Sac State students now have an exclusive web site to buy and sell textbooks, rate professors and find roommates.

Andy Prok, senior information management and science major, designed, developed and implemented www.sacstatetrader.com at home.

Prok said he was inspired to create the site after experiencing operational difficulties with similar web sites, primarily www.half.com and www.sacrate.com.

He wanted to create a version with enhanced services.

“This site stands out because it offers several different services that are commonly useful to students,” said Ryan Jones, a friend of Prok’s who indirectly participated in creating the site.

“Many existing sites focus on only one of the three things sacstatetrader.com provides.”

Prok said the web site is organized to be user friendly.

He added the roommate function to the site because he said some Sac State students have expressed they would feel more comfortable living with someone attending the same school.

Spiros Velianitis, management information science professor, served as another major inspiration for Prok by encouraging reflective insight.

Prok said Veliantitis asks students to think about “what could be done better from what we already have?”

“I advise students to challenge all assumptions; to take nothing for granted,” Velianitis said. “It takes a critical eye to see opportunities for improvement.”

Prok constructed the majority of the site independently, however, he received some aid from his wife Olga Prok, friends, classmates and co-workers, who made suggestions on improvements.

The website went public on Aug. 24, after Prok finalized the site’s features, using feedback collected by preliminary reviewers,

Prok promotes the site simply by talking with Sac State students and staff about it.

Allison Mandel, junior undeclared major, who has visited the site, said she believes the site needs publicity in order to gain further success.

“Current underexposure is limiting the usefulness of the website,” Mandel said. “However, I think that once word spreads, the web site will become a treasured commodity of every Sac State student.”

Prok said over 13 students have posted professor ratings on the site, and several have sold and purchased textbooks for this semester.

“To be successful not only in school but in every aspect of life takes effort and preparation,” Prok said. “I personally encourage all CSUS students to invest in this site and let it grow for the benefit of having great professors, affordable textbooks and easy to find roommates on this campus.”

Evelyn Bigelyaizen can be reached at [email protected]