Streamlining Success: A Case Study on Redesigning Orientation and Course Registration

The Client: A four-year public institution in the West, part of a large statewide system.

The Client (“University”) partnered with our team to comprehensively assess and redesign their orientation and course registration process for incoming students. This effort was prompted by ongoing challenges, including a fragmented and outdated registration system, inconsistent student support, and increasing demands on administrative staff, all within a limited budget. The University sought to modernize its approach to better meet the needs of its diverse student population—including first-year, transfer, and international students—while retaining the foundational elements of its longstanding onboarding program.

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The Challenges

Decentralized Course Registration

Students faced difficulties securing classes during orientation due to poor coordination among academic departments.
Independent operation of departments led to inefficiencies and limited course availability for incoming students.
While the university had resumed in-person learning and operations, many advising units continued to provide services virtually, creating additional barriers for students.

Strategic Planning and Budgetary Constraints

As an auxiliary unit, the University’s orientation program relied on self-generated revenue but faced increasing expectations to expand services without additional funding.

Legacy Model

The University’s orientation model has remained unchanged since its inception in 1967, with only minor adjustments.
The two-day program for first-year students and the one-day program for transfer students lacked innovation and scalability.

Growing Transfer Student Needs

The existing transfer orientation program provided limited engagement opportunities and struggled to meet the unique needs of this population.

Expanded Orientation Requirement

The orientation staff faced added pressure to accommodate speakers from various departments within an already packed schedule.

The Solutions

Centralized Course Registration Model

Collaborated with academic departments and the Registrar’s Office to establish a centralized course registration system during orientation.
Created pre-reserved course blocks for incoming students to ensure equitable access to high-demand classes.

Strategic Planning and Budget Optimization

Launched an Orientation Re-imagining Committee with several subcommittees, including an evaluation subcommittee co-chaired by Institutional Research,
Developed a sustainable financial plan to expand orientation
Advocated with University leadership for additional staffing and secured one full-time FTE to support transfer student needs.

Modernized Orientation Structure

Retained the two-day structure for first-year students but introduced more interactive, technology-enhanced sessions to increase engagement.
Reimagined the transfer orientation as a robust hybrid model, combining in-person and virtual elements to better serve this growing population.
Reduced summer program model from three days to two days to ease the burden on the student staff.

Transfer Student Programming

Designed targeted workshops and peer mentoring opportunities tailored to transfer students’ academic and social integration.
Partnered with academic advisors and other resource centers to provide specialized support to transfers and commuters during and after orientation.

Integrated Online Orientation

Streamlined the online orientation experience by aligning content with in-person programming through the creation of a pre-orientation Canvas course.
Ensured online modules complemented rather than duplicated in-person sessions, including pre-advising components, creating a seamless onboarding experience.

The Impact

Improved Class Access

Centralized registration reduced course enrollment issues, ensuring students secured their required classes during orientation.

Enhanced Student Engagement

Feedback from first-year and transfer students indicated higher satisfaction with the revamped orientation format.

Sustainable Growth

Budget optimization enabled the University to expand its services while maintaining financial stability.

Transfer Success

Participation in the new transfer programming increased, significantly improving early retention metrics.

Unified Orientation Experience

The integration of online and in-person components created a cohesive and accessible onboarding process for all students.

Conclusion

Collaboration between the University and consultants effectively resolved long-standing orientation and course registration challenges. By centralizing processes, optimizing resources, and modernizing programming, the University has strengthened its ability to support the transition and success of its diverse student population while upholding its legacy of excellence in student affairs.