The new software, OrgSync, used by student organizations at ASU for the first time this semester is proving a cumbersome experience for some student groups.
The online software was purchased by Undergraduate Student Government earlier this year and provides tools to student organizations to help manage membership, communicate with existing members, organize events and aid with book keeping, all of which are accessible from one centralized location online.
However, some student organizations said their experience with the software has been bittersweet.
“The challenge that most (organizations) go through is not knowing how to use it,” Director of Administration for ASASUD and nonprofit senior Olga Lykhvar said.
Lykhvar cites a lack of proper training for the many utilities as the main issue for groups that struggle with the software.
“I feel as though the training wasn’t sufficient enough,” she said.
The only training sessions she was made aware of were offered at the beginning of the semester before the Web site was accessible for student organizations. This forced users to memorize the explanation rather than learn hands on.
Nursing sophomore Kimberly Sawyer, Planning and Activities Board Downtown director of public relations, said she feels the training was good enough, but admitted that PAB only recently started using the Web site and focuses on posting upcoming meetings and events.
“The training was really quick, which was good. Everything was covered in a short period of time and everyone understood it,” she said in an e-mail interview.
Sawyer was not allowed to speak on behalf of the PAB, but said “even with the setbacks this Web site is still beneficial for our organization and getting our name out to students and other student organizations. It also lets us know who is a part of our organization which is a big plus.”
The main issue Sawyer has encountered has been a lack of familiarity among administrators and students with the platform.
Student Development and Activity Coordinator for the Downtown campus Dora Tompkins said that it is not uncommon for the groups at schools that have adopted the software to experience some difficulty.
“Most of our organizations haven’t truly discovered its full power,” she said.
Tompkins believes that once the organizations become more familiarized with the Web site, they will be able to more fully embrace the offered tools and services.
“What we need to do is get the presidents and officers of each organization to start clicking around (the site,)” she said.
Tompkins said student organizations are required to register, but many have yet to use the software.
“Half of our Downtown (campus) clubs have created organizational profiles (after registering),” she said. “We can’t require them to use the software. The only thing they have to do is register. What the clubs do with the software is entirely up to them.”
Sawyer said this is her first personal experience with OrgSync and couldn’t say whether the site was making her job any easier.
Lykhvar said she was indifferent.
“I think OrgSync isn’t for everybody, especially if (clubs) don’t have a lot of members,” Lykhvar said. “It would be a waste of time for them.”
ASASUD uses the software to post meeting minutes, organize events and communicate with members. Lykhvar said with a little more training, her organization would likely adopt more of the offered services, but the group’s main goals have been satisfied.
“If we receive more training on finance and treasury, our finance director would use it,” she said. “But I feel like I know enough to function.”
Tompkins said that once clubs grow more familiar with the software, it will become easier to train them and for officers to train their own members. She acknowledges that it may take some time for students to get used to system.
“Other universities who use it have told us it takes about a year for student organizations to get excited about the program,” she said.
Contact the reporter at jake.harris@asu.edu
