Talking Stick - November/December 2008 - (Page 28)

Business How contracts are processed varies from one institution to another, and many colleges and universities are moving to an electronic contract that can be confirmed by an electronic signature. In 2006-07, the University of Massachusetts Amherst conducted a benchmark study of assignment and contract procedures. According to David Vaillancourt, associate director for assignments and administration, of the 16 institutions surveyed, 10 utilized electronic submission of the contract, while the remaining 6 allowed students to download, print, and mail the housing agreement to the institution, where it was then stored in a paper file. Vaillancourt explains the biggest benefit to their online process: “The implementation of electronic contract signatures eliminated the need for housing and residence life staff to update in a data base, then alphabetize, store, manage, and then talking stick may 08.pdf 5/14/08 purge more than 12,000 paper residence hall contract signature cards on a yearly basis. We have eliminated student hourly positions, cut back on off-campus storage costs, and have better access to information.” He adds that once students indicate that they want to live on campus, they receive a copy of the housing contract as part of their contract and application guide. While many institutions still require students to print, sign, and mail in a contract as part of the application process, Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has a different approach, which fits with their requirement that students live on campus for their first two years. As Sean Berthold, coordinator for housing services, explains, students apply for housing online and pay their deposit, but they do not submit a signature. Since they are required to live on campus, 8:02:25 PM first-year and sophomore residents do not sign their contract until they move into the residence halls. Most upper-division students live in apartment-style housing, but the occasional junior or senior chooses to live in the residence halls and must sign the contract when they apply rather than at move-in. Housing contracts are not typical in any way; they are constantly evolving, and institutions will always be fine-tuning the process in response to changing student demands. ts Susan Strobel Hogan is the assistant director of housing at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. C M Y CM MY CY CMY K (2008) (2008) http://www.erezlife.com http://www.erezlife.com http://www.erezlife.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - November/December 2008

Talking Stick - November/December 2008 Contents Online Now Vision Just In Your ACUHO-I Transitions Res Life Facilities Business Special Focus Calendar Finding Inspiration in Unexpected Places The Evolving Role of the Resident Advisor Conversations First Takes Reporting Out New Members Snapshot

Talking Stick - November/December 2008

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