Campus sustainability has recently become a trending buzzword in colleges, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic that accelerated digitization and digitalization initiatives in the education industry. Unfortunately, most campuses still rely on paper documents and manual processes for routine administrative tasks for different reasons, such as a traditional mindset or outdated software that doesn’t offer a complete paperless solution.

This is where the AMSA Connect IRM platform comes in to help boost campus sustainability by offering a solution that enables digital transformation and fosters a paperless administrative workspace. Using this game-changing software, you can digitalize every process on campus, streamline workflow through centralized communication, and maximize data integrity via enhanced security.

In this post, we’ll talk about the main barriers to digital transformation in colleges and how using an IRM platform to go paperless can improve campus sustainability.

Barriers to Digital Transformation and Campus Sustainability

The following are some of the main barriers to digital transformation that are preventing colleges from going paperless:

1.     Outdated Technologies and Practices

For decades, colleges have had to manage with outdated iPaaS-based campus management platforms that were not only difficult to use but not capable of handling the data surge departments are experiencing since the new normal. Broken APIs, limited process automation capabilities, distributed workflow, and manual data authentication processes are just a few factors that have kept departments still relying on paper-based, manual processes.

2.     Learning Curve to New Tech

Adopting new technology often carries a steep learning curve. As a result, many colleges don’t want to step out of their comfort zones or disrupt their routine processes. Therefore, they still with legacy systems and avoid improving their IT infrastructure to facilitate dramatic adjustments and adopt game-changing capabilities, such as automated third-party integrations, enhanced data analytics, and centralized, digital communication.

3.     Finances

Unfortunately, many schools lack the budget to support transformation initiatives or fear that the cost of training and technology adoption could lead to more problems. However, they fail to realize that cost-effective solutions can reduce their paper expenditure significantly, such as paper, peripherals, equipment maintenance, and essential supplies.

Improving Campus Sustainability by Going Paperless Using The AMSA Connect IRM Platform

The AMSA Connect IRM platform is a massive step-up from traditional campus management platforms. It offers more digitalization capabilities through power APIs that automate and enhance integrations with several third-party applications, a stunning interface loaded with real-time data analytics, and a social media-like feed that fosters centralized internal communication.

With an integration relationship management platform, you can do more than just digitalize key processes. With the right approach and infrastructure, you can design a fully digital campus management hub that encompasses every manual process, such as performance tracking, parent communication, enrollment marketing, employee payroll, course planning, and so on. Depending on your IT capabilities and goals, you can rid your campus of every printer, scanner, planner, files, writing tools, and other stationery, fostering a paperless workplace and reducing recurring expenditure on stationery procurement and equipment maintenance.

Moreover, this innovative solution allows you to integrate all your data onto a single platform, which will help you streamline your processes and foster change throughout a centralized digital workflow. Thus, enabling every employee to become more tech-savvy and less paper reliant while increasing adaptability and flexibility.

Overall, an IRM platform could be the key to fostering an intelligent campus where everything is done with the click of a button. By handling every aspect of the student lifecycle digitally, campuses have more to spend on improving the student lifecycle from recruitment to graduation. If you’re wondering how to consider the following statistic – a typical college uses around 2,000 sheets per day for general paperwork, student registration forms, transcripts, records, accounting, schedules, exams, and others. This usage amounts to 320,000 sheets a year which costs around $16,000 and doesn’t include the cost of ink, stationery, and equipment. From an environmental perspective, paper amounts to nearly 40% of the total waste in the US, which is equivalent to $640 million.

Bottom Line

It would be an understatement to say that colleges have struggled to keep their doors open since the pandemic. There’s been a gradual decrease in enrollment and retention due to economic issues. While many of these are issues that are beyond administrative control, the ones that are not can and must be acted upon if colleges want to remain competitive and optimize their student lifecycle. Going paperless by adopting the AMSA Connect IRM Platform offers many benefits that can help foster a digital campus and reduce paper use/wastage. In the process, you can save thousands of dollars every year and use it to improve your student lifecycle.

Get in touch with our team right away if you’re ready to try this game-changing solution and see how it works for you.