Murray State’s information systems department is currently offering prizes during the “Question of the Day” contest. The contest, designed to raise awareness for the collaborative website, RacerNet.edu, which is maintained by the information systems department, is fulfilling its purpose as more and more people discover the amenities of the self-help site.
“We manage the site for the campus so departments can put up articles about things like ‘how do I request a transcript,’ ‘how do I edit my meal plan’ or ‘how do I login to a system on campus?,’” said Cassidy Dalmer, associate director of technology for the Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology.
The website is geared to help new students who are often overwhelmed by the number of software and programs their courses require, as well as returning students who are struggling with new technology.
“This contest is just kind of a little push to raise some awareness for the supports site, especially for new students who may not necessarily know that’s where they need to go,” Dalmer said. “We’ve made some changes over the summer, and we’ve added a Google custom search which makes searching within the site much better. Now people can find what they’re looking for much easier.”
The contest consists of simple questions that test navigation knowledge of basic Murray State websites. Every day there is a new question. A person may only be entered for the prizes once a day.
To be entered, a student must answer the question correctly, then enter a valid Murray State email address on RacerNet’s homepage. Should they win the drawing, the student will have the choice of prizes including a long sleeve Murray t-shirt, a short-sleeve Murray T-shirt, a Murray State hot-cold tumbler or a Murray State laptop sleeve.
“I discovered the question of the day because RacerNet is my computer’s homepage,” Emma Lewis, freshman from Louisville, Ky., said. “I like it because I can get free stuff and it’s a good way to learn about the functions of Murray State’s websites.”
The Question of the Day will not be a permanent fixture on the University’s information website, but will be available throughout September.
“We’re probably just going to do this for the month of September,” Dalmer said. “It’s the first time we’ve done this and it’s kind of a one-time thing. We may do it again in the future if September is successful. It may even be something we do again in the spring.”
Participants are not eligible to win more than once every 30 days. Information systems employees, student workers and their spouses or children are not eligible to win. Winners must pick up their prizes.
Story by Shannon MacAllister, Contributing writer.