Western Idaho College
“WIC-Web” 2003
Committee
Evolving To Meet The Needs Of
Today’s Students
The Story of Spud . . .
Spud, a traditional student, is
searching online for information on
attending colleges in his home
state of Idaho. He has visited other
college websites and is now
perusing Western Idaho College’s
(WIC) website to find more
information on applying. In addition,
he is hoping to find information on
student life at WIC. Upon viewing
the website, he becomes frustrated
as he is unable to find the
information he is looking for. After
unsuccessfully navigating the site,
Spud emails the college to convey
his frustration and then decides to
move on with his college search at
other college websites . . .
The Story of Spud cont.
The Vice President for Student
Affairs, aware of WIC’s IT issues has
charged our committee with the task
of reviewing and proposing changes
to the Student Life Website.
Our goals as a committee are to:
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Define who our students are today
Define our institutional website goals and
mission
Assess current website practices through
current research
Determine advantages and challenges of
incorporating student services online
Critique current website
Provide committee recommendations
Establish outcomes and evaluation processes
Who are our students today?
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Millenials/Net Generation
86% of college students have
gone online, compared with 59%
of the general population
College students are frequently
looking for email, with 72%
checking their email at least once
a day
49% first began using the internet
in college; half (47%) first began
using it at home before they
arrived at college
85% of college students own their
own computer, and 66% use at
least two email addresses
Source: The Internet Goes to College from studentaffairs.com,
September 15, 2002
Who is our targeted web audience?
Though our larger web audience
includes Faculty, Staff, University
Administration, Alumni and Friends,
our targeted audience consists of
Prospective students
 Current Students
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What are our student’s web
expectations?
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Students today are able to complete many
business transactions online from buying
cd’s/dvd’s to renewing their driver’s license.
Students want and expect to receive
comparable, if not better, service from their
educational institution as they receive in their
personal lives.
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Anytime, Anyplace - Younger generation
students want to serve themselves and expect
services to be available 24 hours a day, seven
days a week from any location
What are our student’s web
expectations? (cont.)
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Personalized service is expected whereas general
services are obsolete. Students want to be recognized
as an individual
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One size no longer fits all. With diverse student
populations, students expect institutions to deliver
services that are specific to their needs or interests. They
also want to choose their own formats, views and
preferred services for easy access at their own
convenience
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Interactive – More and more, students expect interactive
pages that take them more quickly to the information they
seek.
Source: Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE)
http://www.wcet.info/projects/laap/guidelines/overview.htm
Who are we as an institution?
WIC is . . .
 A small, public,
liberal-arts college
 An institution that
emphasizes liberalarts and sciences,
health-related and
other professional
studies and
research
What is our goal and
mission as an institution?
WIC seeks . . .
 To create a learning environment that empowers and affirms
the full development of students
 To encourage students to develop intellectual, humanitarian,
and leadership skills that will advance their potential for
service in all areas of human endeavor
 To provide minority students an academic and social
environment for learning, involvement, and leadership
development
 To provide educational programs to meet the needs of adult
learners
 To provide continuing education programs
Source: http://studentaffairs.com/vcs/2003vcs/mission.html
How do we incorporate our institutional
goals and mission into our website?
WIC’s website statement of philosophy . . .
At Western Idaho College we have taken the charge of
creating a website that is here to meet the needs of
our current and prospective students, faculty,
administration, alumni, and friends. Through our
website we hope to:
 Promotes WIC’s Student Affairs Division as well as
the college as a whole, including its initiatives,
academic programs, events, faculty, staff, and
students
 Functions as an efficient and effective educational
tool, providing access to online courses and other
educational resources
How do we incorporate our institutional
goals and mission into our website?
WIC’s website statement of philosophy (cont.)
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Provides access to information and services for
potential and current students while maintaining
creativity and flexibility to reach the needs of our webguests
Provide prompt answers to any questions our web
guests may have regarding our services or
information found on the website
Facilitate a sense of WIC community through online
forums and discussions
Serve as a primary source of information about
Western Idaho College
Where are we now?
Assessment of current website
practices based on current research . . .
