go m 16B - The Michigan Daily - Weekend Magazine - Thursday, April 15, 2004 New 'U' registration method a flop The Michigan Daily - Weekend I-Il And the winner is. By Katie Marie Gates Daily Arts Writer junior Julia Bochnowski said. "It took me an hour and a half to regis- ter. I am really just frustrated, and I don't understand why they would harm people's ability to register." The Michigan Daily voted the website, updated this semester because of the University's contract with the software company, People- Soft, the worst of the University's websites, a fact that was daunting to Michigan Administration Infor- At the end of the registration period, the words Wolverine Access have many students on campus cringing. "I hate it so much," Music Thanks for Voting! Shaman Drum Bookshop $ ' Best Textbook Store and Best Book Store 311-315 S. State Street (734) 662-7407 / www.shamandrumncom LAft A ilI mation Services spokeswoman Linda Hancock Green. However, Green understands the students' dif- ficulty adjusting to the new system because she has seen similar situa- tions in the past. "When we rolled out Wolverine Access in June of 2000, students were not very happy with it then either," she said. The same was true when the University implemented the phone-based CRISP system in 1975. "I'm really sorry the students are unhappy with the change, but I'm also fairly confident that they'll get used to it." Currently, MAIS is collecting feedback about the system in an attempt to make the website work well, Green said. Academic advis- ing is also communicating with MAIS about its concerns for stu- dents and staff. Performance issues are the biggest concern, said Philip Gor- man, associate director of LSA Aca- demic Advising Center. For example, he mentioned that a stu- dent was unable to sign on to back- pack classes because of inconsistent ability to connect to the website. Additionally, "Some students don't like the new interface as much," Gorman added. "But part of that is getting used to a new look." "The layout is pretty ugly," LSA junior Melissa Solarz said. She has had few problems with the system itself but wishes it were more aes- thetically pleasing. about the old sys- tem, said Green. The new menu is part of the Peo- pleSoft format, she explained. Several stu- dents have com- plained about difficulty search- ing for classes. LSA freshman Jeff Hicks com- mented, "It sucks. You can't even "I like the interface," LSA junior Lenny Bronshteyn commented. "But it isn't as easy to find the things you're looking for," he said, in ref- erence to the new main menu that presents a list of links for viewing various information. This differs from the side naviga- tion bar, a feature students liked excitement about the changes, not everyone on campus is unhappy with the website. "I think it's just as easy as the other one," remarked Engi- neering freshman Eric Royston who used the old system for one term. "I don't know what the big con- troversy is," LSA junior Greg Kreil- ing said. "I don't think it's hard to "I'm really sorry the students are unhappy with the change but I'm also fairly confident that they'll get used to it" - Linda Hancock Green Spokeswoman, Michigan Administration Information Services figure out." Though she can see significant changes, LSA jun- ior Velma Hutchins believes the upgrade is "not really a prob- lem (because) the labeling is really self-explanatory." According to the Registrar's Office, nearly the same number of people find any of the classes. Now it says there are too many results." The PeopleSoft software only allows 200 search results per query. "We recognize that students are unhappy with it, and we are analyz- ing our ability to redesign that search functionality," Green stated. "What you see now is all sections of all the courses," Gorman said. "That isn't pedagogically very sound, and it is not the way advisors and students think about classes. It is not a good interface for an aca- demic community." While few students expressed U of M CREDIT UNION C@nratulates Gradu as One chapter in your life is ending. But you don't have to say goodbye to U of M completely - join the U of M Credit Union, voted the