Freshman Artifacts....

In order to fully evaluate various communication to freshman I have chosen a select few artifacts to share with the class...

1. TTU.EDU
What does the artifact attempt to accomplish?
The ttu.edu website is ALL tech faculty and student link to information about select courses, various programs, and emergency plan notification--flash flood warning, snow day, etc.

Where you discovered the artifact....
www.ttu.edu

What you feel it actually accomplishes or doesn't accomplish.
While a significant amount of information may be found on the site, ttu.edu does not always appear to be the most user-friendly web page. Even to find the most preliminary things--recommended reading lists, student code of conduct, etc. can often seem like a chore in itself.

How the artifact could be revised or delivered in a different way in order to accomplish what it sets out to accomplish.
Obviously a complete overhaul of the site is both out of our class budget and time frame. Maybe there is a simpler solution. Perhaps it would be easier to create a page strictly for freshman. What you need to know type of a thing. After all, increasing usability can only help to simplify access to desired information.

How important on a rank of 1-10 this information is to TTU Freshman (10 highest).
I would argue that this ranks around a 10 in terms of level of importance. Remember the first day when we discussed the Student Code of Conduct and no one in the class could even remotely identify it or where it may be found.

2. Student Code of Conduct/Student Handbook
What the artifact attempts to accomplish?
The TTU Student Code of Conduct and Student Handbook exist for the sole purpose to be a what to do/what not to do guideline for all TTU students.

Where you discovered the artifact.
TTU.edu general search "code of conduct"

What you feel it actually accomplishes or doesn't accomplish.
Granted, the purpose is to outline a pre-existing guidelines of ethical student conduct including issues on everything from the mundane appropriate class dress (student handbook 2006-07) to more vital topics such as plagiarism and sga protocol. While it may or may not be viewed as being well written, the underlining problem here is one of accessibility. NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT IT!

How the artifact could be revised or delivered in a different way in order to accomplish what it sets out to accomplish.
Once again, while an entire revision may not be possible (and/or not entirely necessary) this is a problem of accessibility. No one knows, so no one cares. Out of sight, out of mind. Perhaps the easiest solution here is to create a buzz about the importance of freshman knowing or simply owning a copy of either the student code of conduct or a ttu student handbook. Should it be a required text?

How important on a rank of 1-10 this information is to TTU Freshman (10 highest).
I would probably rank this to be around an 8 in terms of importance. Arguably, you have to know the rules to play the game...but in reality, who really reads the how to manual?

3. Religious Information Accessibility (Ex. Foundation)
What the artifact attempts to accomplish?
The website for the foundation retreat attempts to convey information to incoming freshman about various opportunities in Lubbock for religious participation.

Where you discovered the artifact..
http://www.orgs.ttu.edu/foundation/moreinfo.htm

What you feel it actually accomplishes or doesn't accomplish.
The site is extremely user friendly, on the front page there is a question and answer section designed specifically for freshman in terms of need to know information. However, the main problem I see is that this information is church/denomination specific We all know Tech gets its student base from surrounding major metropolis areas--Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, etc. Is there a place students can go to access information about Lubbock churches and Bible study groups more efficiently. This late in stages of adolescents many freshman are still struggling to find who they really are, perhaps access to various religious organizations would be helpful throughout their learning process.

How the artifact could be revised or delivered in a different way in order to accomplish what it sets out to accomplish.
While I do not think this site in particular needs revision, I was wondering is we would be able to compose some sort of work where students could more readily access desired information concerning Lubbock fellowship opportunities.

How important on a rank of 1-10 this information is to TTU Freshman (10 highest).
I would rank this information a level 7 importance. While I think it would be a good idea, there are obvious holes. If someone was really interested wouldn't they do the research themselves? How efficient and throughought would their research be?