With the launch of a new webpage designed to increase student involvement and awareness about campus and college events, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences senate delegation hopes to increase communication between the student body and student leaders.

The site, which launched Monday, is hosted on the commonly used course website, Moodle. All students enrolled in a CALS major were added to the website, according to Ethan Harrelson, a senior in biological sciences.

Harrelson, Student Senate president pro tempore, said that he hopes the site will help increase the quality of student experience in the college by building a link between students and student leaders.

“Our whole goal was better communication with students,” Harrelson said. “It’s our job to ensure that students’ voices are heard.”

According to Jonathon Smith, a sophomore in agricultural education and CALS senator, the site is the result of a brainstorming session between CALS senators and the Associate Dean of the college, Ken Esbenshade.

“The CALS senators decided that one main point of concern in our college is connecting with students and making students feel that their voice is heard,” Smith said. “We wanted a way to connect with students and make sure that we are really doing what students want and need.”

According to Smith, the idea first surfaced last October. There was a delay in trying to coordinate efforts between the Office of Information Technology and the CALS Academic and Administrative Technology department, but Smith said he was glad the site was ready for launch at the beginning of this semester.

The features of the site include forums, surveys, calendars, senators’ contact information and general announcements regarding CALS and the University.

Harrelson said he hopes to use the technology to gauge student interest in various projects that the senate pursues.

“[The senators] can send out notices to each student about major events or to take surveys about what students think about the ideas we have,” Harrelson said.

The first survey that was posted to the website at its launch, a survey about general experiences in CALS, has already garnered a significant number of responses, according to Smith.

Student participation in the website is a factor the delegation considered in making the site, according to Smith.

“We are very optimistic [about students using the site],” Smith said. “We want our peers to use this site to inform us when they have an issue or concern.”

Ease of access was also a consideration when planning the project, according to Smith.

“We are trying to make this site user-friendly and we want students to find the site interesting and worthwhile,” Smith said.

If the site helps the Senate achieve the goals it has created, Smith said he believes it will greatly benefit University.

“We want to make CALS an even greater college and N.C. State an even better university,” Smith said. “We believe that the only way to do that is to involve all students.”

For Kelly Cunningham, a sophomore in zoology, being involved in CALS has been a crucial part of her college experience.

“Everyone associated with CALS has been extremely helpful,” Cunningham said. “My experience with CALS has been wonderful.”

However, Cunningham said there is also room for improvement in the college in various areas. She said this new forum will provide a great medium through which students can express their concerns.

“This program will definitely improve communication because without it I would not have known where to start if I wanted to contact [the CALS senators],” Cunningham said.

Cunningham also said she is optimistic that the site can be used to increase her involvement in the college.

“[The site] makes me feel more personally involved in the college,” Cunningham said.

According to Harrelson, the college is currently the only college on campus to use such a tool to connect with students. However, he said he is optimistic that other colleges will soon follow suit.

“[CALS] is the only college with something like this,” Harrelson said. “Who knows, maybe one day Student Government will use this for all students.”