College students and long lines in administrative offices have become common sights for some students, especially at the beginning of the semester. It’s an annoying rite of passage that has become part of the matriculation experience.
However, technology and convenience have recently been combined to form RattlerLink, an interactive website that is helping to shorten those lines.
Most students are aware of the RattlerLink site, its capability to register for classes and its ability to determine if a sorely needed net check has been issued. However, many of the site’s other capabilities still go untapped.
“A lot of students still aren’t aware of all the services the site offers,” said Denise Jones, administrative assistant to the registrar’s office.
According to Jones, some students who may be aware of the site refrain from using it to register due to security concerns, citing that it requires their personal information.
Aside from being a secure site, students are required to get a PIN number from the registrar’s office for additional security. After that point the student can change that PIN number as many times as they deem necessary.
Using RattlerLink, students can order copies of their transcripts and conduct course audits, making sure that they have selected the appropriate courses toward their degrees.
With a few simple keystrokes, students can check on the status of financial aid awards and change mailing and permanent addresses.
While the site is convenient to students, its benefits are felt on the administrative side of that coin as well.
“It (RattlerLink) has helped us tremendously in this office, in giving students access to their information,” said Michael James, university registrar.
“This is another tool to help the student be successful during their time at the university.”
It’s a tool that has been getting used more and more since January with over 60,000 hits on its grade checking and over 150,000 hits on its interactive class scheduling pages.
Because the RattlerLink site can be accessed by students to check recent and past course grades as well as get information on various campus activities, the need to route thousands of pieces of mailed material is greatly reduced according to James.
Nearly all of Florida’s colleges and universities have similar systems in place that allow students to register for classes and access their academic information.
“We’re simply keeping pace with what other academic institutions offer,” James said.