LONG BEACH, CA, (August 2, 2013)—University Business magazine cites the University of Oklahoma as one of eight “Models of Efficiency.” The Models of Efficiency program recognizes innovative approaches for streamlining higher education operations through technology and/or business process improvements.

Central Oklahoma sits snugly in Tornado Alley, but it was a flood, not a twister, that shocked University of Oklahoma officials into realizing that student advising records were one natural disaster away from disappearing forever.

A weekend blizzard in late 2009 caused a pipe to burst in the building that houses the registrar and student advising office of the university’s College of Arts and Sciences. For five hours, water poured from the broken pipe on the third floor. Luckily, student records were spared, but the potential for their destruction was a wake-up call.

Aiming both to digitize records and streamline a cumbersome, paper-based advising system, the college implemented Laserfiche enterprise content management (ECM) software to build a digital records system that integrated with its Banner database and mobile devices.

The new system enhances retention efforts by providing more accurate information on such academic services as petitions, course additions/withdrawals, progress toward degree, and academic disciplinary issues. As a result, communication between students and advisors has increased.

Using Laserfiche has cut the college’s paper costs by 30 percent and saved it nearly $20,000 in salary, office and mailing expenses. Formerly paper-based processes now take minutes instead of days.

Higher ed institutions can learn more about the Models of Efficiency program by visiting  www.universitybusiness.com/moe

Based in Long Beach, CA, with global headquarters in Hong Kong and offices in Shanghai, Toronto, Panama, London, Washington, D.C., and Fort Lauderdale, FL, Laserfiche uses its Run Smarter® philosophy to create simple and elegant enterprise content management (ECM) solutions. Since 1987, more than 32,000 organizations worldwide—including federal, state and local government agencies and Fortune 1000 companies—have used Laserfiche® software to streamline document, records and business process management.

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