Lauren Ruth – Staff Writer
While many of us are familiar with MyGustavus through financial aid and work study, new features have been added that change the way we will interact with it in the future. Gustavus Technology Services, or GTS, has been working hard to make a simpler, cleaner system for class registration.
There are many reasons for this change. First, the company that owns WebAdvisor has a shelf life, which means Gustavus had to find another system to use to register for classes and show students their degree audits. Students have already been using MyGustavus for student finances, however there is much more the system can offer.
The switch to MyGustavus has many perks that will make registration an easier process. To begin, the new system looks much more modern and up to date. The user interface is less clunky and more efficient. The degree audit is much more visible and easier to navigate. The classes needed are highlighted in red, so students know which classes they need to take to graduate. Dean of Arts and Humanities Elizabeth Kubek spearheaded the change from Webadvisor to MyGustavus.
Another perk to MyGustavus is how easy it is to plan and schedule classes. No longer do students have to put at least two subjects in the search to find classes. In WebAdvisor, students could make preferred lists and there is a comparable system in MyGustavus. Class descriptions are directly under the class listed so students no longer must open multiple tabs. Cookies are no longer an issue and students will not get blocked when too many cookies are used. MyGustavus also will show the classes selected on a weekly schedule, which allows students to easily plan their day with no overlaps.
Moving to a new system is not without its setbacks and bumps in the road. According to Lauren Hecht, a professor of Psychological Science and FTS advisor, some things are still clunky. One thing needing improvement is the General Education requirements for those in that major. Students are hitting some glitches, which is the issue for GTS to resolve. There will be an adjustment period where GTS will have to resolve some issues and glitches that will no doubt happen.
While First-years were introduced to this system through FTS, many upperclassmen are unfamiliar with how MyGustavus works. For those unsure on how to register, going to the GTS page on the Gustavus website will be useful. GTS has created several tutorial videos on how to navigate the new system. It has been highly suggested that students take time to watch the videos and become more acquainted with MyGustavus.
Students are questioning whether to register on MyGustavus or WebAdvisor for classes in the spring semester. Both are currently live, and students can register for classes on both. Hecht recommends using MyGustavus for spring registration for several reasons. First, MyGustavus has a better refresh system. There is currently a two-hour refresh rate between WebAdvisor and MyGustavus, which makes it more beneficial for students to go right to MyGustavus to register. Additionally, using MyGustavus and becoming familiar with the system will be advantageous going forward. MyGustavus will be the new system going forward and students should get to a place where they feel confident using it. Ultimately, MyGustavus delivers on many of the things that have been asked for by students over the years to make class registration an easier, less stressful process.