'A priority for the institution': University plans series of ConnectCarolina updates

With the start of the new year, UNC has begun implementing a series of updates to the University's student portal, ConnectCarolina. 

Students received an email from the University Division of Enrollment on Jan. 9 stating that ConnectCarolina is featuring a new mobile-friendly Student Center. The previous version of the Student Center will still be accessible for a few months.

"All the features you rely on now will be accessible through intuitive navigation," a Dec. 6 email about the project stated. "Once released, we hope you'll find it easy to use and will share your feedback as we continue to plan and implement future improvements." 

Assistant Provost and University Registrar Lauren DiGrazia said that the updates are a big change for the institution and will be the first of several updates to the platform over the next few months. 

DiGrazia said that the look and feel of ConnectCarolina will be completely different, allowing the interface to be much more intuitive. The first stage of updates, she said, will help students navigate the actual website system.

She said the following stages will include a new scheduling opportunity paired with a degree planner that will allow students to plan out their future at UNC instead of semester-by-semester. The planner will also be integrated with advising systems, creating a "more unified approach" to the ConnectCarolina experience. 

Chloe Russell, the Associate Dean of Advising at the College of Arts and Sciences, said that the technology will allow for students to schedule appointments with advisors and give them direct communication to advisors through a message center. She said that this way, students will not have to repeat their stories multiple times and the process of assigning advisors to students will be more seamless. 

“These changes help all of us use the same interface, so we’re all speaking the same language on a more regular basis, and people are more familiar with the technology, which leads to a seamless experience overall,” Russell said.

Vice Provost of Enrollment Rachelle Feldman said that advanced planning on the project started a little over a year ago, when the University recognized students needed a better interface and an easier way to use the system. Feldman said she and her team went to their leadership and Board of Trustees to ask for funding to implement updates.

The University is putting in a little less than half a million dollars to the project, Feldman said, explaining that the cost was asked to be a part of the regular budget process and was allocated by UNC Chancellor, Lee Roberts. 

“It’s just a very straightforward, 'this is a priority for the institution' and they allocated us the funds for the project,” Feldman said. 

The updates are part of a huge project, DiGrazia said, with staff from across multiple UNC departments — including the Cashier’s Office, the Graduate School, Office of Financial Aid, University Registrar, Advising, IT, Admissions and the Division of Enrollment  —working on the changes. 

She said that the team is unsure of how long the entire process will take because it depends on how long it takes to get each module working and when they receive feedback on the changes.

"Everybody really wants it to get better, and is spending a lot of time and effort, hopefully," Feldman said. "And we will be welcoming student feedback as we go, which we hope will inform the project as well."

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