January 31, 1995
Five new stand-up computer terminals, called kiosks, have been distributed on the campus.
SFSUView kiosks enable students and visitors to the campus to get information only available before through standing in line at the Admissions and Records office or from an information officer.
By stepping up to the kiosks, students can take care of such bureaucratic haggle as receiving unofficial transcripts, checking financial aid information, getting oriented, copies of semester grades and/or their current course schedule.
The kiosks have been in the works for quite a while, according to Byron Chun, systems manager for computing services.
Originally scheduled for a November 15, 1994 launch, the kiosks were found as non-compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and inaccessible to some SF State students with disabilities.
In order to comply, said Chun, computing services is using the Touch Tone System to make available a duplicate text version of all the information on the kiosk. By dialing 338-7500, students can listen to the information which would have only been available by reading a kiosk screen on campus.
By next fall, another automated phone line will be set up for students to access grades, financial aid information, unofficial transcripts, and class schedules, Chun said. Until then, students who have low vision or no vision can call the number and be accommodated right now, he said.
According to computing services, using the kiosks is similar to using the Touch Tone System. Each student was assigned a PAC number during touch tone registration, replacing the date of birth entry, to increase security of student records available on the kiosks.
The kiosks provide a number of other services such as sending and receiving a fax, making copies, an interactive campus map which will show the user the exact route to a specific place on campus, deadlines for fees and graduation, and the University calendar of events.
Cynthia Fullwood, a junior Psychology major found the kiosks a welcome addition to the SF State campus.
"They've been advertising these things for a while so I'm glad they're finally here," Fullwood said.
By entering her student identification number and a PAC, Fullwood accessed her grades from last semester. "It's so simple and convenient," Fullwood said. In the future she will use the kiosks to check on classes.
Over the month of January, computing services has surveyed students using the kiosks and received only positive feedback, said Chun.
The machines are placed in the Administration Building, the J. Paul Leonard Library, and the Caesar Chavez Student Center. They will be available for use at the times those buildings are open.
Computing Services has set up an e-mail address, kiosk@sfsu.edu, for students to send comments, suggestions, and complaints about the kiosks.
On the kiosk there is an About Kiosk button which Chun said has a voice mail phone number for suggestions to computing services.