AIMS Education Transforms Recruitment and Retention
From Clock-Hour to Credit-Based
How AIMS Education Streamlined Operations With Campus Cafe Software
AIMS Education College of Health Sciences, a private, for-profit college in New Jersey, offers degree and certificate programs, as well as continuing education, in about two dozen allied health science fields.
In 2023, AIMS made a strategic leap by transitioning from a clock-hour institution to a credit-based degree-granting college. To support this evolution, the college replaced its outdated STARS system with Campus Cafe’s integrated student information system.
With a growing portfolio of associate degrees and certificate programs in fields like cardiovascular technology and surgical technology, AIMS needed a modern SIS to unify operations, reduce manual work and support its new credit-hour model.
In just six months, the college went live with Campus Cafe. Today, the platform is streamlining workflows across departments from admissions to academics.
AIMS: A Snapshot
Location | Piscatay, NJ |
|---|---|
School Type | Private, for-profit |
Accreditation | Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) |
Program Types | Associates and Credit-Bearing Certificate Programs |
Former System | STARS Campus Solutions |
LMS Integration | Brightspace |
Go-Live Date: | Winter 2024 |
The Challenge:
Replace an Outdated SIS to Support Institutional Growth
As part of its transition to a credit-hour institution, AIMS needed a student information system that could support expanded reporting, automation and cross-department collaboration.
The existing system, STARS by Campus Solutions, couldn’t meet these needs.
According to Dipanwita Banerjee, System Support Analyst, “We needed an all-in-one system, and we needed it quickly.”
Problems With STARS by Campus Solutions
The college’s legacy system was cumbersome, difficult to operate, and lacked essential features that made everyday tasks more time-consuming. School technology leaders said STARS didn’t support its evolving needs.
No System Integration
Data couldn’t flow between STARS and the LMS, resulting in redundant entry and inefficiencies.
Missing CRM Functionality
Staff tracked prospective and current students manually, limiting outreach and communication.
Manual Data Entry
Processes required duplicate inputs, increasing the risk of errors and inconsistent records.
Limited Reporting Tools
Users couldn’t build or customize reports without relying heavily on IT support.
Cumbersome UX
Staff found the system hard to navigate, requiring frequent help from IT for basic tasks.
“We needed an all-in-one system, and we needed it quickly.”
Dipanwita Banerjee, System Support Analyst
The Solution
An Integrated Platform Built for Modern Operations
Campus Cafe’s comprehensive SIS provided the software AIMS needed to support its evolving model. Because the college was shifting from clock-hour to credit-based programs, historical data migration was minimal, which allowed for a rapid six-month implementation.
Key Features and Benefits of the Campus Cafe Platform
To support its transition and streamline campus-wide operations, AIMS now has the tools, training and support that a small college like AIMS needs.
- Built-in CRM
Track prospects, automate workflows and manage the full student lifecycle from a single system.
- Third-Party Integration
Connects in real-time with platforms like Brightspace LMS and Message Media, with single sign-on support.
- Automation and Workflows
Set up reminders, trigger communications, and eliminate manual updates for admissions and registrar teams.
- Reporting and Analytics
Build custom or utilize pre-built reports without relying on IT, with filters to quickly locate data.
- Simplified Academic Management
Automate enrollment, sync gradebooks and track academic progress between SIS and LMS.
- Robust Support and Training
AIMS received tailored training and ongoing support with fast response times.
“The system has saved us a lot of time by not having to do the same entry twice in two apps, the LMS and SIS”
Dipanwita Banerjee, System Support Analyst
The Results
Modern, Efficient Operations That Put Students First
So far, AIMS is reaping measurable benefits across departments, most notably with the admissions team.
“It really streamlined the recruitment process and retention efforts,” Banerjee says. “It saves time, effort and limits redundancies.”
Admissions
CRM and automation tools have significantly improved recruitment and retention efforts, eliminating the need for paper notes and spreadsheets.
Registration
Course setup and enrollment are now done in one place. No more double entry in SIS and LMS.
Faculty and Registrar
Grade calculations and course data flow automatically between systems, reducing errors.
Marketing
The streamlined admissions process flows through the CRM to automate notifications and reminders.
Students
A new self-service portal provides 24/7 access to registration, billing and academic info.
IT
The intuitive interface has reduced help desk requests and freed staff to focus on higher-level projects.
“Campus Cafe offers the tools, training and support a small college like AIMS needs.”
Dipanwita Banerjee, System Support Analyst
What’s Next
Maximizing Students’ Capabilities
As AIMS staff and students gain more confidence in the new system, Banerjee said it continues to exceed expectations.
Departmental staff shared the SIS and CRM are significant improvements over the former system.
But AIMS isn’t done maximizing Campus Cafe’s potential. Future plans include:
- Leveraging Campus Cafe’s financial aid software.
- Exploring additional automation and reporting features.
- Implementing fillable forms to replace PDF uploaded.
- Customizing features for an integrated internship and career placement module.
- Improving operations and training with new AI features.
Importantly, as AIMS expands its offerings and grows the student population, stakeholders are confident Campus Cafe can scale to accommodate its future needs – and then some.
“We’re still exploring the system to utilize it to the maximum capacity,” Banerjee says.