Students no longer have to ask around for inside information about college life in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. They can access www.SMUGuide.com instead.
SMUGuide.com, also referred to as SMUG, is an unofficial site developed by SMU students. Professor Susan Krasnow, who heads up the Web site, teaches a convergence journalism class where students learn the fundamentals behind creating the Web site.
“The site contains all of the students’ ideas and artwork,” Krasnow said. “Everything was created in class and it will basically be whatever the students want it to be.”
SMUG’s coverage offers a listing of the easiest and hardest classes offered on campus, a free classified section for those affiliated with SMU, campus voting results of the best and worst of SMU and even a list of bars that are tough on fake ID’s.
“The calendar of events section is up now along with the chat room,” Krasnow said. “There is also a worst case scenario section that gives advice on topics such as ‘what should I do if I’m failing’ or ‘what to do with a drunken roommate.'”
The site will also include a bulletin board, a student “shout-out” and a textbook exchange.
“It has two main purposes,” Krasnow said. “One is to provide students with inside information about SMU and Dallas, and two is to create a venue where students are able to communicate with each other.”
Jenny Parker, a sophomore CCPA major and SMUG contributor, says the Web site will offer information students will use their whole college career.
“It’s something SMU students will use in years to come and for the people involved in the community,” Parker said. “I’m really excited to just be a part of it.”
SMUGuide.com is currently online but is having some programming difficulties. The site was originally coded in HTML, but the class wanted to change it to the more popular XML format. This new format will make the Web site compatible with cell phones, pagers, and other common communication devices.
“We hadn’t publicized it much because we had to convert hundreds of stories,” professor Krasnow said. “Most of the stories are up now, and it will be finished [before spring break].”
Greg Martinez, a junior advertising major in charge of publicity for SMUG, has great expectations for the site’s promotion.
“I think it will get around campus pretty fast,” Martinez said. “It will especially be great for the minority organizations around campus so they can advertise their events more.”
But many on campus have never heard of SMUG.
“I wasn’t aware of it, but it sounds awesome,” Beau Brooks, a junior business major said. “I’m going to get on my computer right now and check it out.”
The SMU Guide class will also be offered next semester for students interested in helping out for college credit.
Krasnow and her class will be publicizing the site the week after spring break with banners and flyers in campus mailboxes.
