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"Ferris State saved between $40,000 and $60,000 after moving to online billing and payments. Plus, fewer employees are needed to process commerce transactions university-wide."

Whether paying tuition or sending a goody bag to a child cramming for finals, Ferris State University parents get it done with the click of a mouse.

The Michigan-based public university, which has about 14,500 students, uses TouchNet U.Commerce as its unified commerce framework to administer electronic payments and other business transactions with security and efficiency.

When applying to college feels more like filling out an income tax return, it's no wonder more students aren't eager to do it, says Ronda Russell, Director of Admissions at Montana State University.

But when students are invited to apply in a more personal way, with an application that shows off a school's uniqueness, it can make a dramatic difference.

After Montana State used Royall & Company's customized application program, the out-of-state application submission rate more than doubled and lead to increased out-of-state enrollment.

Suzanne J. Kallighan was determined to celebrate her 40th birthday without worrying about work. But before the University of Richmond associate bursar could head off on a planned cruise, she had to implement a new computerized accounting system.

"I wanted to be able to get on that boat with nothing hanging over my head," she said.

Because that new system was Nelnet Business Solutions' Commerce Manager, she succeeded.

"I had everybody up and running in less than a week."

That was three years ago. Operating Commerce Manager has gone smoothly ever since.

Avila University had a communications problem. Or rather, a communications coordination problem.

A flawed process prevented admissions representatives, coaches, department chairs and others from knowing what each had told prospective students. The confusion hindered administrators at the private Catholic school that prides itself on getting to know every single one of its 1,800 students.

The student center is the heart of any campus. It's so important that students at Clarkson University, a small private college in Potsdam, NY, voted an increase in their own fees to help pay to build one.

Clarkson, a nationally ranked research university, has 3,000 students in more than 50 degree programs. But despite its national reputation and dynamic student community, Clarkson did not have a student center.

Sometimes you don’t even know you need a solution until one presents itself. At least that’s how Tegrity Lecture Capture grew from a classroom product to a tool embedded in nearly every aspect of Lawson State Community College. 

The college implemented Tegrity in 2005. With 60 percent of the Birmingham, AL, college’s students holding down full- or part-time work, the school hoped to increase engagement, improve its retention level and help working students with attendance issues, notes Academic Dean Sherri Davis. 

ith the costs of higher education continuing to soar, many colleges and universities are looking for innovative ways to lower expenses, while simultaneously pursuing their long-term sustainability goals. The University of New Hampshire (UNH) is proving that both objectives are, indeed, achievable.

The green movement focuses on four factors: clean energy, energy efficiency, environmentally friendly production, and the conservation and reduction of waste materials. Information technology offices at institutions can exercise great control in energy efficiency benefitting not only the institution, but the surrounding community as well.

Karli Green, Senior Product Manager, Campus Management:

"Pilot programs at many institutions show that you can save money and the environment at the same time.

When H1N1 made its way to the mountains of northwestern Vermont two years ago, the technology experts at Saint Michael's College were concerned students or teachers might not make it to class. The virus didn't reach epidemic proportions at the small Catholic college, but it energized the team already considering ways to bring lessons beyond the classroom.

When it comes to collecting tuition, it usually doesn't pay to have your university's payment solution on autopilot.

There are many software tools available for scheduling and processing tuition payments. But what happens if a student adds a class unexpectedly, or is assessed additional or unexpected fees? Many software solutions can't adjust on the fly and school officials are the ones who end up spending extra time untangling the mess.