NSIT - New Stuff Integrated Tragically

Hi Blog readers,

If you've read our platform, you'll notice that there is a plank concerning NSIT and new technology on campus.

I just wanted to explain why we decided to include this plank and do a little overview about what NSIT is doing right and doing what I believe is missing.

First, lets give NSIT a tip of the hat for their work on cmail and junkmail. I know my uchicago address is out there where spammers can find it, and NSIT does a decent job (with the exception of the occasional offer from Nigeria) of filtering my spam. Look in your junkmail account and marvel how many offers of helping you with your ED problems are kept safely away from your inbox.

But even here you have to leave cmail to get to your junkmail inbox. Why do I have to logout of cmail, go to junkmail.uchicago.edu and then log back in to edit my settings and check that important messages aren't being filtered?

Why can't there be one website where I can log in with my cnet only once and then get to: cmore, chalk, cmail, junkmail, and this awesome new file sharing service which they just developed (called webshare). The website could have feeds from the Maroon, the News Office, the Activities Calender, and NSIT to keep me informed. All of these sites have RSS feeds (click on the links, you'll see), they'd just need to be organized by NSIT on one page and integrated with our other services.

This kind of integration of online services will take time, money, and be a hassle for students while the change is implemented. But wouldn't it be worth it to have all our online needs and feeds organized in one place?

That's the kind of integration we're talking about with our plank and that we would work for if elected. I can't promise this will get done in a year, but I can promise we'll put pressure on NSIT to make things easier online. Ultimately I think it'd be something they would be into, after all who uses or even knows about webshare? With everything organized around a central portal, NSIT would be able to easily introduce new services to students without the pain of having to get the word out.

Let me know your thoughts on this idea.

We'll also be having a campaign meeting in Hutch at 8 PM. Be there to pick up posters, meet the candidates, and chew some fat (metaphorically). We'd love to hear from you.

-Scott