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Portland State Turns to Tech To Improve Recruitment and Retention

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 10/13/10

Portland State University plans to deploy a new application to improve its admissions, recruitment, and retention programs. The Oregon institution has licensed Talisma Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) software from Campus Management Corp.

A campus CRM system provides features to help a university improve its recruiting and retention efforts by personalizing and automating communications, which can be done through e-mail, chat, phone, text messaging, and print. Talisma also includes functionality for advising and performance analytics.

"We decided to invest in a CRM solution to improve our admissions program and retention efforts, moving us closer to a more unified, Internet-based approach to student services and record keeping online," said Jackie Balzer, vice provost for student affairs at Portland State.

The institution evaluated many other applications, but administrators selected Talisma, according to Balzer, because they found it to be "the most comprehensive and thorough system among the many we evaluated, and they have a track record with other institutions that align to our own goals."

Initials goals of the product's installment will focus on recruiting and retention. Future phases may target the school's financial aid program and specific departments, such as the School of Extended Studies.

User training has already been scheduled on campus. The program is expected to be integrated with the university's legacy student information system, SunGard Higher Education Banner, in the 2011-2012 timeframe.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

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