Beede and Burnett (1999) are critical of the current state of
student affairs in that services are not student-centered nor
compatible with the future higher education environment.
“Change agents" which are reasons for why different
demands are being placed on higher education include:
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creation of a global economy
emergence of the information age which requires high tech
skills
changing demographics and expectations of students
served
increased financial pressure driving colleges and
universities to become more cost-effective.
Where are we now?
Assessment of current website
practices based on current research
(cont). . .
Traditional Model of Student
Affairs Practice:
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Functional silos
Segregated departments and
processes
Lack of communication
across departments
Lines and multiples offices
Limited access (8-5 p.m.)
Bureaucratic, paper-driven
processes
Sometimes inconsistent
information
Redesigned Model of Student
Affairs Practice:
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Cross-Functional teams
Integrated systems,
organizations and processes
Cross-trained teams
“One or None” philosophy
Anytime and anyplace
One source of data, electronic
Consistent information,
integrated and common
interfaces
Where are we now?
Assessment of current website
practices based on current research
(cont). . .
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Improved access to information will result in role changes for
personnel (from disseminators and processors of
information to planners and delivers of needed services)
as well as reduced time for students to conduct businesses
transactions with the college/university.
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The creation of a student-centered environment is required
to stay competitive, and requires leaders to "change key
paradigms, transform processes, leverage investments in
technology, and select technology and process enablers."
Source: Beede, M. & Burnett, D. (1999). Planning for Student Services: Best
Practices for the 21st Century. Ann Arbor, MI : Society for College and University
Planning.
Evolution of Web Development
As student services move online, may institutions
progress through a series of stages of web
development.
Generation 1 – Content
 Brochure stage – static printed material transformed
into static electronic material
 Information presented through institution’s point of
view
 Tons of info placed on web
 Navigation is confusing
 Keeping information current and accurate is a
challenge
Evolution of Web Development
Generation 2 – Content in Context
Information channeled for population
segments
 Separate paths for different types of
students (i.e. prospective and current)
 Still functioning as “silos”
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Evolution of Web Development
Generation 3 – Customization,
Personalization and Community
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More interactive including business
transactions
“One-stop” services
Moving from institution-centric to studentcentric
Transaction services, portals, and
communication tools enhance student
experience
Evolution of Web Development
Generation 4 – High Tech/High Touch
 Highly personalized interaction
 Services designed to establish and nurture a relationship
between the student and the institution
 Student-centric, not institution-centric
 1:1 relationship – provides services the student wants and
needs
 Routine services available 24/7
 Easily navigable
Sources:
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Beede, M. & Burnett, D. (1999). Planning for Student Services: Best Practices for the 21st
Century. Ann Arbor, MI : Society for College and University Planning.
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Kleeman, G. (2002). Web-Enabled Student Services: Passing Fad or Wave of the Future?
http://eastweb.east.asu.edu/garyk/NASPA%20Boston/NASPA%20Boston%20Panel_files/frame.
htm
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WICHE http://www.wcet.info/projects/laap/guidelines/overview.htm
So where are we now?
Based on our research . . .
 WIC is functioning through the
traditional model of student affairs
practice and slowly moving toward the
redesigned approach
 On the stages of web evolution we are
still in the Generation 1 – Content
Advantages and challenges to
incorporating student services online
Advantages:
 Efficiency – eliminates time
students must wait in line,
student don’t enjoy being
“bounced” around campus or
online, eliminates paper
waste
 Cost-effective – with state
budgets declining, automating
routine services and making
them more accessible may
save money in the long run
 Retention – students feel
connected, students are
attracted to campuses with
up-to-date technology,
students and parents more
likely to be satisfied with high
level customer service
Challenges:
 Allocation of resources – staff
time devoted to web
development, long term
commitment from staff
 Training – we cannot assume
that faculty and staff know
how to use the online services
we intend to provide our
students. We must
adequately train them
 Improving Communication –
we must ensure that staff
responds to all inquiries in an
efficient and timely manner
Advantages and challenges to
incorporating student services online
Advantages (cont.)
