Transcript Outsourcing:
Reallocated Labor and Improved
Student Experience in Enrollment
Services
Parchment Exchange User Conference
February 18, 2016
Matthew Schramm
Senior Assistant Director
Combined Enrollment Services
Boston University
§  Boston
Private
University
Research
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Institution
Here
§  Total Students: 33,000
§  16,000 Undergraduate
§  14,000 Graduate
§  3,000 Non-Degree
§  Homegrown SIS
§  First Implemented
Parchment: December 2013
§  Total Transcripts Produced
in 2015: 43,000
Enrollment and Student Affairs
Enrollment & Student Affairs
(ENSA)
Boston University Slideshow Title Goes Here
Office of the
University
Registrar
(OUR)
Combined
Enrollment
Services
(CES)
Enrollment and Student Affairs
Enrollment
Services
Operations
(ESO)
Where were we in 2013?
§  Combined Enrollment Services established July 2013
Boston University Slideshow Title Goes Here
§  Define customer service staffing needs versus back office processing
§  Limited Registrar Support Staff
§  Unit directive to minimize work study support
Enrollment and Student Affairs
Homegrown SIS
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Enrollment and Student Affairs
BU Transcript Process Before Parchment
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§ 
§ 
§ 
§ 
Less Than Ideal Student Experience
PCI Noncompliance
Difficulty Collecting Metrics
Labor Intensive
Enrollment and Student Affairs
BU Pre-Parchment
§  Online
ordering
Boston University Slideshow Title Goes Here
restricted to current
students
§  All alumni, former
students must
complete a paper
transcript request form
§  Faxed, emailed, mailed,
in-person
Enrollment and Student Affairs
BU Pre-Parchment
Boston University Slideshow Title Goes Here
•  Distribute and
Charge Orders
•  Print
Transcripts
2 Hours
•  Redact CC Info
•  Save Request
Forms
5 Hours
•  Package
Transcripts
•  Print FedEx
Shipping Labels
3 Hours
10 Hours of FTE + Work Study Labor Per Day
Enrollment and Student Affairs
Parchment Implementation
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Online Ordering
2013
2014
eTranscripts
Enrollment and Student Affairs
AMCAS
2015
BU Post Parchment
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•  Verify Student
ID
•  Print Batch Job
1.5 Hours
•  Update to Sent
•  Print
Attachments
1.5 Hours
•  Package
Transcripts
•  Print FedEx
Shipping Labels
2 Hours
5 Hours of FTE + Work Study Labor Per Day
Enrollment and Student Affairs
BU Post Parchment
§ 
§ 
§ 
§ 
Less
Boston University
Than Ideal
Slideshow Student
Title Goes Here Experience
PCI Noncompliance
Difficulty Collecting Metrics
Labor Intensive
Enrollment and Student Affairs
Outsourcing
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Enrollment and Student Affairs
Outsourcing
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Pros
•  Less Labor
•  Less Paper
Enrollment and Student Affairs
Cons
•  Cost
•  Control
•  Branding
Outsourcing
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Cons
•  Cost
•  Control
•  Branding
The Burning Outsourcing Question:
How Do We Justify The Cost Without
Losing Revenue?
§  Surveyed AAU Registrar’s on
what each of our peer
institutions charged for
transcripts
Enrollment and Student Affairs
Outsourcing
Boston University Slideshow Title Goes Here
Cons
•  Cost
•  Control
•  Branding
Flexibility vs Vendor Processing
§  Consulted with other Colleges
& Universities outsourcing
their transcript production
through Parchment
§  Gaining FTE Labor > Control
§  Confidence in Parchment’s
Services
Enrollment and Student Affairs
Outsourcing
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Cons
•  Cost
•  Control
•  Branding
How Would Transcript Recipients
React to Non-BU Branded
Envelopes?
§  Consulted with other Colleges
& Universities outsourcing
their transcript production
through Parchment
Enrollment and Student Affairs
Outsourcing
Boston University Slideshow Title Goes Here
Cons
•  Cost
•  Control
•  Branding
Enrollment and Student Affairs
BU Post Parchment Outsourcing
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•  Verify Student
ID
•  Print Batch Job
30 Minutes
•  Print
Attachments
•  Update to Sent
1 Hour
•  Package
Transcripts
•  Print FedEx
Shipping Labels
30 Minutes
2 Hours of FTE + Work Study Labor Per Day
Enrollment and Student Affairs
PARCHMENT TRANSCRIPTS
JULY 2015 THROUGH JANUARY 2016
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eTranscripts (8871)
Paper Transcripts Mailed by Parchment (8869)
Paper Transcripts with Attachment Mailed by BU (1160)
6%
47%
47%
Enrollment and Student Affairs
Outsourcing Gains
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Pre-Parchment
- 2013
•  15 Work
Studies for
Transcripts
Enrollment and Student Affairs
Post Outsourcing 2015
•  5 Work
Studies for
Transcripts
•  4 Reallocated
to Vet. Affairs
•  4 Reallocated
to Transfer
Credit
Outsourcing Gains
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Pre-Parchment
- 2013
•  7 Hours FTE
Labor Per Day
for
Transcripts
Enrollment and Student Affairs
Post Outsourcing 2015
•  1.5 Hours FTE
Labor Per Day
for
Transcripts
•  Improved
Email/Phone
Answer Rate
for CES
Outsourcing Gains
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Title Goes Here
Pre-Parchment
- 2013
•  24 Hours FTE
Labor for
Transcript
Processing
During
Holiday Break
Enrollment and Student Affairs
Post Outsourcing 2015
•  4 Hours FTE
Labor
•  Labor Shifted
to Email
Response
•  Expedited
Delivery
Outsourcing Summation
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§  Long
term unit cost savings based
on redistribution of labor and
reduction of paper
§  Value-added feature that has
directly improved BU’s relationship
with applicants, currently enrolled
students and alumni
Enrollment and Student Affairs
Questions?
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Matthew Schramm
Senior Assistant Director
Combined Enrollment Services
[email protected]
617-353-1208
Enrollment and Student Affairs