My Sac State, the highly anticipated website that replaced CasperWeb as the “fast, easy, secure” way to access records, is now receiving mixed reactions from the campus community.

The application, created by PeopleSoft, allows students to check messages from the school, add or drop classes, view their schedules and update contact information. Additionally, the new interface provides access to a variety of features that CasperWeb didn’t, including the ability to accept and decline financial aid awards electronically, a wait list function, and the introduction of dual “roles.”

For example, students employees on campus have the ability to view information for either role. Under the student tab, they have access to all the things other students do. Under the employee tab, they can view past pay stubs, as well as summaries of benefits, health care, and savings plans.

In spite of the increased functions, some students think that My Sac State, while convenient, is not exactly user-friendly.

Aimee Curameng, graduating senior film studies major, said navigating the website is confusing.

“It is well organized with plenty of informative links,” she said. “(But) there are so many links that sometimes it’s difficult to find something specific that you need.”

Other students admit that their familiarity with CasperWeb has made the transition a bit more difficult.

“I felt like Casper was easier to navigate,” said senior English major Shauna Krutch. “If I was looking for something, I knew where to find it.”

Interim Associate Director of Administrative Computer Services Jeanette Norton said that an easy solution to problems students are having is the help feature in the upper left hand corner that directs users to a number of tutorials specific to the difficulties they’re having.

“They are very useful,” she said. “You can just walk through them very quickly.”

She also said that the switch from the old system to the new system takes some time to be worked out.

“This is something new and we know that we have to give it a couple semesters,” Norton said.

Shaun Carvalho, graduating senior liberal studies major, said that My Sac State is a system that takes some getting used to.

“(The) first time I used it…I was lost,” he said. “If I had to do it again next semester, it’d be easier.”

One of the positive aspects of My Sac State that everyone can agree upon is its availability. While CasperWeb was only open between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays and 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays, My Sac State is accessible 24 hours a day.

While the first phase of switching over to My Sac State is not yet complete, Norton said that it should be finalized on Oct. 29.

Natalye Childress Smith can be reached at [email protected].