Page 23 - OIT Progress Report: 2025 Edition

Improving the Student
Experience
Services delivered by the Department of Enrollment Services are integral to the
overall student experience. From admission through to graduation, students
depend on these offerings. The department relies on multiple systems to facilitate
service delivery. In recent years, substantial initiatives have been undertaken to
upgrade or enhance these technologies in support of the department’s mission.
Supporting the New
FAFSA Form
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA) has long been a cornerstone for students
seeking financial assistance for higher education.
However, the process has often been criticized
for its complexity and the barriers it creates for
many students. The US Government announced
a simplification of the FAFSA form and process to
help students.
This initiative required transforming the way
SMU receives and processes the resulting
information provided by the federal government.
New methods of handling federal tax return data
had to be developed, along with required security
training for those closely working with said data.
Workflows within my.SMU had to be completely
reengineered, all while limiting confusion and
disruption to the financial aid process for the
campus community. Multiple teams across
OIT and Student Financial Services worked
tirelessly through these challenges to ensure
that the financial aid process at SMU remained
straightforward and reliable.
Slate for Admissions
Ten years ago, the Office of Admissions moved
undergraduate admissions data and processes to
Slate’s cloud-based solution to modernize most
admission processes within the Admissions
Operations, Recruiting, and Marketing teams.
However, university staff outside of Admissions
still relied on the most current bio demo and
admission data to be updated in my.SMU from
Slate. Admissions staff had to rely on a mix of
manual processes and tools to keep student bio
demo and application records current in my.SMU.
This process was labor-intensive and often
required additional effort to maintain accuracy.
In June 2024, a new integration project
connected the admissions system more smoothly
with the university’s central records system,
making updates faster, more reliable, and easier
to manage. This effort was a partnership between
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