By Greta Lieske
IV Leader Staff, Sept. 13, 2007
Beginning the new 2007-08 Illinois Valley Community College academic year, WebAdvisor now has a new look because of a mandated upgrade to WebAdvisor version 3.0.
Tracy Morris, director of Admissions and Records, is on the WebAdvisor team and explains the change now makes the frequently used program more “user-friendly and more visually appealing as well.”
Staff member of Help Desk Support in the Computer Resource Center Joe Sramek says that he likes the new
WebAdvisor and the program and “features are basically the same” but that navigating the program is just slightly different because of the new look. “But, it isn’t any more difficult to use, just different,” Sramek adds.
Morris also notes that although the WebAdvisor look may be the biggest change for students there are other changes that the upgrade brought “behind the scenes” because “there are some structural and technical changes that help the program work more efficiently” for students.
Another difference is “students will see that the only option a person has before logging in is to search for classes,” adds Morris. “A student must log in to utilize the viewing grades, registration, address change and other functions.” Also “not all students know they can now view their grades on the Web by term. This will be very important as we are going to discontinue mass mailing of grade reports beginning spring 2008.”
There has not been a lot of feedback about the new WebAdvisor look, but Morris says the feedback received has been positive and WebAdvisor has had a growing number of users.
The amount of students using WebAdvisor for the spring and fall semesters of 2007 has been the highest since WebAdvisor first became accessible in 2004. And Morris quotes one student saying that the new interface is ‘awesome.’”
For help with a WebAdvisor account or utilizing one, Sramek says students can always “go to get help in the CRC.” Morris also adds that the Web site itself can be very helpful in the process.
The WebAdvisor team consists of Lorri Foockle, Dick Vicich, Bob Hunter, Pat Reneer, Lori Hancock, Kathy Sramek, Michelle Story and Morris. Ad hoc members include Jamie Gahm, Judy Day, and Cheryl Stoddard and the program Web site can be accessed through IVCC’s main homepage at www.ivcc.edu.