The Division of Information Services is conducting a survey to help better understand the technology, communication habits and needs of the Kent State community.

Students, faculty and staff can participate in the online, confidential survey until 5 p.m. tomorrow.

“The goal will be to develop and implement a plan to improve Information Services related to communications with faculty, staff and students,” said Flo Cunningham, director of university communications and marketing.

Cunningham said Information Services hopes the survey will shed light on how people perceive the division, receive information about the division’s services and the best way to communicate the division’s services to people.

Trip Rohr, senior interior design major, said many technology services at Kent State are adequate — especially FlashZone wireless Internet — but said more could be done to enhance technology use and effectiveness in the classroom.

“(Classroom technology) is always on the fritz,” Rohr said. “Nothing ever seems to go smoothly.”

Colleen O’Saben, freshman early childhood education major, enjoys the availability of computers on campus for commuter students, but agrees that classroom technology could be improved.

According to the Information Services’ Web site, the survey is part of the division’s strategic planning initiative that began in 2004. The initiative’s purpose it to evaluate the operation of baseline services, educational technology, research infrastructure and administrative processes.

Julie Cremeans-Smith, research and evaluation coordinator for the Office of Corporate and Community Services, said the study began with focus groups composed of faculty, staff and students prior to the creation of the survey.

Paul Albert, executive director of Information Services, said the Division of Information Services installs and supports infrastructure, administrative and educational information technologies at Kent State. Services include the FlashZone wireless Internet network, the FlashLine portal, campus computer labs and WebCT.

Students, faculty and staff can participate in the survey by visiting www.websurveyor.net/wsb.dll/10978/InformationServices.htm.

Contact news correspondent Jackie Valley at [email protected].