The Shorthorn - New online organizer introduced to student organizations

HOME

Organizations

New online organizer introduced to student organizations

Written by Jason Boyd

Tuesday, 26 August 2008 07:40 PM

Information

Some OrgSync features that might help student organizations and their members:

• Easy Web site generation through online modules

• Member database

• Messaging (like Facebook or MySpace)

• Mass text-messaging alerts

• Event calendar with RSVP lists

• Membership dues payable via credit card

• Member privileges by category (such as Alumni, officers, etc.)

• A time sheet for tracking volunteer or contributed time

Source: Cayce Stone, OrgSync’s business development vice president

The Student Governance and Organizations Office will encourage students to use OrgSync this semester, a new online organizer and Web site generator for groups.

UTA’s version will be renamed “MavSync” to match the university mascot. OrgSync allows students to log in to a Web site for their organization and access features like member databases, event calendars and messaging.

“It’s kind of like a Facebook for student organizations,” said Carter Bedford, Student Governance and Organizations associate director.

Organization officers will have administrative capabilities to help track members who will have access to features that track what goes on in their group, said Cayce Stone, OrgSync’s business development vice president.

Web site creation is one of the biggest reasons the department sought out OrgSync, Bedford said. Several organizations came to him for help in starting a Web site but were turned away because a Webmaster is not available for student organizations. Now, organizations can create and manage their own Web sites without university assistance.

Bedford said MavSync allows the groups to go paperless and, he hopes that by spring the Organizational Update Form becomes completely digital, and all student organizations are using the program.

The program could have started during the summer, but Bedford thought the launch should wait until students returned to school and organizations elected officers.

The University of Tennessee at Martin has been using OrgSync since February and according to David Taylor, student organizations coordinator, it has been well-received. Out of 110 student organizations, 55 are using OrgSync.

Taylor looked into other services but thought OrgSync was the best and the most for the price. Also, he is looking into tying it in with the university portal, so that the same login for their e-mail would log them into OrgSync. It would sign every student up to use the service.

Some colleges, like Texas A&M, have gone to other sources for the same needs OrgSync fulfills.

“Our department decided against purchasing the OrgSync system, as we had a unique set of needs for our student organizations and preferred to maintain full control of whatever services we provided to them,” said Buster Neece, software applications developer in the Student Activities Information Technology Department at Texas A&M.

They instead set up a server powered by cPanel and cPanel’s WebHost Manager.

“OrgSync is constructed primarily in Python, which would not have meshed well with our mostly PHP infrastructure,” Neece said.

Texas Tech chose OrgSync but has not begun the service, said Micheal Gunn, Student Union and Activities assistant director at Texas Tech. Bedford said the university signed a three-year contract, allowing the department a window to figure out if OrgSync is a success.

“If it doesn’t work, we’ll go back to the drawing board,” he said.
Views: 1683 | E-mail

Be first to comment this article

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 24 September 2008 03:24 PM )

< Prev		Next >

[ Back ]

Information

Housing Guide PDF