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Events Management at Portland State is “Exponentially More Efficient” Since the University Switched to 25Live

Portland State University

Portland, Oregon

Products

25Live® Integrated Academic and Event Scheduling System

Why 25Live?

“Only 25Live offered us the full suite of the tools we were looking for. Easy integration with our Banner SIS was a major factor.” – Matt Berger, External and University Events Manager

Benefits

• Single sign-on

• Customizable workflows

• Automated communication

• Comprehensive resource management

• Seamless Student Information System (SIS) integration

• Intuitive user interface

• Automated public-facing calendars

• Mobile access

• Easy implementation

• Outstanding customer support

The Challenge

By the time Portland State University (PSU) decided to update its event scheduling system, the campus had been using EMS software for decades. Over the years, complaints among staff and student schedulers had grown. The process for submitting and approving room requests – which involved completing separate Google forms – was cumbersome and inefficient. According to Matt Berger, External and University Events Manager at PSU, the software felt outdated and difficult to use. “There was a pretty large learning curve for users. Front-desk folks would have to review every request and respond back to the requester if more information was required. There was a lot of back-and-forth before a request was ready to pass on to Scheduling,” Berger said. Then, Campus Events Scheduling had to check with the Registrar’s Office outside the EMS environment to ensure there were no conflicts with academic scheduling. And there was no convenient automated communication – request forms were individually printed and placed in the schedulers’ mailboxes.

The Solution

The school began looking for a solution that would give its community an up-to-date user interface, public-facing calendar, automated communication, and front-facing availability for all clients. The Campus Events Office took a year to consider alternative scheduling systems, comparing Mazévo, Ad Astra, and EMS with CollegeNET’s 25Live.

According to Berger, the choice was clear: “Only 25Live offered us the full suite of tools we were looking for. Easy integration with our Banner SIS was a major factor.” PSU’s Campus Events Office selected 25Live Scheduling and set its ambitious implementation date. According to Berger, implementation was a very robust and easy-to-follow process, thanks in large part to CollegeNET’s Implementation Manager, John Libra. “We had a great working relationship with John. We felt like he was a member of our team. It was a campus-wide implementation,” Berger continued. “There were a lot of users who needed to access the system to request space for everything from department meetings to arts performances, to athletic events, etc., and it all went very smoothly, especially considering all the stakeholders.”

Easy Implementation

As Berger described the experience: “Everyone considered this such a massive task, a huge change with a six-month deadline. It seemed overwhelming; there was a lot of fear of missing our deadline. But less than halfway through implementation, those fears dissipated. Now, I feel more confident than ever that we can manage things because of the guidance and support from CollegeNET.”

The Results

According to Berger, “Everyone was excited to get inside and start using the system. 25Live’s single sign-on makes it so easy to use. The level of events management is so comprehensive with 25Live – the system can automatically drive most of what we need to manage. And workflow is exponentially more efficient because it’s customizable to each user. We’re able to program which notifications we want and when we want to receive them.”

So Much More than a Scheduling Tool

“This software is so much more than just a scheduling tool – the level of event management is so comprehensive,” Berger said. “It feels groundbreaking that someone can just check on their phone for space availability and to manage their event, instead of having to be at their work location or signed on to their university network. It used to be that users were siloed, but now departments can easily see how they’re impacting others.” Looking back, Berger and his team wish they had made the change much sooner.

About Portland State University

© Photo provided by Portland State University
Located on a tree-lined campus in downtown Portland, Oregon, Portland State University was originally established in 1946 as a two-year college to meet the demand for higher educational opportunities for returning World War II veterans. Today, the University offers more than 200 Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctorate degree programs for more than 20,000 students from across the U.S. and abroad. From its 50-acre urban campus, PSU trains the future workforce and helps students thrive. Campus Events provides spaces for community connection in its lecture halls, plazas, recreation fields, art galleries, and greenspaces.

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