If you’ve tried logging onto your Fairfield email in the past few weeks, you’ll notice that there’s a new login page with a picture of Fairfield University as the backdrop.
That’s not the only thing that will be changing.
As a matter of fact, StagWeb is being entirely replaced by a new portal.
The Computing and Network Services staffs, along with a committee of faculty, staff and students, have been working on the idea of a new portal since 2010 and started developing it in April 2011. The new portal, called my.Fairfield, became available for students to preview at the beginning of the fall semester.
“The new portal is designed to act as a single sign-on system for the different University resources,” said Omar Munshi ‘13, a senior technician at Fairfield University Computing and Network Services. “For example, Blackboard, Mentor and even the student Gmail. It is designed to eventually replace StagWeb.”
StagWeb is based on a decade-old platform, so the new portal will provide a user with a new design and a number of new services, such as a single sign-on to applications such as Blackboard and Mentor.
“A more integrated approach for including content from Banner (registration, personal information, etc.) is also possible because of the new design,” said Michael Graham-Cornell, Director of Computing and Network Services. “Other capabilities will be explored over the next couple of years.”
These “capabilities” include targeted messaging, mobile content on smart phones and tablets, and community information for schools, colleges, clubs and organizations, according to Graham-Cornell.
The old StagWeb has been around for about 15 years, said Graham-Cornell. The feedback that was received from the campus committee reported that StagWeb needed to be replaced.
“I liked the old StagWeb because I was used to it, but it also had a lot of stuff that I didn’t need on it” said Emily Seils ’13. “It could be hard to navigate.”
Junior Alexander Long, an employee at the Student Help Desk, said that the new portal gives the University a more professional look and benefits everyone associated with the University. Other students who work at the Computing and Network Services also agree that the new portal is a positive change for student users.
“The portal is definitely a good idea,” said John Paul Benedetti ‘14, a manager at the Computing and Network Services. “No more going to multiple sites and having to log into each and every one of them. Just my.fairfield, sign-in once and done.”
Munshi explained, “I’ve talked to many students about the Portal and the SSO (single sign on) feature is definitely a favorite feature amongst students. StagWeb needed to be phased out and I think this a great move on CNS’s part.”
My.Fairfield will officially become the primary portal for students, faculty and staff in January of 2013. To view the preview, visit my.Fairfield.edu.
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