This fall is the first full semester in which an app is available for Washburn students, enabling them to access academic information from their mobile devices.

Launched on May 13, 2015, the Ellucian GO app was created by Ellucian, the same company that made the Banner system that holds student records at Washburn as well as many other universities.

Students know Banner as MyWashburn and this app pulls information from that system. But the app is far from just a link to existing sites.

“It is something that the company has as a mobile app that allows a lot of useful information to be pulled out of the system in a friendly way to students, faculty and staff,” said Patrick Early, University Relations director.

Along with making mobile access to D2L convenient, the app provides direct access to often used information, like finding contact information for offices, faculty and students is made easy and provides quick access to grades.

The app also has additional functions, such as its ability to access directions to buildings on campus from the student’s current location.

Michaela Saunders, the web editor in the University Relations office, works on the team that helped bring Ellucian GO to campus. She said the map capability will be a great feature for somebody who’s not all that familiar with campus.

There are social media capabilities including connections to Twitter and Facebook. In the near future, a homecoming app will be added to keep students updated on those events as well as academic, athletic and other university events.

The app will not replace iAlert, the campus’ emergency notification system, but non-emergency notifications, such as last days to withdraw from classes, are delivered via the app.

The app is available for Android, iPhone, and Windows phones. Students can also go to Washburn’s main website to find information about the app. Once the app is downloaded, students must choose Washburn University.

“It’s leading it [Ellucian GO]…but we gathered people who would be able to look at it from a number of different viewpoints,” Early said.

This team worked to decide the icons, what are displayed in the menus, and the order of items displayed. Suggestions and observations are continually sent to Ellucian by this team. There is still interest in suiting the app to the students’ needs by way of feedback.

“The more people on campus who are using it and providing feedback the more we can tailor it,” Saunders said.

Washburn students who are having difficulties logging into or using the app may contact Information Technology Services at (785) 670-3000 or email [email protected].