UM411 - Information at your fingertips

By Sharon White

Where is the Student Union building? How can I find Bishop Hall? Is this the way to the library? Where are the bus routes for campus posted?
These are just some of the questions asked by freshmen and transfer students on Oxford campus since the beginning of the fall semester.
The state of Mississippi is experiencing an increase in enrollment at eight public universities say state College Board Officials. Enrollment for Ole Miss is up 6.5 percent, which is an increase of 1,111 students. In anticipation for the number of questions asked by new students, Ole Miss created UM411, an informational website that addresses the most frequently-asked questions about campus life.
Unlike the universal 411 numbers that only supply phone numbers and sometimes addresses, UM411 is the first of its kind to supply answers about transportation, parking, dining options, student information, services, and severe weather.
Sparky Reardon, UM dean of students, said UM411 will aid students by providing them with tools to make the transition into college life easier.
"We want to give students all of the information necessary to be successful and they succeed by having information," he said. "There is now one central location for answers. We've had students and parents to email and thank us for UM411."
It is apparent that there is more traffic on the Oxford campus with the long lines and the need for security patrol to direct students and traffic, but this is not a surprise to Jennifer Farish, associate director of external media relations at Ole Miss.
"The faculty and staff worked to increase the number of students and to make sure that there were enough dining facilities, class sections, etc., to support our growing student body," she said.
"UM411 was created to inform students about those changes and additional services. It was a joint collaboration between a number of departments on campus led by the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs."
During the first week of school, students were introduced to UM411 by Brand Services, a campus marketing department.
"We distributed door hangars to dorms with the website information and Twitter hash tag prior to Move-In Day," Farish said.
"We also distributed water bottles with the website and the university Twitter account at the freshmen picnic. In addition, the site was featured in a few local media outlets and had a primary presence on the university home page."
A survey was taken to find out if freshmen are utilizing the website. Many students commented that they were not aware of UM411. Nyisha Harris, a UM freshman forensic chemistry major, did not know such a site existed.
"I've never heard of UM411, but I will take a look at it as soon as I leave class," Harris said.
Ken Faulkner, a UM freshman broadcast journalism major, said it was a good idea to have one place to go for information, and he plans to use it.
"Great idea and it saves time," he said. "It is better than going from website to website."
UM411 can be found at www.olemiss.edu/um411.