Ava Weintraub
The highly anticipated, newly designed Los Angeles Pierce College Web site made its debut at the beginning of this semester. I was underwhelmed and disappointed.
The Los Angeles Community College District mandated that all district Web sites use the new Content Management System. The hope is to make all of the campus Web sites look similar.
At first glance, the new Web site appears fresh and different. Upon closer inspection, it is more difficult to navigate and some of the content is still dreadfully out-of-date.
I checked the “Faculty and Staff” page to see the photos of the new teachers and just like it has been for the last two years, it hasn’t been updated. For example, the media arts department chair, Jill Connelly, is still listed as “new” faculty.
Who is responsible for keeping Web content current?
Out-of-date content is one issue, but not being able to find information that’s needed is a BIG problem.
When the Pierce Web site first launched, there was a common complaint I heard while walking around campus; students said they were having difficult locating the staff directory.
It was easy to find with old design, but now you have to go hunting for it.
When opening the “Students” page, my eyes were accosted by a barrage of topics. The information appeared as though it was organized by a student who didn’t know how to make a simple outline.
The presentation of the information, like an overcrowded deli menu, is counterintuitive and cluttered.
The Los Angeles Valley College Web site uses the same mandated system as Pierce, yet they’ve managed to make their site appealing and logical. The same is true for Los Angeles Mission College’s Web site.
Why is it that I can find things easily on their site, but not on ours?
InfoTech should put easy navigation buttons pointing to the more commonly used items on the front page. Students need to reach teachers, so put a button on the front page for faculty and staff.