Purdue News

September 25, 2000 IBM names Purdue Calumet one of this year's four 'Best Practices' universities HAMMOND, Ind. – Purdue University Calumet has been named a 'Best Practices in Student Services' institution by IBM for pioneering an improved system of registering students and managing enrollment that combines a one-stop, high touch personal approach with World Wide Web-enabled technology. Fully implemented in February, 1999, the Purdue Calumet system streamlines the enrollment process, so that students no longer wait in a series of lengthy lines to become admitted to the institution, register for classes, determine and access financial aid, and pay fees. Instead, all those functions can be conducted at a single, campus location: the Enrollment Services Center. To implement the concept of the Enrollment Services Center and the various services it provides, Purdue Calumet cross-trained more than 45 staff members, each of whom is qualified to assist students in the various aspects of the enrollment process. "Given that 80 percent of our incoming students are first generation college students, we felt that it was imperative to make the enrollment process as simple and inviting as possible," Purdue Calumet Vice Chancellor of Student Services Leo Bryant said. "To do that, we implemented a concept that we borrowed from the banking industry that emphasizes one-stop customer service." Additionally, the development and introduction last year of web-based PC STAR (Purdue Calumet Student Access to Records) enables students to check and update personal and financial aid records from remote computing locations through the Purdue Calumet web site. "The concept of a one-stop Enrollment Services Center plus web-based access to one’s personal records work together, ultimately, to benefit students," Purdue Calumet Assistant Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management Beth Pellicciotti said. "Through PC STAR we are moving toward creating a total web enrollment process." The opportunity to conduct education-related e-business impresses Amanda Robson, a senior marketing major from Hammond. "PC STAR has been really helpful and convenient for me," she said. "I can check my course schedule, financial aid record, grades and the balance due on my fees without having to come to campus. I can do all that from home, as well as pay my fees on line." Purdue Calumet is one of four institutions of higher learning to receive this year’s annual IBM national ‘Best Practices’ honor, joining Louisiana State University, Tufts University and the University of Texas at Austin as ‘Best Practices’ partners. The recognition, as its name suggests, intends to draw attention to organizational "best practices," so that other institutions can learn and benefit from them, according to Holly Knighton, global marketing manager, e-Business Solutions for Administration, IBM Education Industry. As a ‘Best Practices’ institution, Purdue Calumet presented its Enrollment Services Center model at the IBM Best Practices Conference, Aug. 1-4 at Brigham Young University. Pellicciotti also participated in an executive forum at the conference. Purdue University Calumet is a comprehensive regional university of more than 9,000 students within the Purdue University system. Located in Indiana’s northwest corner, Purdue Calumet offers some 100 associate, baccalaureate and master’s degree programs and professional certificate offerings. CONTACT: Wes Lukoshus, Purdue Calumet, weekdays (219) 989-2217, evenings and weekends (219) 972-3287; lukoshus@calumet.purdue.edu SOURCES: Beth Pellicciott, Purdue Calumet, (219) 989-2376; pellicmb@calumet.purdue.edu Sue Hoffman, IBM (914)642-5407; suehoff@us.ibm.com