������

FlashLine’s “Faculty & Advisor Tools” tab was recently updated to provide direct access to frequently used tools, a simplified layout and options that are better tailored to specific users. The update was released on Monday, Jan. 14, and will appear automatically for all faculty and advisors who currently have access to the tab.

“Faculty & Advisor Tools” provides many faculty and academic staff members with access to course registration tools, class rosters, scheduling, grading, Blackboard Learn, advising resources and university policies.

The project was initiated by University Advising with a focus on advisor tools. It was later broadened by University Communications and Marketing to include a review of tools used by faculty as well.

“There were portions of the tab that were never used and other resources that needed to be there to better assist advisors,” says Charity Snyder, University Advising director. “We needed to improve the tab so it could serve as a landing place for advisors to get the basic information, tools and resources they need.”

The improved tab makes resources more accessible to faculty and staff members, while also making content easier to find.  No longer used items were eliminated to reduce clutter where possible.

“We’re always making an effort to provide a better user experience within the FlashLine portal that, in turn, allows faculty and staff to better assist students,” says Lin Danes, director of Web Services and Interactive Media.  

The changes were guided by feedback from several interviews conducted throughout the Fall 2012 semester with various faculty members, advisors and administrative assistants from academic departments.  Additional feedback was gathered from University Advising and the University Registrar.  

A complete list of enhancements is available below.  Feedback on the changes may be directed to the University Communications and Marketing Web team at webteam@kent.edu. FlashLine Tech Help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at.

Changes and Enhancements to the "Faculty & Advisor Tools" Tab

• FERPA notice was added as a popover window upon a faculty or advisor’s first log in.
• Previous Faculty/Advisor Toolbox has been separated into one set of tools for faculty and another set for advisors. For users with both the faculty and advisor role, the toolboxes will appear side-by-side.
• Link labels were changed in both the Faculty Toolbox and Advisor Toolbox based on user feedback.
• Advisor Toolbox now displays a link to the Advising SharePoint website, Web Scheduler and Cognos.
• Frequently accessed tools that previously required entering FlashFAST were added to the Faculty Toolbox.
• Faculty Schedule channel was removed and is available through the Faculty Toolbox.
• Policy Quick Links, Quick Links and Other Resources were combined into one channel, called “Quick Links and Resources.”  The links were grouped by subject for easier use.
• Advisors (with non-faculty roles) no longer see their personal courses in "My Courses."
• Advisor Dashboard was removed. Full functionality is available via FlashFAST.