The high summer corn sweats have all but subsided, bulk packages of Ramen noodles are mysteriously vanishing off Hy-Vee shelves, it’s suddenly very difficult to schedule a plasma donation, and thousands of new students have moved into Iowa City.
To kick off the new school year, the University of Iowa has rolled out a free mobile app for students to access campus resources called the University of Iowa Mobile App.
The free app contains the tools and reminders students would usually find in MyUI, the university’s web-based portal of resources.
According to a campus-wide email from the UI, the app can be found by searching “University of Iowa” in a device’s app store or can be downloaded from the UI’s website. A version of the app designed for faculty and staff is planned for the future, according to the website.
One feature in particular students have been utilizing is the campus map marked with each academic major’s building. In addition, users can click a link to the Transit Mobile App where they can track bus departure times, stay updated on bus line disruptions, and transfer rides with local public transportation.
Malia Shinbori, a cinema major in her third year at the UI, said she was incredulous when viewing the app’s campus map. Shinbori said she wished she had had access to this feature when she was beginning her career at the university.
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Once in the application, students can also access academic tools including schedule building and advising notes. The app can also be used for checking graded assignments.
Brenna Gion, a second-year student at the UI, said the app would make it easier to find what she needs because all of the university’s resources are more centralized in the app, rather than being spread across a website.
“Honestly, it would probably be nice because I don’t want to log into MyUI every day,” Gion said.
According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 97 percent of U.S. adults between the ages of 18 and 29 own a smartphone.
“Students grew up with mobile phones and are used to having access to information they want and need in this way,” said Teri Schnelle, director of projects and partnerships in the UI Division of Student Life, said.
The purpose of the app is to centralize the many resources the UI has and continues to develop in one location: a student’s pocket, Schnelle said.
“What we heard from students is that there isn’t a single place to locate resources they need, and instead they would have to search multiple websites to find what they needed,” Schnelle said. “This app aims to help solve that problem.”