Scheduling horrors

Scheduling events is a nightmare. First, you can never find a time and date that works for everybody. Second, you struggle and fail to avoid conflicts with other events. Third, you are always having problems getting people to come. It’s a fact of life and a problem that cannot be solved.\nWrong! There is a solution. The following idea is my intellectual property, so don’t go stealin’ it, because it’s brilliant. The solution is a Central Space Reservation and Scheduling Catalog (CSRSC). Whoa, can you come up with a snappier name? E-mail me your ideas and the winner will get overpriced C-store candy.\nCSRSC will be used in conjunction with Google Calendar. IU should use sticks and carrots to make everyone use this product of scheduling genius. Here is how it will work: Any organization that wants to have an event must reserve a space. \nSo far, space reservation has been done the old-fashioned, pen-and-paper way, which is so passe. Space reservation must be digitized. Any University-affiliated group will be registered and have an electronic account with access to electronic space registration. \nAny organization that wants to have an event on campus will have to register for space through this site, be it the Athletics Department, the IU Auditorium, the IU Alumni Association, the University administration or a department within the University or student groups: no exceptions. Only in this way can we establish a centralized and cooperative events calendar. And, by George, are we in urgent need of one. \nWhen a group wants to reserve a space, it will log onto CSRSC site. There will be two options for selecting a space. One option would be to type in a specific time and date, or a range of times and dates. The catalog will return the buildings and rooms available. The other option would be to select a specific outdoor area or building and to see which rooms are available at what times. Of course, it’ll be possible to use the two options in tandem to narrow the results. \nOnce a date, time and place are selected, the group will type in a name of the event and its details. Concurrent events will be visible to the group at the time of registration. If necessary, the group will be able to change the time and date to avoid conflicts.\nNow, this is where the Google Calendar plays a role. The CSRSC database of events will be combined with the calendar. Students, faculty and staff will be able to find events they want to attend by using a keyword or date and time. Once they find one they like, they’ll be able to click and add it to their personal calendar. And if they don’t know where it is located, they can click its link and Google Maps will show them how to get there. The calendar will also send an e-mail or text message reminder, if users so choose.\nPresident Michael McRobbie, please use your informatics genius to make CSRSC a reality. We need it.