Students start logging in to Bengal Connect

Over 700 students have already signed on for Bengal Connect, a social site that student leaders say will make it easier for students to find campus groups and events that interest them.

"We've had a really great response," said Sara Garfinkle, president of United Student Government.

USG used a budget surplus to purchase Bengal Connect for $11,000 from Buffalo-based company Collegiate Link last semester.

Visitors to the site will be greeted with a virtual corkboard advertising upcoming events and important information.

Students can create profiles complete with pictures and listings of the organizations and activities they participate in. They can also list their interests, which Bengal Connect can use to suggest groups and events that they might want to get involved in.

"Eventually you'll go on there and say ‘I'm interested in this, and this, and this,' and it will come back with 10 different groups that you can join," said USG business manager Mary Kirkwood, who serves as administrator for the site.

The site is in its early stages, and improvements are still being made, Kirkwood said. Unneeded aspects are being removed, while campus groups work to create their home pages. So far, 44 organizations have joined. Only student clubs are participating so far, but Garfinkle says there are plans to eventually open the site up to academic departments and Greek organizations.

Each organization page includes some basic information about the group, as well as a membership roster, calendar of upcoming events and important documents.

Clubs are being encouraged to put more important documents online, such as meeting minutes, Garfinkle said.

Creating an online social hub for campus groups was done partly to target to commuter students, who are more likely to miss information about ways they can get involved, Garfinkle said.

"It's so hard to reach out to the commuter students, and they're such a huge part of this campus," Garfinkle said.

USG launched a campaign to raise awareness about Buffalo State, including posters, buttons and an insert in the summer issue of The Record.

Bengal Connect will be used to replace some of the paperwork that organizations would formerly have to file with the business office. Physical event forms have been eliminated.

The business office staff received training on how to use the site at Collegiate Link's headquarters in downtown Buffalo over the summer.

Student leaders said the new way of filing event forms has proven straightforward.

"I think it's a good idea," said Denise Blake, vice president of the Caribbean Students Organization. 

Until clubs become more accustomed to using the site, it may be possible for certain things to fall through the cracks, Blake said.

"Sometimes we'll probably forget to post certain events," she said

Garfinkle said she hopes the site will continue to grow and evolve over the course of the semester and the years to come.

"I just think it was such a great investment," she said.

Students can use their current ANGEL username and password to access Bengal Connect. The site is located at www.bengalconnect.com.

Jacob Tierney can be reached by email at tierney.record@live.com.