The VSCS Portal will be updated to a new interface starting in January 2022. The new interface is a tile model; students can customize the front page to display tiles coordinating their needs. This update will also include the release of a mobile app. Each school in the VSCS system will have a similar interface but with colors and logos matching their campus brands.
On Tuesday, November 30, the Lyndon campus hosted a feedback session to showcase the new portal. Students and faculty came to a computer lab in ASAC and were able to log into the new portal for the first time.
Overall, the feedback from students was positive. “The new portal looks so nice,” Eddie McNeil, a sophomore, said. Students noted that navigating the site was considerably simpler than the current portal. However, several faculty members raised concerns about how student-oriented it was and suggested faculty-specific additions.
The functional changes in the new portal are the implementation of tiles versus the tabs on the old portal. With tiles, websites with multiple functions can have separate links to each feature; instead of one link to the Self Service homepage, links for its subpages appear for finances, registration, and degree planning. For first-year students, the tile system simplifies where to find the information they need if they don’t have websites memorized.
Another benefit is how quickly the portal loads compared to the old model. Instead of a simple hyperlink to Canvas, students can see their upcoming assignments, messages, and grades on the portal’s home page.
After the testing session, the developers implemented a calendar tile as suggested by students. The calendar tile has all of the students’ classes and displays the next upcoming event scheduled when viewed from the home page.
Currently, the “Campus” tile on the new portal is blank, and the designers are looking for suggestions on what to add it. Senior Alexandra Huff suggested including links to the Student Government, Campus Activities Board, and other clubs’ websites. The only missing feature is the announcements posted at the top of the current portal. The campus tile could also be used to hold an announcement bulletin.
If students want to visit the new portal before its released, they can find it here. The development team is adamant that they want to make the new portal a quality experience for students. If you have feedback, send it to Meg Walz.
Feature Photo by Carter Lee Toro || The new portal is organized with tiles separating each major theme of students’ resources.
Margaret T. Lipscomb
No more second log-in to get to e-mail! Huzzah!