Rooms 101 and 106 are the main reception areas of the Graduate College that serve all graduate students across of the University. There is a high volume of student traffic in these areas as graduate students visit to submit forms and documents, get advice on admissions and degree completion processes, inquire about services and workshops, and get support for thesis and dissertation formatting.
The Dynamic Info Screen software would provide the Graduate College a rich media display that can help us better inform current and prospective students about the events and services that the Graduate College offers. The display software allows various multimedia features which will assist in attracting prospective students to the Graduate College. The software will also provide the Graduate College with the ability to remain current with our multimedia presence on campus.
The iPads will be synchronized using a MacBook computer and stored, charged, and secured using a powersync device. The iPads will be utilized for:
• Completion of online University forms such as Change of Major, Application for Degree, and University Petitions (Form 10) thus enabling students to ask questions about processes related to these forms as they are submitted for more efficient processing and reduction of errors.
• All graduate students are required to initiate an ePOS (electronic plan of study). iPads can be used in the Graduate College by students to initiate or revise their POS (plan of study) under the guidance of degree completion staff, thereby reducing errors, increasing the efficiency of the approval process, and increasing staff productivity and student satisfaction with service delivery.
• Independent student inquiries/directory information to provide technology-assisted directory information and self-service that can be guided by reception area staff while also increasing staff efficiency and productivity and student satisfaction with speed and ease of service delivery.
• The Graduate College is re-initiating the Graduate Student Exit Survey as well as a Graduate Student Satisfaction Survey. iPads will be used to actively collect data from graduate students. Having mobile technology will encourage student participation in the online surveys and increase the response rate thereby strengthening the data collection.
• iPads can be used during Graduate Information Sessions, Graduate Open House, and Graduate Orientation to check-in students at event registration tables and to enable students to get answers to their admissions, registration, and enrollment process questions more quickly. This will increase student satisfaction, promote early registration, and increase staff productivity by increasing student independence for fact-finding. Such use would be guided by Graduate College staff during these events to help students make the best use of the technology as well as secure the equipment.
• The iPads can also be utilized during GTA Orientation as a check-in device, to provide access to information regarding human resources and student employment forms and questions, the ePOS system, to complete evaluations, and collect inquiries.
• Tabling events such as the Expo and other events would be enhanced by iPad access for students to inquire about academic programs, sign-up for more information, or even submit applications.
Alignment with Strategic Plan
This proposal aligns with FAU’s values of excellence, accountability, teamwork, integrity, playing to win, innovation, student success, and customer service. It also speaks to the FAU Strategic Plan for the Race to Excellence 2015-2015 goal of quality by “incorporate[ing] new technologies to promote institutional development.”
Further, this proposal “leverage(s) the technical expertise of staff members and encourage(s) staff participation in operational improvements” as well as “promote[s] efficiency and effectiveness in student engagement…information technology, and communications.” It also enables the development of assessment tools to “track progress toward broad goals using sophisticated Dashboards,” benchmark, and document progress.
