When Furman switched to Office 365 a few years ago, it upgraded to a more advanced email client that significantly increased the storage space allotted to all students, faculty, and staff. But in the switch, Furman also lost a forum feature from the previous email client that had been a central part of university communication.
Furman would purchase OrgSync, a tool designed in part to connect student organizations with their members, but since the program was introduced, many student groups don’t seem to have adopted it as their primary means of communications, turning instead to email, social media, and text message to make up for the gap.
Scott Derrick, Director of the Trone Student Center, said his impression is that OrgSync is largely underutilized by student organizations.
“It’s the communication part that’s not being used,” he said.
Halfway through its third year on campus, OrgSync is undergoing a Post Implementation Review to look at how student organizations are using OrgSync, Derrick said. He said he is looking to assign a team to conduct the review and said its job will be to gather information and talk to student groups.
Student organizations all have OrgSync pages because they’re required to register each year if still active. Beyond that, though, many don’t seem to use the program.
“We say we’re going to use it but it’s not a primary means of communication. Instead we use email and have a group text,” said Brittany Bauer, a member of the equestrian club.
A fraternity member echoed Bauer’s comment, noting still other alternatives to OrgSync’s communication tools.
“We have a Facebook group and Google Docs,” said Patrick Goldstein, a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity. “They’re more convenient and easier to use.”
Another fraternity member expressed confusion about the purpose of OrgSync.
“Personally I never check it. I don’t think a lot of people do. I’m not even sure what it’s for,” said junior Callum Osborne, a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.
There are some organizations, however, that use of OrgSync on a regular basis.
“We use OrgSync for a number of things, from date and t-shirt sign ups for functions to important notices. I sync the calendar to my phone and computer,” said Jacqueline Fischer, a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.
Furman University Outdoors Club also uses OrgSync to post weekend events like hiking or camping trips, and Men of Distinction uses it to notify people of possible events.
Many of the organizations that do use OrgSync for communication find it’s an easy way to send out mass emails.
“We don’t go on OrgSync but it’s the main way they email us,” said Julia Cooper, a member of SAC. “We don’t use it for anything else, but its good way to communicate with everyone.”
Derrick said one of the main strategies to make OrgSync a central part of student life has been to introduce it to freshmen during summer orientation.
But he added that administration had hoped students would make wider use of the OrgSync when the university chose to purchase the program.
“I don’t think we’ve tapped the full potential,” he said.