Spring semester marks the pilot phase for students, with full implementation scheduled during Fall 2013. During the pilot, students should log in, play around with the apps and widgets and customization features.

New features will be discussed here as they become available.

Faculty | Staff Implementation – TBA

The faculty and staff phase of the Pirate Port project will soon gear up with a schedule to be announced.

At this time, staff only see a few working public widgets/apps when they log in. For example, the Banner Self-Help widget is not yet active, but check back periodically and be on the lookout for announcements concerning the faculty/staff timeline.

So, go ahead–dive in! http://pirateport.ecu.edu

Or, if you prefer, dip a toe into the water by viewing the introduction video.

For the last decade, OneStop has been the mainstay of pirate business. Using OneStop, students register, check grades and financial aid, while staff access tax information, payroll deductions and parking registration. But with its outdated, unwieldy interface, OneStop just isn’t as user-friendly as it could be.

Enter Pirate Port.

With full implementation slated for Fall 2013, Pirate Port boasts a new, image-rich, customizable interface that includes apps, widgets, pages, My Links, messaging and more.

Below is a quick introduction to the new features, but you can also log in to pirateport.ecu.edu for a sneak peek.

Users

The public interface sports news and events, links for prospective students, an online campus tour and more. There’s also a link to create an account and apply to ECU.

When Pirates (students and staff) sign in, they see a default page that includes My Widgets, My Apps, the pages drawer and message center.

Pirate Port Widgets and Apps

Widgets

Unlike OneStop’s portlets, with cramped boxes of content and scant customization, Pirate Port uses mini applications – widgets – which users drag and drop anywhere on the page. No menus or confusing buttons. No admin page with confusing instructions. Just drag and drop.

Widgets also support any screen resolution, so your page is readable on your laptop, iPad or mobile phone.

Apps

Like widgets, apps also add functionality to the Pirate Port experience. For example, the News app is a collection of ECU RSS feeds concerning news, sports, and events.  Simply click the desired tab to view the available feeds

The Pages Drawer

Is your Pirate Port default page cluttered beyond belief?

No problem. Open the tool drawer and add a page. Then arrange your apps and widgets the way YOU need them.

Message Center

Ever had a “hold tag” on your account? Need a vaccination from Student Health?  The Message Center allows Financial Aid, the Registrar’s Office, Joyner Library, etc., to contact you with important, ECU-related business. You’ll know about that hold tag before it’s time to register!

Future Features

The Pirate Port team is working to develop new features such as the “Friends List.” The goal is to make Pirate Port a one-stop (but not OneStop), user-centered home for all your Pirate business.

Timeline for Students

Spring 2013
Student pilot is now in full swing. Most apps and widgets are functional. The message center and friends list will launch during Summer 2013.

Fall 2013
Full implementation for students.

Timeline for Faculty/Staff

At this time, faculty and staff can log in to the default page and use public apps and widgets, but the Banner Self Service app is not functional at this time.

Pilot and full launch will be announced at a later date.

OneStop is evolving into a great, new tool.

Slated for debut Fall 2013, the new ECU Pirate Port utilizes apps and widgets for a customized experience.