Improve the Navigation of Hampshire's Academic System (2011 Strategic Plan)

Hampshire’s educational system requires students to advocate for themselves and define their own academic paths. This is a challenging journey that requires solid support systems. Each path is individual, but the map should be clear and the navigational tools accessible. To this end, we should support current initiatives for developing better systems of communication and navigation of offices, advising, course registration, filing exams, and The Hub.

Comments
Please include your thoughts on the importance of the initiative, how to frame the issue, things that may be missing, and any additional comments here (you can do so by logging into Hampedia and clicking edit):


 * This is so important! Internal communications are a huge piece of this.  Staff have worked to increase internal communication and this work needs to be institutionally supported and organized and extended throughout the various constituencies (i.e. staff, faculty, students, alumni). - Lani Blechman
 * None of the offices on campus seem to be in communication with each other. Students can spend days running in circles around the campus going from office to office just trying to figure out who needs to sign a piece of paper. Central Records is a nightmare-it's common knowledge in the student body that you need to see Rachael Graham or Bobby in order to get anything accomplished at that office. Multiple times I've gone to that office and been told that I couldn't do things that were actually very simple and necessary.
 * An update to TheHub is a necessity to clarify internal processes- even searching and signing up for courses can be unnecessarily complicated with the current set up. Refining the setup and processes of TheHub would be a huge help to the student body. - Chelsee Bergen
 * This is very important. We pride ourselves on being a school that produces self-directed students. However, our method of doing so is like teaching someone to swim by taking them out to the middle of a lake, throwing them in, and then going back to shore to see if they make it. To put it another way: someone can have a self-directed education for free--what do we provide them that's worth almost $50,000? Devin Morse
 * Formal instruction in the interpersonal and technical aspects of project management as applied to Hampshire policies and processes would address many of the issues in this heading. Ben Teifeld, S83
 * Yes! I especially agree with the second and third comments.  TheHub is especially frustrating.  Almost every single time I have tried to preregister for courses there has been some problem with TheHub, making this already stressful process even more difficult.  Rebecca Thomas, F'07