Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 52

22

contInued

Business Operations

and organize her calendar outside of work. In her experience, other undergraduate RAs who immediately downloaded every game application obsessed over the technology for a couple of weeks but then resorted to just using it for the designated tasks. “I’m sure some people took advantage of that, and then the novelty wore off and they hardly use it anymore,” she says. Allowing such freedom with university-funded devices may scream liability, but at Texas there has not been one instance of a broken or stolen iPad among the 161 RAs. Just in case, however, each iPad carries an engraving on the back identifying the school name, department, and item serial number. The potential for liability may be outweighed by the fact that the new technology allows residence life to provide a much higher level of services. “We put a great deal of stock into meeting students where they are,” Logan says of their decision to use the mobile devices. “At the end of the day, it wasn’t about us.”

they felt the same dilemma at the University of Florida: “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to make sure we’re on the competitive edge of things,” he admits, adding that departments usually understand which technology would best improve a function or solve a problem. Logan’s inclination to use Apple products is based on their intuitive elements in design and operation, which can diminish the learning curve in mastering the technology. Though mobile devices are expensive, using them can also result in considerable savings. Texas now saves 100,000 sheets of paper a year after the switch to iPad, according to Jhaveri. In addition to saving money, the devices can also save hours of labor, since handheld devices eliminate the time needed to transcribe paperwork onto a desktop system. “When they were doing rounds, if they saw something broken, they could do the work order right there on the rounds and be done,” Jhaveri says.

condition reports typically are not specific enough. “It says fine, dirty, or scratched. It doesn’t give you as much of a description . . . there’s a bit of investigative work toward it.” As with any new technology, officials need to allow for a slow development into more complex functions. Texas is now looking to use more applications, like taking attendance through a card swipe attachment that can be used with student IDs. Students are also coming up with ideas to aid residence operations, like Whipple’s thoughts to develop virtual tours and online comparison of residence halls into an application. Each RA is required to give a certain number of tours each semester, and this type of tool would provide additional resources for both the guides and guests. The vast number of potential applications that the iPad has to residence and campus life can be daunting during the first steps of implementation. Initially sticking to strictly Web-based tasks may be the best strategy to get the staff’s feet wet. Establishing a long-term plan for these technological investments will provide a basis to explore potential functions in the future – and right now, the only direction to move is forward. ts
Kristen Lott
is an editorial intern for Talking Stick.

branD loyalty anD sustainability
Though the advantages of using these devices may be apparent, many institutions still struggle with the issue of cost and the conflict of brand recognition versus product qualification. Not all schools have the luxury to purchase large numbers of the latest name brand handheld devices, and many don’t want to stick to Apple. At Ithaca, Brice examined many different tablets, looking for something that had higher camera megapixels than did the iPad, which is important to be able to produce the higher-detailed photos needed to support damage billing. However, FileMaker’s application is Apple-exclusive and designed for only one operating system, since Apple will continue to have standard configurations. Logan explains that
52
tAlking stick

tHe Future oF apps
The potential of devices like the iPad is largely untapped in their current use in residence life. As more colleges and universities are beginning to implement this mobile technology, tasks will be Web-based, but they should be considering applicationbased functions. Whether using an in-house designed application or taking advantage of existing ones, housing staffs can begin to use the iPad for budgeting, student payments, task management, note taking, social media management, and even presentation and document creation through iWork. Ithaca is currently developing an in-house system for a visual apartment condition report. “It would have a floor plan layout of the area we are inspecting and would allow us to drag and drop small gifs or images in the area where we find them,” Brice says, adding that apartment



Talking Stick - July/August 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - July/August 2012

Talking Stick - July/August 2012
Contents
New Member Highlight
Vision
Just In
Your ACUHO-I
Transitions
Res Life
Business Operations
Calendar
Shaping Our Buildings to Shape Our Students
Looking Up Down Under
Coversations
First Takes
Reporting Out
Welcome
Snapshot
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - BB1
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - BB2
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - Talking Stick - July/August 2012
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - Cover2
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 1
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 2
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - Contents
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - New Member Highlight
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 5
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - Vision
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 7
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - Just In
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 9
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 10
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 11
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 12
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - Your ACUHO-I
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 14
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - Transitions
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - Res Life
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 17
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 18
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 19
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - Business Operations
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 21
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 22
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 23
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 24
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - Calendar
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - Shaping Our Buildings to Shape Our Students
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 27
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 28
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 29
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 30
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 31
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 32
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 33
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - Looking Up Down Under
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 35
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 36
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 37
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 38
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 39
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 40
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 41
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 42
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 43
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - Coversations
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 45
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - First Takes
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 47
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - Reporting Out
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 49
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 50
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 51
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 52
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 53
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - Welcome
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - 55
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - Snapshot
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - Cover3
Talking Stick - July/August 2012 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20190506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20190304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20190102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20181112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20180910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20180708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20180506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20180304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20180102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20171112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20170910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20170708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20170506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20170304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20161112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20160910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20160708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20160506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20160304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20151112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20150910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20150708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20150506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20150304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20150102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20141112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20140910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20140708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20140506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20140304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20140102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20131112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20130910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20130708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20130506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20130304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20130102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20121112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20120910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20120708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20120506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20120304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_201201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20111112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20110910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20110708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20110506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20110304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20110102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20101112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20100910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20100708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20100506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20100304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20100102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20091112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20090910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20090708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20090506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20090304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick_20090102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick1108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick0908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/acuho/talkingstick0508
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com