Early Bird

New transfer-evaluation workflow to go live Thursday

Slate CRM allows users to manage transcripts, communication and workflows with greater control and flexibility.

By Camden Farmer

October 13, 2021

Metropolitan State University of Denver is striving to be a top institution for transfer students. To get there, the University is investing in better systems for onboarding those students. The focus of these investments centers on streamlining and automating manually intensive transfer-evaluation processes to maximize the application of transfer credits to degree programs.

MSU Denver will transition much of the evaluation-workflow management from Banner to the Slate CRM platform. Slate allows users to manage transcripts, communication and workflows with greater control and flexibility. The first two deliverables are planned to go live Thursday.

Automation of intake and posting of transcripts

This project focuses on streamlining the transcript-intake process.

• Slate to Banner: Data collected during the transcript-intake phase will be collected in Slate in a single form, which eliminates significant manual data entry into Banner. Data will be sent to Banner from Slate.
• Real-time transcript-processing status: Students can track the progress of their transcript evaluation. Staff and faculty members with Slate access will also be able to see the evaluation progress in real time.
• Parchment integration: Slate integrates directly with Parchment, MSU Denver’s vendor for transcripts, for quicker transcript uploads and easier student matching.
• Streamlined communication to students: Students will be notified when their transcripts have been received. This will reduce calls about transcript-receipt status.

Transfer-evaluation workflow in Slate

The second project streamlines the transcript-evaluation workflow, which includes a dynamic student-communication aspect as well as more transparent student-status updates and data analytics.

• This workflow focuses on dynamic student communication as well as more transparent student-status updates and data analytics. These projects rely heavily on a partnership between Admissions and the Registrar’s Office.
• Streamlined communication to students: Students will receive tailored communication about the content of their transfer evaluation with relevant next steps for success. The communication will also be stored in Banner SPACMNT (notes) so staff and faculty members can see the same information.
• Improved data analytics: The Transfer Evaluation team currently tracks a small portion of the transcript-evaluation information. The new process expands data collection and centralizes it in a process that is easier to track. This data will help MSU Denver inform better transfer practices.

Next up: Transfer course approval and importing of XML

There are two other projects in development that will improve the transfer-student experience. These include the transfer course-approval process and MSU Denver joining other Colorado schools implementing XML transcript receipt.

• Transfer course approval will be overhauled to reduce student runaround and increase the size of MSU Denver’s transfer-equivalency database. Proactive processes will be incorporated to involve faculty review at the time of the initial evaluation to reduce students’ uncertainty.
• The XML transcript process allows automatic entry of transcript data straight into Banner, eliminating manual data entry for MSU Denver’s top feeder schools, such as the Colorado Community College System. Expect to see these two projects coming on line in late fall and early spring.

For more information on this process, contact Camden Farmer, associate registrar for Transfer Evaluation.