best bank or credit union by Michigan Daily readers in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Keep your account open even if you move away. Our services make it easy to stay in touch: " An interactive web site with a W free online banking service " Access to over 17,000x surcharge-free Co-op Network ATMs in America " A toll-free 24/7 loan application service " Account access worldwide with a VISA credit and check card " Toll-free Member Service Phone Center open six days a week " Low cost financial accounts and services for every need Keep U of M Credit Union with you as you progress in life. It's a little bit of Ann Arbor you won't have to give up. signed on and registered for classes this term as in the past. However, these data do not include failed attempts, Gorman explained. "It doesn't record how many times a student tries to get on but can't get on, or pushes a button and waits for five minutes." He stresses the importance of student feedback in conveying the frustrations that sta- tistics cannot express. Unfortunately for aggravated stu- dents like Hicks who wish the Uni- versity could go back to the old system, the new version of this web- site is here to stay. "We had no choice," Gorman said. "We had to upgrade." MAIS is interested in student opinions about the website and is constantly working on the database of information behind Wolverine Access. However, while the Univer- sity is tweaking the system, "Funda- mentally, (the new Wolverine Access) is not going to change that much," Green noted. EVER WANTED TO WRITE ABOUT RALPH WILLIAMS ACTION FIGURES? MAGAZINE OFFERS FREEDOM TO WRITE ABOUT THE THINGS YOU CARE ABOUT. APPLY TO BE A COLUMNIST SEND TWO 800- WORD SAMPLES TO WEEKEND2K4@ UMICH.EDL. As classes quickly near their end and our seniors prepare to bid farewell to their home of four long years, The Michigan Daily took it upon itself to honor the best and worst of the Ann Arbor scene. Eager staffers grabbed their surveys with a never-before-seen gusto and voted for their favorite remem- brances of this small town. Con- gratulations to the following winners! The Michigan Daily staff salutes you. Best of Ann Arbor Cuisine Best Asian Restaurant: China Gate Best Birthday Treat: Stucchi's Best Breakfast: Angelo's Best Coffee: Espresso Royale Best Dessert: Stucchi's Best Hot Dog: Red Hot Lovers Best Pizza: New York Pizza Depot Best Soup: Zingerman's Best Veggie Options: Seva Most Underrated Restaurant/ Food Restaurant: Frank's Restaurant On the Flip Side Most Overrated Restaurant/ Food Venue: Pizza House, Jimmy Worst Pizza: Hello Faz Worst Service: Cosi, Cottage Inn (Packard and Hill Streets) Best of the 'U' Best Ann Arbor Event: Foot- ball Saturday Best Michigan Sports Crowd: Yost Ice Arena Best Michigan Sports Player: Chris Perry Best Place to Use a Fake ID: Scorekeepers Best Student Group/Organi- zation: Detroit Project Most Romantic Place: The Arb On the Flip Side John's Best Blog: Goodspeed Update Best Line to Wait in for a O< SAMPLES TO Bar/Club: Mitch's W Best Slang/ Catchphrase of the Year: "Yeeeaah," either the Dave Chappelle or Howard Dean version Best Thing about Michigan D.E Weather: The first spring party night u : On the Flip Side O Least Inventive Date: Watching an episode of "Sex and the City" Worst Fashion Trend: Pants with "Juicy" or Greek sorority let- ters written across the butt J= Worst Thing about Michigan Weather: Snow after a 60 degree day Most Annoying Event/Person: Michigan Assembly candidates Diag Student Most Obnoxious Greek Event: Rush Worst Campus Frieze Building Building: I p : is. U-M Computer Showcase best compute,. Mbor by students for the i 'e Come see why! We're located in the Michigan Union Ground Level. Hours 10-5 M-F Phone 734-647-2537 www.itd.umich.edu/sales Best of the Rest ,"I.+ r Worst Classroom: MLB base- ment classrooms Worst Place to Use a Fake ID: Village Corner Worst University Website: Wolverine Access -~-~ ~- .. UC REDIT UNION U mcu.org NCUA , For information, call: 734-662-8200 or 800-968-8628, ext. 4100. Or visit www.umcu.org Locations in Ann Arbor: 333 E. William 777 Eisenhower Plaza North Campus Pierpont Commons Michigan Union, lower level . .. .a