Best/worst college computer networks

College Life
1

<p>What colleges have either very good or very poor computer networks? I’m not talking about Computer Science Departments or courses of study. What I’m talking about are the interactive systems that colleges use for such activities as:</p>

<p>-presenting course offerings and syllabi
-registering for courses
-ordering textbooks
-reserving and renewing library books
-allowing communication with faculty and other students
-processing grants, scholarships, and loans
-paying tuition and ancillary fees
-reporting grades and academic progress
-displaying schedules of campus activities
-alerting students to emergencies and safety issues
-other functionalities (? - specify)</p>

<p>It occurs to me that a frustrating or ineffective college computer system could significantly affect a student’s overall college experience, possibly even outweighing positive interpersonal interactions with faculty or advisors. Would you agree? Or do students just get used to whatever system is in place at the college they choose?</p>

<p>I’d be interested in learning about both ends of the spectrum, both in terms of colleges that do things very well (or very poorly) and in terms of system features that are highly appreciated (or highly despised). Thanks.</p>

2

<p>wait what??</p>

3

<p>that’s actually a pretty good question</p>

<p>UMD College Park has a pretty good system. Could be prettier in some areas but overall it’s good.</p>

4

<p>That’s a good question, but I think it’s hard to make comparisons because few undergraduate students are familiar with more than one college.</p>

<p>From my limited experience I would conclude that big universities tend to be a step ahead of small colleges in terms of technology. For example, many small colleges seem not to publish textbooks or course syllabi online.</p>