The university also created a suite of mobile apps to help integrate the devices into all phases of campus life, Crain said; students can use these apps to find the nearest bus routes, see what’s on the menu at each dining hall, and even check which laundry facilities have machines available.
Support for mobile devices on the rise
SIU isn’t alone in developing a mobile strategy to meet students’ needs. According to the 2013 Campus Computing Project survey, which polled more than 450 higher-education technology leaders in September and October, implementing and supporting mobile computing is among the top five priorities for campus IT departments—and tablets and smart phones have overtaken laptops in terms of importance for IT planning.
The survey also pointed to significant gains in the percentage of colleges and universities that have activated mobile apps. Four-fifths (79 percent) of the schools taking part in this year’s survey have done this as of fall 2013 or will do so this academic year, compared to three-fifths (60 percent) in fall 2012.
Private universities are leading this charge, according to the survey: 95 percent will have deployed mobile apps by the end of the school year, followed by 93 percent of public universities, 85 percent of public four-year colleges, and about 70 percent of private four-year colleges and community colleges.
“Colleges and universities are clearly playing catch-up with the consumer experience,” said Casey Green, director of the Campus Computing Project. “Students come to campus with their smart phones and tablets, expecting to use mobile apps to navigate campus resources and use campus services.”
The shift in focus from laptops to tablets and smart phones suggests that campus IT leaders are trying to anticipate future needs, Green added, by “skating to where the digital puck is going.”
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