within the program as opposed to on paper or through Excel. Students will be able to experience all these features over the next few weeks as the process of registering for classes begins in earnest.
Falduto stated that other functions of ScotWeb will be updated as the provider, Ellucian, creates new platforms. She even stated that “Student Affairs will soon announce the availability of ‘My Profile’ where students can indicate chosen name, pronouns and gender identity.” This will come as a relief to students who have chosen new names since coming to Wooster. Falduto also alluded to an update to the Financial Aid application students use.
The online student housing system was updated due to student request. According to Nathan Fein, director of Residence Life, his department has been looking into putting housing services online since spring 2017. The software did not go live until November 2018 because Res Life was trying various software systems before deciding on Adirondack Solutions’ program “The Housing Director” as it most closely fits the needs of the school. The purpose of this digitization is to allow students to select housing, create room reports, communicate with Res Life and create a profile to help find roommates online.