A spring semester survey showed gaping holes in what Kansas University faculty and teaching assistants knew about services available to students on a campus sometimes criticized for being a bewildering place to students fresh from small towns and schools.

So, a Kansas University task force has recommended changes in the way services are offered to students.

The changes, members said, would eliminate red tape among departments and make college life easier for students.

“I think the goal is to attempt to create a more seamless environment so students have easier access to services,” said Mary Ann Rasnak, director of the Student Development Center. “Students need to know what’s available, and faculty and staff need to know what’s there to refer the students.”

Among recommendations submitted to David Shulenburger, provost and executive vice chancellor:

 Start a one-stop resource center, possibly in the Strong Hall rotunda, where students could learn about the services available to them. Also, the committee recommended increasing the amount of information available about student services by phone and the Internet.

 Create an academic council of students, faculty and administrators to recommend policies relating to student services.

 Create a series of committees made of representatives who work in specific areas, such as student retention, diversity or freshman issues.

 Change the vice chancellor for student affairs position, which is held by the retiring David Ambler, to a vice provost position. The vice provost would oversee two divisions  academic services and student support services, which could improve communication between the divisions.

Ambler currently reports to Shulenburger, but he doesn’t oversee academic services.

Task force members cited a survey of faculty, staff and graduate teaching assistants to justify the changes. They said a student focus group mirrored the poll results.

For example, 26 percent of GTAs who responded knew where seniors must go to ensure they met all graduation requirements. Twenty-five percent of faculty members knew advisers of student organizations had access to training in the Office of Organization and Leadership. Half of staff members knew HAWK Link was a minority-retention program.

“The survey results showed they didn’t even know how to find out about these services,” Rasnak said. “That’s unfortunate, because we do our best to get the word out to people.”

Kevin Yoder, a task force member and May law school graduate, said the reorganization would help departments advertise their services.

“There are communication problems,” he said. “You’re focused on the function of your group.”

Ambler, who has been at KU for 25 years, is scheduled to retire at the end of July. Mary Lee Hummert, a communications professor, will lead the student affairs division until a permanent replacement is selected.