Archived Suggestions :: September 2008

Suggestion — 1132

Subject — Emergency Information

Forwarded to — Safety & Risk Manager

Suggestion / Comment

If its not already listed, please add this site to the emergency information so people can keep up dated on resources for each zip code:
http://media.myfoxhouston.com/news/ikezipcodereports/index.htm

Response

University of Houston System Chancellor Renu Khator has announced that UHS is assuming management responsibilities for both the UH System at Sugar Land and the UH System at Cinco Ranch. This will return the management structure to its original configuration. This transition will be initiated on September 2, 2008 and completed by September 29, 2008. This suggestion should be forwarded to UHS at Cinco Ranch and UHS emergency management for possible addition of the suggested site to their respective Emergency Information Web sites.

Suggestion — 1133

Subject — Motorcycles

Forwarded to — Director, Business Services

Suggestion / Comment

With the increasing number of employees and students using motorcycles for transportation, I think we need a parking area for those 2-wheeled vehicles. It irks me to see them taking up a huge parking space meant for a car.

Response

“I talked with our Director of Facilities and his department will divide a 2 or 3 oversized parking places in-half for motorcycles or scooter use. We’ll try this. Once this becomes known, I am sure some motorcyclists will start using these spots. However, we don't plan to require mandatory use if a motorcycle parks in a regular spot. All over town, the same parking practices apply.

We need to remember that many more parking spots would be available if more of us carpooled. Almost all of us still drive to work alone... in a vehicle that can hold 3 or 4 people. It's probably not fair to complain too much about motorcyclists who essentially do the same thing as you and I... 1 vehicle/1 person/1 spot, but just choose to use a smaller, more fuel efficient vehicle.”

Suggestion — 1134

Subject — Instructors

Forwarded to — Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Suggestion / Comment

How can we communicate to school if we feel that our online instructor manage classroom with defensive language and ask s unreasonable guidelines for us to follow? If we feel wrong about the class grading policy and unable to change, by what method can we make higher level to know the reason and condition except the instructor.

Response

Students can share their concerns with the instructor’s Academic Dean. The Deans contact information is on the UHV website listed by School. For example, School of Arts and Sciences, School of Business Administration, School of Education and Human Development and School of Nursing.

Suggestion — 1135

Subject — 2008-09 UHV Wall Calendar

Forwarded to — Registrar

Suggestion / Comment

I know my eyes aren’t what they used to be, but it seems that the text on the UHV wall calendars is getting smaller and smaller every year. Maybe we’re trying to cram too much information onto the calendar grid. It's hard to read the small text from more than a couple of feet away and even the day numbers are difficult to read from more than 6-7 feet away. I know there’s a fine line between having too much and not enough information, but perhaps we could look at a redesign of the calendar layout and utilize the space better around each calendar month. For example, there’s at least 3 inches of unused space across the width of the calendar and about 3/8 inch vertically between each month. Perhaps that space could be used to increase the size of the calendar grid and thereby increasing the font size in each. I bet the months wouldn't mind touching each other. :) Signed --Tired Eyes

Response

Thank you for your suggestion. Ironically, we have been thinking about changing the physical format of the calendar as well and will be making a recommendation to the marketing department. Our recommendation is to change the calendar to a traditional “flip style” calendar where different UHV departments, student organizations, etc. could be highlighted with a different picture for each month. The format change could also help to have larger fonts for the calendar text, as well as be easier for hanging where wall space is limited. The UHV calendar is basically a marketing/recruiting tool, and I also think the format change would make them much easier to distribute to future students. Thank you again for your suggestion.

Suggestion — 1136

Subject — UHV Website

Forwarded to — Director, Marketing

Suggestion / Comment

1.Pay attention to web design guidelines when creating a new site. The general rule is no more than 3 mouse clicks to get anywhere on a site. If we apply that rule to our site, it fails miserably. 2.Next time, design for usability instead of aesthetics. I know image is important, but a nice looking website doesn't get you much if it isn't completely usable. 3. I know you wanted a site geared to students, but students are not the only ones using this site. Focus groups should have consisted of all potential users (internal and external). We have to be able to find things quickly, too.

Response

Thank you for your suggestions to help improve the UHV Web site. We are currently in the process of reviewing the navigation structure from the secondary pages. We will more than likely redesign those secondary pages to improve usability. Immediately following the updates, we will test with various groups to ensure usability has improved.

