C arolina Class Master (CCm), the latest attempt by Winston Howes to improve ConnectCarolina, is a well designed and user-friendly website.
However, the junior computer science major should have considered collaborating with Information Technology Services rather than launch the site as a system independent of the University. This would have reduced concern about the legitimacy of CCm and drawn more students to this extremely accessible tool.
Howes has raised good points about the flaws in ConnectCarolina, many of which have been echoed for years by other students. His new website employs a graphical user interface to show students where classes would fit into their schedule and includes links to helpful websites such as Blinkness for each course.
But most don’t realize the potential issues with ConnectCarolina — Howes claims he hypothetically has the capability to access students’ financial information, change grades and graduate in a single semester due to security vulnerabilities in the current ConnectCarolina system. Others with the same extensive knowledge of computers and a more malicious intent could do real harm if these glitches are not addressed.
After Howes sent out a campus-wide email publicizing his website last Wednesday, ITS was bombarded with phone calls and emails from concerned students questioning the University’s part and the legitimacy of the website. Keeping the website a separate entity will hinder the ability of ITS to perform its everyday duties and draw negative attention to CCm.
In reality, CCm is a safe website that attempts to fix security glitches in the current system.
Howes and ITS must now collaborate to gain the University’s endorsement and improve the registration process once and for all.
