Faculty Focus Group 12/4/2008

What do you like about the MIIS website?

• Provides a good idea of what the Monterey Institute does (but not enough about what it IS)

What do you use the website for?

• Academic calendar for add/drop dates
• Course schedules
• Directory

What don't you like?

• Does not reflect how incredibly kickass the Institute really is
• Needs to appeal to other incredible people and invite them to participate
• I've been on the site 3 times, 2 of which were when I applied
• Presently FirstClass is more often used (and FirstClass stinks)
• "Watch Videos (YouTube)" link sounds like a random link to YouTube
• Faculty are doing exciting things, why aren't they on the website?
  • Timeliness: have sent info and it took more than a month to appear on the site
• Too much text, need to diversify communications (pictures, mindmaps, etc)
• ONE person should not be responsible for the website; EVERYONE should be responsible
• Main website + Moodle + FirstClass need to be combined into one platform w/different levels of access (for one-stop shopping!)

Who is the site audience?

Prospective students

• Need to get to know what faculty are working on, where they are, what they've been doing
• Need to see where alumni end up

Current students

• Create a virtual space where students can link up, their achievements can be celebrated, etc.

Alumni

• What is the easiest way to reach out to our alumni instantly?

Blogs?

• "Too many loose cannons on the deck"
• Maybe have student council in charge of a single student blog
• Need some kind of filter for all of the content, like the moderator of a listserv

Items to consider in redesign

• Want to see the PEOPLE of the Monterey Institute
  • Need to create a space that shows how far-reaching the MIIS community is
  • 5 rockstar alums & what they're doing now, any alums in the Obama administration, etc.
• Want faculty to be able to update their own individual website
  • Many faculty will be self-motivated to do this
  • Can post conference presentation materials, articles, info about what they are doing, etc.
• Need a centralized events calendar
  • Followup on events for those who couldn't attend, include notes + links to YouTube videos
• Consider turning the Foghorn into a student portal site similar to insidecolby.com

Websites we like

• storybank.stanford.edu
  • highlights faculty and alums and what they are doing
• usc.edu
  • people profiles
  • myUSC student/faculty/staff portal
• thedailybeast.com/beast-board
  • daily bloggers
  • can choose to read more if you are interested in a particular topic