On March 26 SA Treasurer Sikander Khan met with me to discuss his plans to unroll "SA Mobile & Cloud Services," an app from the company Virtual Academix. The Spectrum has since launched an investigation into this company, uncovering less than promising business practices of what appears to be a fraudulent company.
The Spectrumchose not to publish any of Khan's description of the SA app initially because from the start it was apparent that things involving this company were sketchy.
Following The Spectrum publishing its investigative piece, students started inquiring, "So, what was this app supposed to do anyway?"
I sat with Khan for nearly two hours at that March meeting. He explained multiple aspects of this supposed web and mobile application to me - and to be honest, if it was real, it would be pretty cool.
After reviewing the published SA report, and being a part of The Spectrum's further investigation, it's clear to me that this company wouldn't have been capable of supplying the university with all the features Khan so gleefully shared in our meeting. However, when I look past the multiple red flags that surround Virtual Academix, there lies what I think is a really good idea - one that would benefit the entire student body.
Below are some of the features as Khan explained to me:
Augmented Reality
Khan citied this feature as the product's biggest expenditure. It's a recognition technology that, with students' permission, could be used to identify students by scanning them through an Android or iPhone. It could also be used to identify buildings and positions on campus in order to navigate. This service would be the only one solely available on smartphones; the rest of the features would be accessible on a computer's web-browser.
Senate Connect
All senate meetings would be made public for students to view via a live webcast. Undergrads would be able to ask questions directly to their senators through a chat-like feature and see budget adjustments. Senators also have the option to be their own virtual proxy; if they can't make meetings, they can attend virtually.
Student Exchange
It is basically an accredited UB Craigslist - a place for students to find beds, roommates, and textbooks. Students would be able to trade whatever they desire on a website more trustworthy than Craigslist because it would be run through SA.
Faculty Feedback
It is a runoff of Ratemyprofessor.com designed specifically for UB professors. Every single UB professor, teaching assistant, and faculty assistant would have a profile complete with a photo. There would be a biography of these faculty members that would be authenticated by SA staff. Students would also be able to comment and rate on each profile.
Professor Connect
There would be a library of interviews with professors and administrators. UBtv would interview these professionals. There would be access and insight to the president or the admissions committee to help prospective grad students.
Note Share
This would be like the website notehall.com but would be different in the sense that it would be authenticated by SA. Students can share, sell and buy notes. SA would monitor the content so students wouldn't post content prohibited by certain professors.
Jobster
Currently students have to go to multiple websites to see job posting opportunities. It would list all on-campus jobs available - like in SA, Campus Dining & Shops etc. There would also be a section to advertise off-campus jobs.
Student Voice
This forum would be for students to air concerns, and promote SA's efforts for transparency and advocacy. Once a student opens up "ticket" or posts about issues, it would to be reviewed by each member of the e-board. E-board members would be required to state how they addressed the situation, and the ticket would still exist until the problems were resolved.
Webchat Feature
This would primarily serve UB's large commuter population. It would be like Skype, but allow multiple people to conference without being charged. Students would be able to share documents and notes within the chat's feature.
SA Certification Tool
The e-board of each club would be posted within this section. Their profiles, pictures, and work done during their administration would be preserved online. They would each be given a certificate with their position, and link they can give to prospective employers that will show everything that individual accomplished in their term.
According to the report done by Marc Rosenblitt for the SA, the cost of the of the Virtual Acadmix app is "well outside 'Fair Market Value.'" So perhaps the $300,000 price tag is a little excessive. But subtract the scandal from this whole situation, and there is an idea with merit.
As undergrads, we all have to pay $94.75 each semester in the mandatory activity fee. However, the majority of students are not benefiting from SA services.
Most students don't go to Fall Fest or Spring Fest, and that's where most student money is going. This $300,000 is sitting, unused, from a larger "Cash & Investment" line. It's a rollover from unused student money of years past. It should be spent on students, not continuing to collect within an investment line.
It's unfortunate that Khan's blunder has most likely tainted an idea (when completely separate from this sketchball company) holds promise.
Examining this situation beyond what appears to be the sham of a company, Khan never asked the students if an app is what they want. So I'm taking this moment to ask students directly: what do you want your money to be spent on?
The good that can come from this entire situation is that for the first time, I have noticed students become at least somewhat less apathetic than what I have observed all year.
Care about your dollars and where they are going. Maybe an app isn't the answer, but students should have a say in what is - but you have to care in order to make that voice heard.
Email: sara.dinatale@ubspectrum.com
