For students looking to get involved in campus events next year, the process just became streamlined with the impending implementation of OrgSync.
Thanks to a large cash infusion from the ASUO and its programs, OrgSync — an online resource like DuckWeb but designed specifically for University clubs and programs — will be put in place, making it easier for students to find what’s happening on campus.
The services provided will include an easy website for each program, an overall University calendar where each program can add its events, and budgeting help for the purposes of ASUO financing. The system was put in place to make sure the budgeting process is not affected by turnover in group leadership because of graduations and resignations.
“I think the student clubs and programs are really excited. We’ve been wanting to do something for years now. Ever since I started in the ASUO, there’s been a lack of continuity,” ASUO Programs Administrator Sinjin Carey said. “There’s no continuity, there’s no common system, and this will provide us with that.” @@Carey: http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Sinjin+Carey@@
The contract cost $65,000 to procure, but it will be in effect for five years, paying for the setup costs and the yearly membership fee.
Carey said the contract will provide the school with the site’s services and 24-hour support service. The system, he said, was founded a few years ago by students and alumni from the University of Texas at Austin, but headquarters have since moved from Austin to Dallas. @@http://www.utexas.edu/@@
The contract was signed May 9, Carey said, and the system will be in place starting this summer for freshmen orientation with full implementation beginning in the fall.
ASUO Programs Liaison Eryn Block@@http://asuo.uoregon.edu/executive.php?a=12@@ has worked to acquire the contract for most of the year. She became passionate about finding a system to incorporate programs together after having issues when working with Students for Global Health. @@http://uoglobalhealth.org/@@
The group, Block said, was “like-minded with a lot of other groups, but didn’t have a way to network with them … this is a way. This will hopefully make a stronger community on campus, a lot more cooperation between groups.”
ASUO Sen. Kristina Harding was on the Senate’s Over-realized Fund Committee, which made recommendations for the Senate on how it should use the $200,000 of extra incidental fee funds. The committee recommended, and the Senate approved, using $45,000 of the funds to pay for OrgSync.@@http://orgsync.com@@ @@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Kristina+Harding@@
The remaining $20,000 required came from three places: $4,000 from the Panhellenic Council@@http://greeklife.uoregon.edu/councils/phc@@, $6,000 from the Interfraternity Council@@http://greeklife.uoregon.edu/councils/ifc@@ and $10,000 from Student Affairs.@@http://vpsa.uoregon.edu/@@  @@http://asuo.uoregon.edu/uploads/files/paragraphs/1017/ASUO%20Student%20Senate%20Meeting%20Minutes%2002_23_2011.docx@@
Harding said that outside of working in the ASUO this year, she’s had trouble finding out about all of campus’ goings-on and that this system will help centralize events.
“I just think it will be really cool to finally see what’s going on,” Harding said. “Each program having a distinct website will be cool.”
Block said she hopes the contract will add a lot to the University community.
“There are over 180 other large universities that use it, and it’s been really successful at those other universities, so I think it will be really successful here,” Block said. “So I’m really excited to get implementation started.”