Last week, Tulane University’s Office of University Registrar unveiled an updated audit system that offers more user-friendly features for students to view their graduation requirements. 

The system, called “Degree Works Dashboard,” retains most of its old content, and the layout has been upgraded to a simpler format. 

Academic Advisor Heather Cooper said she believes the update should be easier for students to navigate without the aid of academic advisors. 

“It looks a little less computer than before, and I think in that way it’ll hopefully be easier for the students to read it and interpret it than before, where I was doing a lot of interpreting for students,” Cooper said. 

Prior to the system upgrade, Cooper said she spent more time addressing lingering confusion on students’ degree progress. 

Now, once signed into the “Student” tab of the Gibson portal, the “View Audit” hyperlink will direct students to their personal dashboard. At the top of the screen, the student’s major, minor, educational level and program are displayed, along with their student identification number and the degree that they are working towards. 

Below this section are the specific course requirements for the selected major and minor, along with a “What-if” tab that allows the student to select hypothetical educational tracks and their requirements. 

According to Cooper, Tulane’s audit system is not the only technological platform in need of a renovation. 

“I think Gibson could be a little bit more user friendly, and I would love to see if we are going to have Gibson kind of be more of a central location,” she said. 

The role of technology in college has been growing for decades. A 2015 survey from the textbook company Pearson found that nine in 10 college students rely on their laptop or computer to complete their required school work each week. 

University Registrar Colette Raphel said the Registrar’s Office is planning other upgrades, like a new feature that would help students better plan future semesters. 

“Tulane is committed to providing the best student experience possible and is exploring a number of technological upgrades aimed to improve current systems,” Raphel said.