This IT department may have been the best thing before sliced bread
Getting through the bureaucratic gauntlet at any institution of higher learning can be challenging. I managed to complete the RPG-style quest to obtain my ID card, a login to the online registration system, and an in information systems (email, web access, blackboard) account.
The process was slightly more difficult than I expected, but manageable. However, the structure of their IT department is wildly out of date.
A couple of examples:
After showing up for a canceled class, I decided I wanted to set up email forwarding. Apparently this is only possible if you use Internet Explorer. That’s right the web-based interface will only show certain functions when one uses IE.
Undaunted, I downloaded IE for my Mac. No dice, it has to be IE 6 (Apple stopped at 5).
Ok, granted, they use Microsoft Outlook Web Access, so it may simply be a compatibility issue. Still, zero usability points.
However, the process one must go through to change an email/info-systems account password gets minus points for usability.
Here is the opener: “You can change your password by opening a Telnet session and logging in to one of the UNIX file servers.”
Excuse me? How about, “To change your password, click here.”
If you want to read the rest of the lucid instructions, check out this pdf.
Perhaps there is an untapped market for a comprehensive university communication solution…