Loma Linda University news
- University improves student services, cuts costs using Adobe¨ Acrobat
- 71st Annual Postgraduate Convention comes to town
2003 bioethics conference to focus on human genetics and social policy
At Loma Linda University, managing everyday interactions with thousands
of students—applications for admission, financial aid and transcript
requests, delivering class
bulletins, and other activities—requires substantial administrative support.
Whether students are earning degrees on campus or from remote locations worldwide,
Loma Linda University must provide fast access to services and information.
Challenges faced
- Streamline administrative processes
With students around the world applying,
LLU has traditionally processed large volumes of paperwork. For example, when
students applied for financial aid, the
University mailed up to 10 forms for them to fill out, sign, and return. LLU
staff entered information on the forms into administrative databases.
However, errors could occur during data entry, and students would not always
provide all of the required information. From start to finish, processing financial
aid forms could take six weeks or more. LLU wanted to provide faster service
and ensure accurate information in its databases.
- Reduce the cost of handling paper
Each time the University handled an application, financial aid form, or other document, it incurred substantial duplication, postage, and storage costs. Delivering paper-based services and information, such as student bulletins, was also expensive.
- Improve access for overseas students
Students taking classes from remote locations, such as Africa or Puerto Rico, had more difficulty interacting with the University because of time zone differences and delays in receiving materials via mail. LLU wanted to provide immediate, convenient access to information and services around the clock.
- Success strategy
To improve its responsiveness to students and streamline
administrative processes, LLU is combining the widespread reach of the web
with interactive
form features
and information delivery options supported by Adobe Acrobat® software.
As a cornerstone of the effort, the University is converting materials
such as financial
aid forms to interactive Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) forms,
as well as delivering class bulletins, student records, and applications
online
in Adobe
PDF.
“ Adobe PDF forms can pull data from and save information to our databases,” explains
Brian Harris, project manager, LLU information technology. “The Adobe
PDF forms also retain the exact look of printed materials and are easy
to navigate
using bookmarks, indexes, full-text searching, and hyperlinks.”
Building on Acrobat support for forms, the LLU information technology
staff wrote CGI scripts that integrated Adobe PDF forms with the University’s
administrative databases.
Already, LLU has placed many financial aid forms online in Adobe PDF.
Students can use Acrobat software or the free Acrobat Reader software
to instantly
and securely access forms on the Loma Linda University website.
In some cases, information is pulled directly from back-end databases
and placed in the appropriate form fields. Students can fill in, print,
and
sign Adobe
PDF financial aid forms. In the coming months, LLU will put forms online
that can
be digitally signed and submitted. The completed forms will be automatically
saved to the University’s databases.
LLU is looking to allow students to request transcripts, add or drop
classes, and request other services by completing and submitting forms
in Adobe
PDF. The forms will contain data from administrative databases and
also include
pull-down
menus and built-in help to enable students to complete requests faster
and with fewer errors.
LLU has simplified the admissions process by giving students access
to application forms, and all supporting materials, online in Adobe
PDF
Students also have
the option of downloading an Adobe PDF copy of the application they
submitted online.
The University provides fully searchable, online access to the LLU
program guide, a 177-page document in Adobe PDF detailing prerequisites,
licenses,
career information,and
other particulars for the University’s programs.
Benefits
- Improved responsiveness to students.
- Reduced administrative time and costs.
- More reliable, accurate information.
The electronic forms in Adobe PDF
provide a reliable, accurate archive of information because completed forms
are saved on LLU’s system. Form fields are automatically
populated through a link to the student database, which speeds completing forms
and minimizes errors by limiting the need for slow, error-prone manual data entry.
The move to Acrobat and Adobe PDF also eliminates the need for students and
staff to duplicate and track paper copies, while still providing the flexibility
of
having both electronic and paper-based workflows if necessary. LLU also saves
postage and storage costs.
“ By automating processes using Acrobat software and Adobe PDF, we’re
dramatically
improving our responsiveness to students,” says Mr. Harris. “For
example, we cut the average processing time for financial aid in half, from six
weeks down to three. Students can also access information and services from anywhere
in the world, day or night.”
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71st Annual Postgraduate Convention comes to town
The Alumni Associations of the School of Medicine and School of Public
Health at Loma Linda University will hold the 71st Annual Postgraduate
Convention (APC),
March 5 to March 13 in Gentry Gym.
Registration, along with display booths, will be available from 7:00 a.m. to
3:00 p.m. Friday, March 7; 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 9; and from
7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Monday, March 10.
Highlights of the weekend include three musical programs featuring the trio Passage
on Friday evening, “The Buddy Concert” with Buddy Greene and Buddy
Houghtaling on Saturday night, and John and Mary Giger at the APC banquet on
Monday evening.
A golf tournament is planned for Friday, March 7, and begins at 10:00 a.m.
For more information on APC activities, please call the Alumni Association at
558-4633.
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