Applications Development and Effective Practices

Enhanced enrollment, reflected in both quality and quantity of students, is a strategic initiative for Washington State University. While our focus on recruitment of new students was paying off with increased numbers of freshmen, the number of incoming transfer students was not keeping pace. Our President urged us to do whatever was necessary to attract transfer students for the following semester. Two top questions that potential transfer students always ask are: "How will my classes transfer?" and "How long will it take to finish my degree program?" We were told that some competing institutions in our state attempted to provide that information 30 minutes after the student came to their office with transcript in hand. Could we leverage technology to do better?

The Associated Colleges of the South (ACS) hosts a New Music Festival each summer for the purpose of the study and performance of new works by ACS composers and performers. Faculty and students attending the conference have come from 14 colleges throughout the South. The 2003 festival program included a series of concerts called "Classics of the Twentieth Century." Two of the works in the series were unlikely to have been heard live by any of the students and some of the faculty. Additionally, both works were written in a musical language that most undergraduates probably do not fully understand. Central to the festival mission is to provide the opportunity for students to develop a full appreciation of the works' significance.

Virtual applications present great challenges but even greater benefits. Fontys University in The Netherlands uses virtual applications to enhance student, teacher, and staff experience; dramatically speed up release management; build a modular infrastructure; enable institutional goals; and realize considerable budget savings.