Portal simplifies student affairs

One important change for students this fall semester was the new Web site called MyEastern. This portal has been in the works for more than three years and recently made its debut. 

Its purpose is to make the registration process, as well as managing student accounts, much easier. 

First-year students used the portal in the fall to help pick their classes for the spring semester. 

“Although we didn’t register on the new site, it was helpful to see the classes’ information on there,” first year Becca Channing said. 

Some areas of the portal are still under construction, including the registration, but small tests are underway to ensure that the Web site is functional for the next semester. While the first-years were exposed to the new site, many upperclassmen were unaware of the portal. 

To access the portal, students can visit my.eastern.edu. The IP address does not include the typical “www” at the beginning. 

Students’ usernames and passwords are identical to the ones used to access the e-mail server.

There are many areas to explore within MyEastern. All Eastern events, including dances and theatrical performances, are located to the right of the homepage. Near the bottom of the page, users can translate the whole site into almost any language using Google Translate.

Another feature allows students to pay bills online with CashNet. Instructions are posted on the bottom left corner of the homepage, offering four easy steps for payment. 

To ensure that parents are updated on the billing account information and more, students have the choice of adding an account for them. On the CashNet homepage, there is a box labeled, “Parent Pins” near the bottom. Click on “Add New” and follow the remaining directions on screen. 

An e-mail will deliver the account information to the parent’s account.  After logging in with the provided web address and information, parents can access the page and pay with a credit card or e-check.

If there are any other questions or concerns involving MyEastern, Administrative Computing is available to help. Their information can be found on the current Web site, on the sidebar under “Offices and Centers.” 

Vladimir Gordynskiy and Mark Hoffman from Administrative Computing serve as the two main programmers of the portal.  They welcome feedback so that they can make the information more accessible and helpful. 

If you have not yet checked out the Web site, take some time to look it over. The calendar and other tools will be great assets in organizing the hectic life of a college student.