University Business - July/August 2012 - (Page 108)

sponsored case study Flexible software platform helps Hofstra University’s continuing ed division soar Higher Reach by Jenzabar streamlines marketing efforts, student registrations, financial processes, and reports Staff can identify popular n the olden days—prior to courses to determine whether April 2011—reconciling fimore sections should be added. nancial information at Hofstra Students who’ve shown interest in University’s Continuing Education a particular area can be invited to division was labor-intensive and try a course that’s just been added. time-consuming. Someone who has stopped a cerToday, the system is streamtificate program two classes shy of lined and general ledger reconcilicompletion can be contacted and ation is seamless, thanks to Higher encouraged to get to finish. InquiReach by Jenzabar, a leading conries flow directly into the Higher tinuing education software platReach database, providing easy form. “This is one of the most use“We needed to condense all access to suggestions, complaints ful features of Higher Reach,” said of our data into one system. or recommendations that can improve classes or procedures. Colleen Slattery, Senior Associate We needed one solution for “We research trends and watch Dean of Continuing Education at wait lists and use that information Hofstra. “The daily job scheduler the entire division.” to satisfy more customers,” Slattery lets us output a file of the entire day’s financial activity, fully customized for the university’s said. “Customers have so many choices and so many placmain financial system. We don’t need to adjust anything, es they could go. If we call them or send them a personal email, that goes a long way in showing we value them.” and it can be uploaded to the main system.” Another way this value is demonstrated is making the Before that, data was transcribed from reports into an Excel spreadsheet on the continuing education side, then front-end of processes user-friendly, intuitive and logical. manually entered into the main system on the university “Students can register online and not be scared away,” she side. “The new automated process is not only far easier to said. “We don’t follow a typical college semester schedule. complete, but it is much easier to reconcile since every I could run a one-day seminar or a 9-month certificate program, and people register the same way. If it’s too complitransaction is being tracked,” Slattery said. Higher Reach does more than just finances, though. It cated, we could lose people.” Perhaps the most important feature for Hofstra’s conhas streamlined everything from registration for the Long Island, N.Y., school’s 10,000 continuing education students tinuing ed program is Higher Reach’s ability to fit its needs. to marketing of the 300 programs, certificates, seminars, “We customize reports very often,” Slattery said. “We look at data in numerous ways. I can pull a report to see how camps and more offered in the surrounding community. “We had very specific needs, so it was no easy task, but many spots are still open in a summer camp or who still Jenzabar was up to the challenge,” Slattery said. “We need- owes us money. Comparison of revenue numbers is huge ed to condense all of our data into one system. We needed for us. Where was I last year in comparison to this year? “We do a lot of mailings,” Slattery added. “We can do one solution for the entire division.” Higher Reach was that solution. It allows people to a customized mail merge in one step. We had looked at browse an online catalog of offerings and register on- some applications that were 16 steps. Running payroll line with ease using an e-commerce-like shopping-cart; through Higher Reach has been more efficient. We popuit provides real-time data so students know immediately late all the information, and it’s just cleaner.” whether a course they want is still open; students can access grades or schedules, check their position on waiting For more information please visit www.jenzabar.com. lists and more. I http://www.jenzabar.com http://www.jenzabar.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - July/August 2012

University Business - July/August 2012
Contents
Editor’s Note
Ad Index
College Index
Behind the News
Viewpoint
Admissions
Models of Efficiency
Floor Plans
Consulting Guide
Limited Liability
Touch to Begin
A Sound Investment
Voluntary Retirement
Human Resources
Money Matters
What’s New
End Note

University Business - July/August 2012