The Office of the University Registrar is campaigning to increase students’ use of KAPS.

KAPS, which stands for Kent Academic Progress System, is accessible from either FlashLine or Web For Students and allows students to manage their progress toward earning a degree.

B.J. Brooks, KAPS specialist at the registrar’s office, said, “This is your life, your money — you should be interested in KAPS.”

Brooks said the KAPS campaign includes:

• Training orientation interns, who train orientation instructors, in the use of KAPS.

• Creating a series of KAPS fliers to give to students. The fliers highlight the newer features of KAPS, including the ability to select “what if” courses (courses a student hasn’t taken but have been put into the system to see “what if” he or she had taken it). It also contains a “course cart,” which functions similar to a shopping cart on an e-commerce Web site and allows students to plan their academic career several semesters ahead.

• Creating a series of online demonstrations on how to use KAPS. The demonstrations can be found at www.registrars.kent.edu/home/KAPS/KAPSinfo.HTM. The topics include requesting a declared program, requesting a “what if” report, creating planned courses from the planned courses page and using the course cart.

• Talking with individuals (including advisers) from the various college offices and encouraging them to expose students to KAPS.

• Holding demonstrations in Moulton Hall for students, advisers and faculty.

Brooks said the Registrar’s Office began this campaign because of how important KAPS is for students.

Lynette Johnson, systems specialist for the office of the University Registrar, said KAPS is integral for students and their academic career.

“KAPS allows students to plan out their academic career,” Johnson said. “It allows students to check and make sure that they’re taking the right courses. For instance, the right type of diversity courses, since many students have to take both a domestic and foreign course.”

Brooks said KAPS can benefit students who want to see how the courses they’ve already taken would fit into another major.

“KAPS is not just for degree progress, it can be used for so much more,” Brooks said. “KAPS can evaluate different conditions (such as a different major) with student course work. It’s a way for students to own their educational career.”

University Registrar Glenn Davis said learning to use KAPS is worthwhile for students.

“KAPS is a tool that can save you time and provide valuable information,” Davis said. “It can answer students’ questions. It’s an interactive tool.”

Davis said the campaign is about informing students on how to use KAPS and explaining to them the benefits of using the system.

“We will find a way to help students use KAPS,” he said.

Contact student affairs reporter Matt White at [email protected].