Student organizations might start seeing a cut in their paperwork as soon as a new organization management software program is implemented.
The Student Senate Information Technology Commission agreed Wednesday evening to a three-year, $21,000 contract to fund and implement the software program, titled OrgSync, at the university. The program allows organizations and students to create online profiles and communicate with each other online, as well as allows organizations to conduct surveys, sell and purchase products and do other things on the Internet.
Sen. Andrew Cooan, director of the Information Technology Commission, said OrgSync will allow organizations to cut back on paperwork by allowing them to store certain information, such as officer and member lists, as well as other information, online.
“Students are really, really going to benefit from this,” Cooan said Wednesday night after his commission approved the contract, adding the software will both save paper and cut back on the amount of paperwork student organizations currently must file.
Questions had been raised earlier about the program’s security, especially concerning credit and debit card numbers and student usernames and passwords. However, both Cooan and Senate Finance Commission director Tom Holtan said many of the concerns had been laid to rest.
Holtan said OrgSync is currently used by several large universities, including the University of Arizona and North Carolina State University. He also said Learning and Technology Services has not identified any security concerns associated with the program.
Holtan added that, according to information provided to him, the program will have a $10,000 annual price tag following the three-year contract.