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Most students at the University of West Georgia who haven't been living under a rock for the past decade are familiar with and have grown accustomed to using the Internet for a variety of tasks. But students attempting to access many departmental websites here at UWG have run into a puzzling problem: Many of the websites are outdated, difficult to navigate, non-functional, and even contain major errors of fact.
Students who are used to a dazzling array of Java and Flash powered applications on the websites they usually visit can find it difficult to access accurate information about their own professors, programs and facilities here at UWG.
There is a definite disconnect between the students who are used to working, playing, and learning through the Internet and those responsible for their college education.
Lucky for disgruntled students, a solution is already in the works.
Information Technology Services has bought a content management system- a program that gives anyone who knows how to type the power to set up a framework for what pages are going to look like, and than insert content. It's as easy as filling out a form.
This program, known as RedDot, is now officially implemented on the main UWG webpage, the ITS webpage, and also at the University Communications and Marketing website.
Blake Adams, project manager at UWG for any web-related peojects, says the RedDot implementation is the biggest thing on his plate right now.
"We're getting a lot of interest from the administration side, but not as much as we'd like from the departmental side," he said.
This is unfortunante, because one of the biggest beneficiaries from the implementation of this non-HTML "What You See Is What You Get", or WYSIWYG (pronounced whizzy-wig) system would be the very departments resisting the change.
Rather than being forced to wait for HTML programmers to put up new content every time a new event or piece of important information needs to be posted, any professor, department head, or secretary without an ounce of HTML training has the capability to post new information as fast as they can say "drag and drop."
"There is no mandate to enact this program, it is completely voluntary for each department," Adams said.
So why isn't anyone jumping on the bandwagon? The West Georgian talked to Steven Broome, a member of the Web Redesign Committee and assistant director for the University Department of Communications and Marketing, to get his thoughts.
"One of the issues that we're experiencing with the content management system that puts some people off to begin with, is that they fear they may lose their individuality, they may feel stifled with their creativity with this. And when you're dealing with a template or a series of templates, of which we hope to have more soon, people can feel railroaded into making their page look a certain way."
Q: So the reason some Web sites haven't been updated since 2005 is that the departments don't want to lose their individuality?
A: "Even though they're not all well done, and they're not updated, people still like the autonomy of the way things already are. The content management system is really there to address the problem of content being fresh on the site. The biggest pet peeve of users is that they go to the site, and its 5 years out of date. CMS, with a small amount of training, enables the content to be fresh."
Q: If departments are satisfied with the status quo, however archaic it might be, then what is the motivating factor for them to switch over to the new system?
A: "With CMS, the chemistry professor, instead of having to tell a student or secretary to update his information for him, he can go in there and do it in five minutes. Since he knows that it's his stuff that's there, the motivation is there to keep it fresh. So they might want to change their syllabus, or their office hours, or their resume, and they can do that without a special Web program."
Q: So how do you hope to overcome this stasis?
A: "Hopefully, a year down the road, all those who have not signed on will notice how nice the other Web sites look will look and say, 'Hey I want to be a part of that!' They will notice how easy the updates are, and how great the new look is, and they will sign on."
Julie Lineback, Web content manager at the University Department of Communications and Marketing, who helped oversee the transition for her department over to RedDot, is enthusiastic about the prospects for bringing UWG's websites kicking and screaming into the 21st centuruy.
"A lot of sites that I have seen haven't been updated in a while. I can help move it over," Lineback said. "I can look at the content and see if it needs a major facelift or just a minor nip and tuck."
Lineback is also working with the other members of the Web Redesign Committee to assuage fears that individuality and creativity will be a thing of the past once the new look is adopted.
"Departments are able to come up with their own banner, will be able to choose a template and will be able to sit down and say, 'What makes us unique,' and express that artistically on their Web site. Steven Broome, who designed the UCM banner, will help people come up with ideas."
Lineback makes it clear she is here to help. "There could be some misunderstandings about the RedDot content management system. And if there are any misunderstandings, people are free to call me as the Web content manager so that I can explain it better and clear up the misconceptions. RedDot will reduce the number of technical staff required, enable the staff who author and create the website to be able to do so without specialized training, and generally make life easier for students, staff, and faculty."
It is of note that the departments most interested in updating and freshening the Web sites are those that deal with attracting future students for UWG, whereas the ones serving current students are sadly outdated.
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