When Technology Is a Rockin', Opportunity Starts a Knockin'
2011; American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers; Volume: 86; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
0010-0889
Autores Tópico(s)Cloud Computing and Remote Desktop Technologies
ResumoThe stone age of college and university admissions was characterized by paper, snail mail, large file rooms, and cumbersome admission processes. Employees who remember typewriters and microfiche will tell you they walked to work in the snow! Given all of the manual work that had to be done before a letter of admission could be mailed, it s a wonder anyone was ever admitted. Even more frightening to recall is that only fourteen short years ago, approximately 36,000 applications for admission to Michigan State University arrived hand printed on paper in sealed envelopes. Mere application processing time, including mail handling, data entry, and document filing, averaged at least 30 minutes per application. In contrast, most universities today have converted to electronic applications. This technological advance saves as much as 20,000 work hours per year for large universities, liberating at least ten staff members to perform other key tasks. Consider other benefits of the electronic application process: the need for expert handwriting interpretation is eliminated; the number of data entry errors is reduced; and application processing time is shortened significantly. Similarly, imaging solutions have improved processes by eliminating paper handling, storage, and management. Again, a technological advance has resulted in savings of time, money, and file room space. Other benefits of electronic workflow and file review are reduced numbers of misplaced files and further shortening of the admissions process. By now, most of us take these changes for granted; a new norm has emerged. Nonetheless, we find ourselves at the dawn of a new wave of admissions technology options: The door to innovative opportunities for improvement has been cracked open even wider. The timing for further streamlining of admissions processes is critical as most higher education institutions continue to slash their budgets. Like most other administrative offices in higher education, admissions offices are being forced to do more with less. Just when the system seemed optimal, reductions in staffing and resources leave administrators searching for more horsepower. As the late blues crooner Stevie Ray Vaughan sang, Kick off your shoes, start losing the blues, this old house ain't got nothing to lose. Given tighter budgets, reduced staffing, and formidable competition, we need to seize upon process improvement when opportunity does come aknockin'. One of the most significant technological innovations in our business is the delivery of electronic transcripts. In 2006, Michigan State University joined with Connect-EDU and the University of Michigan to develop and promote an e-transcript service for high schools. Today, all public high schools in the state of Michigan are sending electronic transcripts to universities. ?-transcripts are a welcomed efficiency associated with a paperless process. No envelopes need to be opened; no documents need to be scanned. (They also save a lot of trees.) PDFs are sent directly to the imaging server, and its off to the races. Right? But wait, there's much, much more: What if you could receive the e-transcript data in XML format from a Web service providing data encryption and server to server authentication? In laymen s language, that means the transcript data would be sent securely from the high school to your systems. A growing number of technology vendors are offering such service in full compliance with guidelines provided by the Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council (PESC), an organization devoted to promoting the standard exchange of student data among institutions. O, the things we could do! XML delivery service allows continuous e-transcript data to flow seamlessly to admissions offices without even a push of a button. Student electronic data can flow through your admission processes before you brush your teeth in the morning! Admission counselors can pre-select acceptable high school academic courses, allowing computer code to automatically recalculate GPAS, and thereby eliminating yet another tedious and time-consuming manual process. …
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