 Increasing Enrollments –
Online forms and services as
well as online classes will
help accommodate growing
enrollments
 Student expectations –
students expect the same
level of online service from
their educational institution as
they receive in their personal
lives
 Access – Services available
to all types of students
(traditional, part-time, nontraditional, distance learners,
prospective students and
alumni)
Challenges (cont.)
 Customer service – with the
loss of “face-time” with
students, we must ensure that
any online interactions
incorporate strong customer
service values
 Legal Issues – ensuring that
all student records and
information provided is
compliant with the Federal
Education Rights and Privacy
Act (FERPA) as well as any
other applicable state and
federal laws
 Services for the disabled –
online courses and services
need to be designed, from the
start, to be accessible by all
students, including those with
visual and audio disabilities
Critique of current WIC website
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Information is presented in “brochure” format (i.e.
athletic games/scores and policies and procedures)
Website presents basic and limited outline of students
affairs division
Student Life website not connected to WIC’s
institutional website
Disconnect from all other institution departments and
resources - students looking for information related to
academics, financial aid and other student services
must leave our site altogether.
Website is “Institution-centric” – it is designed from
WIC’s perspective rather than the student’s
perspective
Critique of current WIC website (cont.)
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Website is set up as it is physically designed –
separate departments that act as “silos” causing
students to “bounce” around to find what they need.
Minimal use of current web-design programs, no
graphics or pictures
Appearance is too informal and not aesthetically
pleasing
Information is outdated – advertising past events (i.e.
“January 15: Residence halls open” and Residential
Life link states it will be functional as of Spring 2003,
which it isn’t)
Obvious lack of updating information by including “This
page last updated November 15, 2002”
Critique of current WIC website (cont.)
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Website is not user-friendly and not easy to navigate – The
“quicklinks” make no sense as they are duplicated on the
sidebar (i.e. “Mission and Program,” “Policies and
Procedures” and “Residence Information/Residence Life”)
Unprofessional use of language – the word “stuff” used in
numerous places throughout the website and inconsistent
wording (i.e. “Residence Information/Residence Life”)
No personal contact information listed anywhere on site and
contact information under “Orientation” gives an extension
only. This assumes that students know the telephone prefix,
which incoming students most likely would not.
Only targets one, limited audience – current students
Inactive links cause students to become frustrated and leave
the website altogether (i.e. “Career Services” is an inactive
link)
Committee Recommendations
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We recommend that WIC’s Student Life Department
completely redevelop the current website
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Understanding that a divisional website is useful to the
department, through our research we determined that
a comprehensive institutional website that addresses
students’ needs from their perspective is more
effective. Therefore, we recommend convening a
committee comprised of both the academic and
student affairs divisions of WIC to redesign the
institution’s website including all departments and
divisions
Committee Recommendations (cont.)
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We recommend hiring someone with web
design expertise who can create a brand
identity for WIC and design a modern,
aesthetically pleasing and consistent
website for the institution.
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This committee will also work with Western
Cooperative Consulting (WCC) to assist us
in planning, designing, and developing
online student services.
http://www.wcet.info/consulting/index.htm
Committee Recommendations (cont.)
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Utilize the Western Cooperative for Educational
Telecommunications’ (WCET) guidelines for creating
student services online
http://www.wcet.info/projects/laap/guidelines/index.htm
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Create a “One-Stop” shop for students’ needs that
combines all student resources in a single location.
Utilize the University of Minnesota’s “One-stop”
program as a resource
http://onestop.umn.edu/Student/index.html
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Convene WIC Website committee immediately with a
goal of having the website up and running by fall 2003.
Outcomes and Evaluation
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Upon completion of the Western Idaho
College website, we hypothesize that
the website will be more user friendly,
interactive, student focused, and easy
to navigate.
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We hope to increase student access,
retention, and overall institutional
efficiency.
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We hope to meet the needs of our techsavvy students, encouraging student
development while creating a sense of
community, utilizing online forums,
discussions and web chats.
Thank you!
The “WIC-Web” 2003 Committee:
Marissa Valdez, Moses Davis,
Kelly Novitski and Blanca Vega
New York University