USS discusses FlashFAST issues

Kelly Pickerel

Exectutive director Katie Hale addresses some of the issues on the agenda at the USS meeting yesterday afternoon. CAITLIN PRARAT | DAILY KENT STATER

Credit: DKS Editors

Members of Undergraduate Student Senate expressed dissatisfaction with FlashFAST scheduling during yesterday’s meeting.

“The best thing about (FlashFAST) is you can use the back button,” said Michael Hammond, senator for research and development.

Kali Price, senator for academic affairs, who has also been working with the registrar’s office and the new system, said she thinks FlashFAST is better than the previous system, Web For Students.

“It’s more pleasing to the eye,” she said. “It’s cleaner.”

Some disagreed with this sentiment.

“I’d rather have functionality than have it be pleasing to the eye,” said John Wetmore, senator for governmental affairs.

The main complaints from the senators who have attempted scheduling are confusing directions, denial of major requirements and unclear schedules.

“The line grids (on the detailed schedule) aren’t there, and it’s confusing,” Executive Director Kate Hale said. “It’s sloppy looking.”

Price mentioned there are demos online, and asked the senators to continue providing feedback so she can relay the information back to the registrar’s office.

Also at the meeting, the Commuter and Off-Campus Student Organization provided senate with an analysis of its year so far.

COSO was allotted $1,041 for five coffee hours this semester.

The group has had great attendance numbers, said COSO Assistant Director Jared Smith, with 170 students at the first coffee hour and 175 at the next.

“We ran out of food,” he said. “The lower-level lounge was packed.”

COSO is now one of the leading campus organizations in attendance numbers.

Tommy Krecic, communications and finance chair of the group, said it increased attendance by doing as much as possible, including setting up a Facebook group to send out event invites and using some of the allotted money to make 4 x 6 advertisement cards.

“Advertising this year has been overwhelming,” he said. “Word of mouth, the Facebook group, hot-cards, flyers, the listserv all helped out.”

Discussion of the success of the group led to Krecic suggesting a more permanent area for commuter students to use.

“If we had a commuter lounge, we could accommodate more (commuter student) needs,” he said. “It’s hard to get everyone on campus and have a time when everyone can do something.”

If there was a lounge specifically for commuter students, Krecic said, they could socialize together and get a better feel for the university on their own time.

The senators had discussed the idea of a commuter lounge at a previous meeting, and they agreed to help look into possible options.

USS meetings are at 4 p.m. Wednesdays in the Student Center Governance chambers.

Contact student politics reporter Kelly Pickerel at [email protected].