A year ago, the Seton Hill University (SHU) community was introduced to the academic online portal, GriffinGate. Its intranet counterpart, Griffin’s Lair, was also implemented at the beginning of the Spring 2009 semester. With the wave of new online technology introduced to students in such a short span of time, some people are confused about the changes.
By Rachel Prichard
Senior Staff Writer
A year ago, the Seton Hill University (SHU) community was introduced to the academic online portal, GriffinGate. Its intranet counterpart, Griffin’s Lair, was also implemented at the beginning of the Spring 2009 semester. With the wave of new online technology introduced to students in such a short span of time, some people are confused about the changes.
The log in process for Griffin’s Lair and GriffinGate is most bothersome to students. Some feel that that it is redundant and not efficient.
“It seems unorganized that you have to log into the Griffin’s Lair to be able to log into the GriffinGate,” said Tom Daw, a senior.
“The only thing that troubles me is that I have an online class and I need to get on GriffinGate a lot,” said Krista Lawson, a senior. “Now I have to log in several times to get there and it is a hassle.”
“Getting to my email is my priority. I now have to retype in the SHU website just to be able to get to my email,” said Sarah Moffa, a freshman.
Students have even mentioned wanting to go back to the old portals of JWEB and Campus Connect because they were easier to maneuver.
Both Mary Spataro, the instructional designer and Jeanne Pazehoski, the academic information systems coordinator, share administrative responsibility for both the portals were both involved with the initial setup of GriffinGate.
Both women are also involved with the training of students and faculty to use the portals. Pazehoski works mainly with students and in the orientation of the online portals, while Spataro works with the faculty, including training the professors who teach the online courses.
When asked about the initial change from JWEB and Campus Connect to GriffinGate, Spataro said it was because SHU was upgrading their computer system.
“Upgrading the administrative system meant that as we were moving forward there would no longer be support for the old system (JWEB and Campus Connect),” said Spataro.
She added that the same company makes both these systems.
“What we call GriffinGate is made by the same company that made our old JWEB system. It was really just their new product, so we just transitioned to their new release,” said Spataro.
According to Pazehoski, GriffinGate itself was a combination of both the old systems of Campus Connect and JWEB. However, Griffin’s Lair is an internal website for SHU students, faculty and staff to get information that is only useful to them.
“GriffinGate did not provide the functionality and ease of downloading and posting this type of information,” said Pazehoski.
This is why Griffin’s Lair was formed.
“It was the transitional place between the SHU website and academic information,” said Spataro.
Pazehoski wants to make sure students understand that Griffin’s Lair is the more social aspect of the SHU community, and includes events and announcements. GriffinGate is for personal academic information, such as grades and courses of students.
“Because these programs are separate platforms, you have to log in to Griffin’s Lair first and then log in again GriffinGate,” said Spataro.
Spataro said the option of combining the two portals was explored, but a separate log in page is necessary for each portal because they are two different systems and because of a level of security needed for GriffinGate.
“You do not want to be able to click right into your personal academic information,” said Pazehoski. “If you would leave your computer logged in to Griffin Gate, especially in the labs, someone else could get to that information.”
Both Spataro and Pazehoski are also working to make the layout of GriffinGate more aesthetically pleasing. It is currently in the generic format that the program originally came in.
There is still work being done to transfer some information on GriffinGate to Griffin’s Lair permanently. However, personal academic and financial information will still be found on GriffinGate.