Staff Editorial
The homecoming of Willie the Wave brings to mind another return students have been seeking since September — PepXpress. Though students are more than halfway through the semester, the daily disappointment by the University’s new (and supposedly improved) Web portal, WaveNet, leaves something to be desired. As such, many students continue to use the defunct but still up and running PepXpress.
The primary bone of contention among students is WaveNet’s e-mail system, Microsoft Outlook, which seems to be in the midst of an identity crisis as it does not like to send or receive e-mails.
Almost as bad as the canyon road during rain season, WaveNet mailboxes are apt to sudden closures that keep students from sending messages and retrieving important e-mails from teachers or administration (anyone else not receive their registration date and time? Go see OneStop).
Another annoying aspect of the new mail system is the need to constantly delete one’s inbox, delete box, sent box and any other box that might be over 10 e-mails.
While this is a burden in itself, the problem is made exponentially more exasperating by the fact that there is no “Select All” tool. Now, PepXpress was no miracle Web portal, but its e-mail system at least understood the value of a “Select All” button.
When OneStop receives calls regarding problems with WaveNet, it is usually from students who are experiencing this exact problem — their mailboxes are too full, according to Carol McNutt, senior Student Services adviser.
OneStop refers these students to Information Technology’s help line at ext. 4357, which spells “HELP” for who have a hard time remembering numbers. IT was unavailable for comment.
While OneStop does not offer much direct help for students experiencing a WaveNet crisis, the office does have a cheat sheet for students that covers basic WaveNet functions, such as logging in, registering for classes, conducting a degree audit, checking grades or student account status, changing your password, checking e-mail, accessing Blackboard and Kronos, as well as searching library databases.
Junior Jennifer Leatutufu said that despite the many university pleas to switch over to WaveNet, she still uses PepXpress.
“WaveNet is just so confusing to me, as far as sending e-mails go,” Leatutufu said. “I only use WaveNet when I have to.”
She said that she is “forced” to use WaveNet when she wants to access Blackboard because when you click on Blackboard in PepXpress it refers you to the WaveNet login page.
Senior Brandon Hess agrees.
“I think its horrible,” he said. People aren’t receiving e-mails that I’m sending. We get a lot of spam every day. I just prefer PepXpress. It was a better system in general.”
Overall, the main symptom associated with the change to WaveNet has been confusion, as students who once knew their ways around PepXpress have had a hard time figuring out where certain functions and information is located. Searching the channels only leads students through a maze of pages. Simply put, WaveNet has not lived up to its promise of items being a “click away.”
Senior Brittany Kelley also said it it much more difficult to find certain functions now.
“I think they implemented it before it was ready,” she said. “It wasn’t completely debugged before the switch and there were a lot of technical difficulties.”
One solution to the WaveNet problem could simply be decluttering the portal of unnecessary features, such as journaling, and making those features that students most often use more visible.
For example, a link to Convo attendance records should be put back on the front page. There is no need for a student to dig around the site to find such simple but relevant information.
Because campus confusion over WaveNet is so widespread, offer an online tutorial to better acquaint students with the portal. Yes, WaveNet is most likely a work in progress, but it will probably be around for awhile. The portal is key to campus communication, so helping students figure it out and making simple improvements in navigation as soon as possible would be a wise investment.
Otherwise, students will continue to use PepXpress for as long as it is up. Hopefully the cat is not out of the bag, and the university does not make good on its warning to take the site down by Sept. 30.
But with a delay time like that, timely improvements to WaveNet should not be expected in the near future.
We are more likely to see a new set of palm trees in the cafeteria by Christmas.
11-02-2006