The Spur

Issue date: 11/2/05 Section: Features

Media Credit: Andrew Stoll Cindy Sheets, a freshman student at SMSU uses one of the new pod workstations in the library to do homework for a class. The new workstations allow privacy that is not always afforded in

Since the construction of the Student Center and the new library, Southwest Minnesota State University looks different than it did. Dozens of computers show the technological change in the college, but even with them, SMSU is not where it wants to be.

"It's ongoing and ever-changing," said Ryan Knutson, SMSU's webmaster. "The second we stop planning, we're behind."

As a follow-up to the technology committee last, SMSU developed a three-pronged approach to improving technology with a five-year vision.

"We divided into groups and split up the tasks," said Sandra Fuhr, university librarian at SMSU.

One group looked at current technology. One analyzed the journey of a student from his arrival to school, through college and all the way to the student's graduation.

"We're mapping the path of a student to develop an accurate picture of where we are and where we want to be," Knutson said.

The third group tries to communicate the findings to the college and get feedback.

"We want to focus on the students, not on the technology. We want to hear from [them]. What kind of technology do they need and what do they want to see?" said Betsy Draper, an assistant professor of business and public affairs at SMSU.

Fuhr is one of the members of the communications group. The communications group worked with the Residential Life people and added a few questions to a survey at the start of the fall semester, but that is not all they are going to do.

Along with fliers and posters, the tech group plans to design a newsletter with some technology related elements in it. Fuhr suggested that it may be available in November.

"We hope to have some results by the end of this semester," Fuhr said.

Technology can change in a week, let alone a month or a semester.

"It's rising at a faster pace than in the past," Knutson said.

The technology groups notice that and react to it.

"Technology continues at such a rapid pace that we want to have a definite plan. It's expensive. [We want] the biggest bang for our buck," Draper said.

"As a group we feel there's always room for improvement. It's an industry where you don't reach your ideals. You try to get as close as you can," Knutson said.

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