August 30, 2008

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UTSA closes telephone registration, moves focus online

(Sept. 22, 2003)--After more than a decade, The University of Texas at San Antonio is hanging up on its EPOS interactive voice response (IVR) system and logging on to the World Wide Web instead.

Ahead of the game in the early 1980s when the university became the first Texas institution to implement an IVR system, UTSA will continue the trend with a move online, shutting down the EPOS system for good Sept. 30.

"EPOS served us really well for many years, but technology changes and the vast majority of our students now use the Web, and we're adapting to that change," said Nancy Ekstrom, UTSA director of registration and records.

Students use EPOS to register for classes, pay bills and check grades and admission status. With each year, however, EPOS has lost more and more students to the Internet.

At last count, fewer than 10 percent of UTSA students use EPOS to register for classes, leaving more than 90 percent relying on the Web. As the technologically savvy dot-com generation joins the college crowd, UTSA is answering the call to stay ahead of the changing times.

"We're excited about the change because it allows us to maintain focus on one primary registration system," said Joe DeCristoforo, assistant vice president and university registrar.

"Instead of having to set up two systems, telephone and the Web, we can just focus on one. Since students mostly use the Web, we want to put all our efforts into developing that system to be the best it can be, as opposed to spreading out some of the development and testing onto the EPOS technology that is basically being phased out."

The move online is widespread as most schools around the country are facing the same demand for newer technology. Not only are students more computer savvy than ever before, the Web offers advanced features the telephone never had.

Students can view and print a full screen of information with color and pictures, which DeCristoforo believes helps students understand the process better than an automated voice listing classes.

While many of the resources formerly used for EPOS will go toward upgrading and maintaining the Internet registration system, some monies will help create a phone center.

Blending old and new, UTSA will staff a new phone center with eight staff members trained to answer student questions related to admissions, student records, registration, financial aid and fiscal services.

"When students call UTSA, they'll get a person instead of an automated system that says, 'press one, press two,' said DeCristoforo. "It's a bit more personal."