Student Services | News

Kentucky System Plans Process Redesign with Blackboard Services

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 07/20/11

Kentucky Community & Technical College System is expanding the relationship it has with Blackboard Student Services, formerly Presidium Learning. The system, which has 16 colleges and 68 campuses around the state, has hired the services arm of Blackboard to help redesign its processes for delivering services and support to students as part of major efforts to improve student retention, streamline operations, and reduce expense.

Blackboard acquired Presidium in January 2011 to expand its reach in the services and support arena. Presidium has run a call center for several years in the state to deliver e-learning and IT help desk support. That includes supporting Blackboard's learning management systems, which are in use in the Kentucky system's member institutions.

In the initial phase of the latest project, Blackboard will advise the system on how to re-engineer processes in admissions, enrollment, financial aid, and IT. That encompasses implementation of a statewide student relationship management system.

"Through this multi-year initiative with Blackboard, KCTCS will be more nimble and focused on providing better service to students," said Vice Chancellor Gloria McCall. "The plan is designed to ensure the global competitiveness of Kentucky by educating our citizens in high demand, high wage jobs."

The work will entail service desk operations to handle recruitment and admissions, financial aid and student accounts, retention services, and identity management. Support and active outreach will be provided to students and faculty via phone, Web, chat, and mobile devices.

"Keeping students engaged, keeping them on track, and making sure they're successful is a difficult task, especially at a community college system that is called to serve a growing population on a limited budget," said Craig Chanoff, general manager of Blackboard Student Services. "Intuitive self-help and mobile technologies are not only in high demand, they're critical to student success in today's technology rich environment. We are excited to partner with KCTCS to improve these types of services and provide comprehensive, multi-channel support for students in all areas of campus life."