RIT launches redesigned mobile app bringing dining, transportation, events and campus services into one easier-to-use platform

Rochester, New York – Rochester Institute of Technology has launched a redesigned mobile app aimed at making everyday campus information and services easier for students to find and use from their phones.

The updated app brings a much wider range of resources into one place. Instead of mainly directing users to links and separate websites, the new version puts frequently used services directly into the app, creating a more practical tool for students as they move around campus and manage their daily routines.

The redesign was shaped by student feedback, focus groups and information about how the previous app was being used. RIT said students wanted the app to offer more than the older version, and the new platform was built around those requests.

“Students were clear they wanted more from the old app, and we took that seriously,” said Raman Bhalla, associate vice president of University Web Services.

Among the features now available are dining menus and online food ordering, giving students a way to check food options and place orders without having to navigate through multiple services. The app also provides shuttle schedules and campus maps, which can be especially useful for students trying to get between different parts of the campus.

The redesigned platform includes information about campus events as well. Students can check the academic calendar, find game schedules and scores, and view hours for recreation and wellness facilities.

Read also: Rep. Gillen visits Baldwin’s Soft Sips to highlight the growing impact of Black-owned small businesses during National Black Business Month

Safety information is also part of the app. Emergency and safety resources are included alongside a searchable directory of faculty and staff, allowing users to find contact information more easily.

RIT’s Division of Marketing and Communications designed and developed the new platform. The in-house approach gives the university more control over the app and allows it to make changes and introduce additional features as student needs evolve.

There is also a financial benefit. By developing the platform internally, RIT expects to save about $50,000 each year in licensing and vendor costs.

The university does not consider the redesign a finished project. Instead, officials say the app will continue to change as students use it and provide feedback.

“We’ll continue adding new features based on how students use it,” Bhalla said. “Future enhancements will include personalized content like class schedules and a dining budget tracker that will help students understand whether they are on pace with their meal plan spending for the semester.”

That planned expansion could make the app more personalized for individual students. Class schedules would bring academic information directly into the same platform as transportation, dining and campus services, while a dining budget tracker would give students another way to keep an eye on meal plan spending during the semester.

RIT has also built a feedback option into the app. Users can report problems and suggest new features directly through the platform, creating a direct way for students to tell the university what is working and what could be improved.

Read also: New York Department of State celebrates groundbreaking of $2.8 million Champlin Beach Pier project in Urbana

The project required cooperation across several areas of the university. Information and Technology Services worked with the development team and numerous campus partners, including marketing and communications groups within Student Affairs and Finance and Administration.

RIT Dining, Recreation and Wellness, Public Safety, and Parking and Transportation Services were also involved. The Division of Enrollment Management and several academic and administrative units contributed to the project as well.

That collaboration was an important part of the redesign, according to John Trierweiler, vice president of Marketing and Communications and chief marketing officer.

“This project is a great example of what can happen when students, campus partners, and technology teams come together around a common goal,” said John Trierweiler, vice president, Marketing and Communications, and chief marketing officer. “The result is a more useful, flexible, and responsive platform that improves how students connect with the services and resources they rely on every day.”

The redesigned app is now positioned as a central digital tool for campus life at RIT. With dining, transportation, maps, events, academics, recreation, safety and contact information brought together, students can access many of the resources they use throughout the day without having to search across separate platforms.

For the university, the launch also establishes a foundation for future updates. The ability to develop and maintain the app internally means RIT can respond to feedback and adjust the platform as student needs change.

The university’s approach reflects a broader goal of making digital campus services simpler and more useful. Rather than treating the mobile app as simply another collection of links, RIT has turned it into a more active gateway to services students depend on, while leaving room for further improvements in the months and years ahead.