It’s flashy, bold, and sports shiny new pictures. It has been completely redesigned. And while some of the feedback about the new Castleton College website has been negative, most seem to really like it.

   “It’s really cool,” said junior Jesse Bashaw, “It has really interesting information and it is a lot easier to find the things I need. It’s just going to take some getting used to.”

   The getting used to it part seems to fuel any negative comments.

   “I’m warming up to it,” said Shannon Newell, a professor in the psychology department. “At first, it was frustrating because there were still glitches, especially on the library page, and I had to re-learn where to find all the information I needed.”

   Jeff Weld, director of Marketing and Communications, said that the overall feedback he has seen has been overwhelmingly positive. His team has continued to make changes since the initial launch on Aug. 12. 

   “We continue to work with faculty and staff to make sure their information is up-to-date and accurate,” Weld said.

   When you click on any page, atop is a link where everything about the new update is explained. Here, it states that the Castleton website was first launched in 1995 and throughout the years did not undergo many major changes. 

   Developers decided that maybe it was time for a little upgrade. They started brainstorming two years ago on designs for the website that would be more geared toward today’s rapidly changing technology and the need for information quickly and efficiently. 

   “The main driving force is that the old site did not meet the expectations of today’s Internet users,” says Weld. “From our standpoint, the antiquated site was difficult to update, did not allow us to tell our story efficiently and lacked the technology to deliver the type of content our visitors expect from a college website.” 

   Let’s face it, the old site was Windows 95 and this new website is the Windows 8 of it’s time. Not only are there better, new pictures and up-to-date information, there are other features that make this new website extraordinary. Before the update, surfers would get lost in the abyss trying to find information. Now with simpler navigations and more organized information, getting lost isn’t has easy.

    For those of you who might be a little lost, there is a link made just for you! castleton.edu/resources has all the links current students and faculty would be looking for, such as email, Moodle, library services and schedules. 

   “From our standpoint, we could not be more pleased with the end result. We now have an amazing tool to help tell the Castleton story, and introduce new visitors to all of the amazing things our college has to offer,” Weld said.