As a result of the "rethink" of csumb.edu back in February, Web Services has been rethinking lots of other online resources, including recruitment, graduate applications and ecommerce.
Additionally we just wrapped up our third campus-wide meeting rethinking our campus map.
We've already fixed one thing. Credit Christopher Placco, our new Associate Vice President for Campus Planning and Development, for asking the most obvious question amidst all the concerns of stakeholders.
"Where is 100 Campus Center?"
Unfortunately there was nobody in the room with enough institutional knowledge to remember the answer, because the location has never actually existed.
And when you look up "100 Campus Center" on Google Maps, you would have received a variety of answers over time. Of late it took you to the University Corporation (201) if you mistakenly entered Marina or the Otter Sports Complex (90) if you correctly used Seaside.
Whether it was meant to identify an actual location back in 1994 it's been marketed since as an authoritative destination. That's lead to a lot of confused drivers crisscrossing campus, and lots of us helping them find their way.
This alone was a great takeaway, because changes to Google Maps are crowdsourced and nobody at the university could just call them up and demand changes with authority. But Web Services has a few tricks left and we worked with Rick to tilt the scales (i.e. we helped create a page in CP&D he could reference with official building name changes).
This would enable our visitors to search for us in Google Maps, park free for 30 minutes, and come inside, if necessary, to ask the front desk a question or obtain a map.
Additionally Campus Planning & Development intends to install an additional physical map at the entrance of the lot, so visitors have something to refer to when leaving.
We all agreed to add a unique and short web address (e.g. csumb.edu/visit) to that physical map that leads to specific maps and information for those visitors to navigate campus.
And we've removed any reference to 100 Campus Center from the official map.
Additionally we just wrapped up our third campus-wide meeting rethinking our campus map.
We've already fixed one thing. Credit Christopher Placco, our new Associate Vice President for Campus Planning and Development, for asking the most obvious question amidst all the concerns of stakeholders.
"Where is 100 Campus Center?"
Unfortunately there was nobody in the room with enough institutional knowledge to remember the answer, because the location has never actually existed.
Background
If you are a new FedEx driver with a package to deliver to someone who works at CSUMB, the label on that parcel probably has the same address we've used for the last twenty years. |
| 1997-1998 CSUMB Catalog, page 2. |
Whether it was meant to identify an actual location back in 1994 it's been marketed since as an authoritative destination. That's lead to a lot of confused drivers crisscrossing campus, and lots of us helping them find their way.
The Fix
As a one of the results of rethinking our campus map, Rick Boggs, our Geographic Information Systems Analyst in Campus Planning & Development, has successfully relocated 100 Campus Center to the geographic center of campus when you visit Google Maps. |
| 100 Campus Center, Seaside CA 93955-8001 |
The Future
As a result of our last meeting and our ability to make changes in Google Maps, AVP Placco asked that we officially relocate 100 Campus Center to Parking Lot 97, just south of the Alumni & Visitor's Center.This would enable our visitors to search for us in Google Maps, park free for 30 minutes, and come inside, if necessary, to ask the front desk a question or obtain a map.
Additionally Campus Planning & Development intends to install an additional physical map at the entrance of the lot, so visitors have something to refer to when leaving.
We all agreed to add a unique and short web address (e.g. csumb.edu/visit) to that physical map that leads to specific maps and information for those visitors to navigate campus.
And we've removed any reference to 100 Campus Center from the official map.
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