Suggestion — 1137

Subject — UHV Website

Forwarded to — Director, Marketing

Suggestion / Comment

For a school that offers so many online classes you might want to make your website more friendly and easy to use. I cannot find anything and the roll over mouse stuff is like supper crazy quick and hard to use. Atleast the webct colors are still the same, if webct goes the same crazy red as the rest of the site then I may have to stop online classes. Where is the UHV Flame?

Response

Thanks for making us aware of your challenges in finding information on the UHV Web site. It would be helpful if you could be a bit more specific in what you are having difficulty finding. Our goal is to continue to improve the Web site. You comments and suggestions are crucial in helping us accomplish this goal. Recent changes to improve access to information include:

• Moving “Forms” to the Popular Pages feature for Future Students and Current Students
• Making directory information available under Student Resources.

We are currently reviewing the secondary page navigation. Our goal is to give quicker, easier access to information throughout the Web site. After thorough testing, to improve usability, we will launch the updates.

You will continue to see the UHV flame on existing campus signage and stationary. However, we are gradually moving away from using this image. All future materials produced to promote the university will no longer use the UHV flame.

Suggestion — 1138

Subject — UHV Website

Forwarded to — Director, Marketing

Suggestion / Comment

Why make the website so hard to read and use? As an online student, I use the website almost daily, even after two weeks I still cannot find what I need. Where is the link for the bookstore, I have to go to the Victoria College website, which is worse than the UHV site to find a link to the bookstore.

Response

We are currently working at improving and simplifying the navigation beyond the home page. Soon afterward, we will test and then post. The link to the Bookstore is located under Student Resources for Future Students or Current Students. Please let me know if there is anything else you can not find. Other students may be experiencing the same challenge. You can email me at ellisj@uhv.edu.

Thank you for making us aware of your difficulty.

Suggestion — 1139

Subject — UHV School Colors

Forwarded to — Director, Marketing

Suggestion / Comment

I was reading the suggestion box and I noticed the following comment from suggestion number 1123 "Although red has always been part of our school colors at UHV, the introduction of athletics has allowed us to take the use of red to a new level. " Who are we kidding, I have been a student at UHV since 2004 and have continued on working past my undergrad degree to my masters. I have never seen red as a school color until the website was dipped in red. And if red is the new color why not just say that. tell everyone that we are abandoning the flame and purple and going with the new wing thing and red. Atleast one thing is true, someone took red to a new level. This website exhibits a level of red beyond and level of red known before. To bad we have to abondaon our legacy for it.

Response

If you look a bit closer at the gold flame, you will notice red highlights . Red, along with purple and gold, is the color palette that was introduced in 2000. The red was included to keep consistency with UHV’s past. Prior to 2000, UHV used the same school colors as UH main. This is why I previously stated that red has always been a part of our school colors. For now, the flame logo will remain on campus signs and stationery. However, other university promotional materials will incorporate a more dominant use of red and a more subtle use of purple. As soon as we know more about downward expansion, other decisions (besides school colors) will be made that will impact the current university brand. It could very well mean the beginning of a new brand and legacy.

Suggestion — 1140

Subject — UHV School Colors

Forwarded to — Director, Marketing

Suggestion / Comment

Let's be honest here. Our school colors have changed. As soon as the Athletics program adopted different colors from the purple, gold, and red(as accent only) our colors changed. Can you name another school that has separate colors for athletics? If they exist what does the public view the school colors to be. Basically step up and say we have changed our colors and stop all the weaselly political double talk.

Response

I have made an honest effort to communicate Marketing’s position about UHV colors.

The decision made last year to incorporate new colors for the Jaguars was made with only good intentions for the athletic program. I agree that having an expanded color palette for UHV has complicated matters. To complicate matters further, we are faced with the possibility of downward expansion. This possibility has delayed any formal decision to officially announce any brand changes. Downward expansion for UHV could spell other significant marketing decisions, besides school colors, that would impact the university brand. Unfortunately, we are in a holding pattern until we have a better sense of our future. I ask that all alumni, faculty, staff and students have a little patience. All these issues will be resolved in the upcoming months.

Suggestion — 1141

Subject — School of Education & Human Development Website

Forwarded to — Dean, School of Education & Human Development

Suggestion / Comment

The School of Education and Human Development Web pages need to be tested and the text updated. The content has not been updated in over two years. I frequently get this error message when clicking on various links. Active Server Pages error 'ASP 0126' Include file not found /edu/AcadProg/BSIS/4_8.asp, line 27 The include file '/edu/includes/searchbox.asp' was not found. The graphic in the header is also pixelated and should be scanned in again and sized for the header.

Response

Thank you for the information. We are presently updating some of the content on our web pages, and you should see improvements in them.

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