Academic and Student Affairs
CASE STUDY
Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE)
Academic and Student Affairs
(ASA) Form Conversion
Client Background
PASSHE, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, oversees 10 universities across 14 campuses, offering over 2,300 degree and certificate programs in 530+ academic areas. Its mission centers on delivering affordable, high-quality education while fostering educational attainment throughout Pennsylvania. The system focuses on preparing students for professional and personal success while contributing to the economic, social, and cultural development of local communities, the commonwealth, and the nation.
Within this system, the Academic and Student Affairs (ASA) division plays a crucial role by developing and implementing educational policies, supporting academic program development, and reviewing degree and certification programs to ensure they meet rigorous academic standards and provide long-term value to students.
The Challenge
PASSHE’s administrative operations were hindered by an inefficient, paper-based form processing system that created significant operational bottlenecks. Universities were required to print Word documents, complete them by hand, and scan them back into the system for submission to PASSHE.
Although a few Word documents could be downloaded, completed and then saved and returned via e-mail attachment, the process became particularly cumbersome for forms requiring multi-level approval within each institution, as administrators needed to physically walk around campus collecting necessary signatures. This manual approach not only consumed valuable time and resources but also increased the risk of errors and inconsistencies in document handling.
The Solution
Collective Intelligence undertook a comprehensive digital transformation initiative to modernize PASSHE’s form processing system. The project delivered the digital conversion of eight critical ASA forms using Canvas Apps while implementing extensive workflow automation to streamline the entire process. This solution addressed both immediate operational inefficiencies and standardized form submission across all universities.
Project Outcome
Transforming from paper-based to digital processes has greatly reduced the time and effort for form processing. Administrators no longer need to track signatures or handle documents manually, allowing focus on strategic tasks. Digital submission and draft-saving have eliminated physical storage and retrieval, creating a more streamlined operational environment.
Implementing Canvas Apps standardized key fields and submission processes, reducing errors and improving data quality. This has created a more professional and reliable administrative process, better serving all stakeholders.
Digital transformation has made form submission and processing more intuitive and efficient for staff and administrators. The automated workflow system offers clear visibility into form status and approval progress, while the digital interface simplifies document completion. The structured revision process, with specific feedback on rejected submissions, has improved communication and reduced correction time.
PROJECT DELIVERABLES
- Creation of eight digital forms in Canvas Apps with standardized key fields for consistency
- Development of automated workflows to manage form routing and approvals
- Implementation of a draft-saving system for work-in-progress forms
- Integration of digital form tracking and status monitoring
- Establishment of a streamlined multi-level approval process with built-in feedback mechanisms
- Development of a rejection workflow that returns submissions to senders with specific revision comments
Conclusion
The ASA Form Conversion project modernized PASSHE’s administrative processes, improving efficiency, consistency, and user experience through digital forms and workflow automation. The project also highlights PASSHE’s commitment to continuous improvement and innovation in higher education administration.
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