Talking Stick - September/October 2014 - 29

turning to the use of mobile apps
that are accessed on smart phones
and tablets, which is an easy way
to transmit information, as most
students arrive on campus with their
laptops, smartphones, and tablets
readily available. Those who do
not own or know how to operate a
mobile device or laptop are few and
far between, and, for many, it is their
preferred means of communication.
With that in mind, introducing
mobile applications that are accessible
from app stores on both Android
and iOS services is an effective,
convenient way for faculty and staff to
broaden their reach to students.

by the Guidebook platform, it is an
overarching app that allows event
organizers to easily share materials.
Accommodation Services provides
students with a multitude of options
to select from to enhance their
residence life experience. This is
especially beneficial for first-year
students, as Laura Burge, residential
education manager, explains.
"With the arrival of 1,100 new
students each year, communicating
essential information regarding
arrival processes, important
rules and guidelines, key staff,
and student contact details and
orientation schedules is difficult

Guidebook, then access the MSU Live
on 2014, which allows the student to
view times and locations of meetings
centered around transitional housing,
similar to the way in which students
are able to create a schedule at La
Trobe University. Michael Dawisha,
chief information officer, says that
"we are working on our own custom
responsive design suite of apps."
The Welcome Guide is only the
beginning for La Trobe University's
mobile app, as it also allows returning
students as well as first-year students
to create a digital personal schedule
that is directly based upon programs

whether theSe aPPS are buIlt In-hOuSe Or utIlIze an OutSIde VendOr,
they can facIlItate the cOmmunIcatIOn that allOwS reSIdence lIfe
Staff tO enSure theIr releVancy In StudentS' lIVeS and Interact wIth
them In a way that IS changIng the face Of theIr fIeld.

Everything from a move-in
checklist to an outline of programs
and upcoming events that keep
students well informed on various
support services or ways to get
involved in residence life can reach
students through mobile apps.
Whether these apps are built in-house
or utilize an outside vendor, they can
facilitate the communication that
allows residence life staff to ensure
their relevancy in students' lives and
interact with them in a way that is
changing the face of their field.

and time consuming." With the
application, first-year students are
able to download important guides
specifically designed for the firstyear experience. The Welcome
Guide, available for students to
easily refer to, includes all of the
typical information found within a
traditional welcome guide, but what
sets it apart from its conventional
email or paper counterpart is that it
is "easily accessible, visually wellpresented, and, most importantly,
mobile," Burge says.

La Trobe University in Melbourne,
Victoria, Australia, has cultivated
an application that is available
for students to download on their
smartphone, tablet, or computer.
Accommodation Services officially
launched the app called Live @ La
Trobe in February of 2014. Powered

Searching through any online
app store will turn up a host of
apps focused on campus living. For
instance, Michigan State University
in East Lansing offers an app that is
used through Guidebook. Students
who are in the process of transitional
housing move-in can download

and events that are highlighted
within the app. For example, on any
particular day, a student can filter
through events that are available
that day or in the future. They can
then select an event at a specific time
and add that event to their personal
calendar. Subsequently, the student
can then review their unique schedule
at any time using the Accommodation
Services application.
Keeping track of events and
programs can be cumbersome
to both staff and students.
However, Accommodation Services
eradicates misinformation and
miscommunication by allowing for
instant updates, including possible
date, time, and venue changes.
Authorized staff can enter the
application's interface to update
information, which, in turn, notifies
September + OctOber 2014

29
Talking Stick - September/October 2014

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