RACHEL BIEDERMANN STAFF WRITER
At the beginning of Fall Term, James Juett, Eric Johnson and Jim Krajewski decided to create a Facebook group focusing on the Wartburg Internet access issues and other problems students were facing with their computers.
“There was one day when my Internet was working really poorly and the general consensus was people that I talked to were having the same problems. I wondered, ‘Is it just people I know having these problems or is it everyone?’” Juett said.
To help problems such as Juett’s and provide better communication, Student Senate, Vice President for Enrollment Management Edith Waldstein, Director of ITS Gary Wipperman, Network Manager Karen Koupal and Juett discussed ways students can better get in contact with Information Technology Services staff.
One of the ideas discussed was assembling a student-run group where students can go if they have computer problems. The problems would then be communicated through that group to ITS.
Senate will create a task force comprised of members of the Wartburg community to tackle certain issues, Abhay Nadipuram, student body president, said.
“The chair of the task force shall be a senator appointed by me and approved by the senate,” Nadipuram said.
“James will be the driving focus behind it. It will create a link between senate, students and ITS,” Nadipuram said.
ITS isn’t always able to determine the issues with computers so they are looking towards students to help fix the problems.
“It’s a testing pool, which is very much needed. ITS can’t always see results but students can,” Nadipuram said.
Juett agreed with the plan and said students need a better way to express their complaints.
“We want something for students and somewhere they can go. Some students may get frustrated and don’t know who to talk to about it,” Juett said. “There is a fragile relationship and there needs to be better communication…more positivity.”
Nadipuram also suggested an issue page posted on the student senate Web site. It would allow students to list their problems and provide quick facts to see what updates have been done.
Within the next couple weeks senate will be recruiting students who are interested in computers or want to get involved with better communications between senate and ITS.
“We want to fix the perception of ITS. There is an overall negative feeling toward ITS. Hopefully we can change the attitude,” Nadipuram said.