Initiatives

Graduate Slate
Implementation

Project Overview

As part of the modernization of tools and processes, Graduate level applications and associated processes and communications have been moving to a more streamlined, user friendly CRM, Slate. During the first phase of the project, three schools/colleges launched Slate applications for Fall 2025; College of Business, College of Engineering and College of Health programs using the SOPHAS application system. Phase 1 of the project included about 25 programs while Phase 2 will include approximately 75 programs across 8 schools/colleges. Phase 2 applications will launch on September 15, 2025 for the Fall 2026 entry term.

About Slate — Oregon State University’s CRM system for enrollment management

Designed and developed exclusively for higher education, Slate is a single, unified customer relationship management system that supports the pre-enrollment process and student experience from recruitment through orientation. This CRM system has been used to manage all undergraduate prospect, inquiry, recruitment and admission functions at Oregon State University since fall 2021.

Slate is used by more than 1,500 colleges and universities worldwide. Among the top 50 universities in the United States, 48 use Slate.

Key Features and Benefits

  • Complete access to prospective student data, records and touch points at Oregon State, with the ability to manage recruits at the college and departmental levels.
  • Automated, data-driven communications including print, email and text messages (charges apply).
  • Ability for academic programs to choose best-fit models for evaluating application materials and make admission decisions.
  • Real-time reporting functionality with detailed communication analytics. 
  • Email address deliverability and validation. 
  • Support for Google Analytics and other analytics platforms with JavaScript APIs for registering page views and conversion events.
  • Event management, registration and communications for campus tours, information sessions, admitted student days and more using one straightforward system.
  • Easy-to-use tools for leadership and management roles without the need for developers.
  • Unlimited site licensing for participating members.

Project Timeline

Dates Tasks
Sept. 2023 - July 2025 Initial Slate development and Phase 1 program implementation
July 2025 Phase 2 development begins
July - August 2025 Program application building in Application Managment portal
September 15, 2025

Phase 2 applications go live for Fall 2026 entry term

Program identification of faculty and staff involved in evaluation process(es)
Sept - October, 2025 Program workflow selection and rubric building
October, 2025 Program communications planning begins for Phase 2
November, 2025 Training of faculty and staff involved in evaluations
November, 2025 Decision letter building

 

Phase II

Application build and launch

Phase II programs who have built their application in the Application Management Portal and have met with Graduate Admissions to check and approve their application will have their application launched on September 15, 2025. 

Workflow and Rubric Selections

Following application launch Grad Slate project team members will work with programs to choose the appropriate evaluation process (workflow) and evaluation tools (rubrics, etc.) needed to meet individual program needs. Then, training will begin for evaluation faculty and staff that have been identified by programs.

Slate Communications

In mid-Fall Enrollment Management staff will begin engaging with Phase II programs on developing recruitment and process communications in Slate.

Project Leadership

Andrea Ballinger, Vice Provost & CIO

Nechell Bonds, Vice Provost, Enrollment Management

Alix Gitelman, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

  • Matt Hansen, Director of Digital Experience, UIT

  • Trevor Johnson, Director, Slate Services, Human Capital Research Corporation (HCRC) 

  • Bryce Kunkel, Senior Slate Consultant, Human Capital Research Corporation (HCRC) 

  • Noah Buckley, Asst. Vice Provost for Enrollment Management and Director of Admissions

  • John McQueen, IT Project Coordinator, Digital Experience, UIT

  • Jonathon Metcalf, Senior Analyst Programmer, Enrollment Management Information Technology (EMIT)

  • Dan Pellegrini, Director, Slate Services, Human Capital Research Corporation (HCRC) 

  • Alex Ruef, Analyst/Programmer, Enterprise Computing Services, University Information Technology (UIT)

  • Katie Scott, Graduate Admissions

  • Jared Thomas, Analyst/Programmer, UIT-Digital Experience

Project News and Updates

September 8, 2025

  1. If you have not met with Katie Scott to “sign off” on your application so it can go live on September 15th, please do so ASAP.
  2. Ensure that you have also sent the following information to [email protected] by September 15th:
    • Names (Full Names and ONIDs) of your program administrators

Those who will oversee workflow and process final decisions to send to Graduate Admissions:

  • A list of faculty reviewers (Full Names and ONIDs) who will need access to review applications
  • A list of which workflow models you will want to use and for which program

Toolkit and Resources

If you would like to look at existing resources for the Slate implementation. We will keep this page updated as new documentation is created

Help Docs | Office of Graduate Education | Oregon State University

 

Coming Soon - Ticketing system and process for requesting Slate support

Slate FAQs

Slate is a CRM tool that gives Oregon State and each college a single system to manage prospective student information from the initial point of contact, through the application, admission and enrollment process.

Slate allows Oregon State to manage interactions with prospective students between recruitment and advising teams, direct marketing campaigns, application processing, events organization and registration. Slate improves the student admission experience with a more intuitive interface and a single portal for submitting required documents.

Using Slate, Oregon State and college recruiters can create automated, sequential communications to target specific prospective students based on what’s known about them, such as interests, potential majors or location. Slate population filters allow users to configure messages to send dynamically based on when individual records meet certain criteria. These campaigns can mix and match various channels of communications, and a single campaign may combine email, text and print messages.

Slate generates a variety of reports to inform recruitment and enrollment management decision-making. In addition to standard data points such as opens, clicks, bounces and opt-outs, Slate can generate reports that capture granular-level information about the device, location and other details that allow for enhanced tracking. Slate also provides email address deliverability and validation information to determine why particular messages may have bounced or skipped in transit.

Slate is much more efficient and integrated compared to previous CRM tools used at Oregon State. It allows all university and college recruitment efforts to be consolidated into one easy-to-use system. It allows everyone involved in student recruitment and admissions to have easy access to the same information at the same time.

Slate offers a better experience for them as well. All prospective student interactions go through our user-friendly Beaver Basecamp portal, including the OSU admissions application or the Common App. Slate also personalizes the process based on their academic interests, location and other criteria.

Yes. Enrollment Management has worked with partners in the offices of Financial Aid and Scholarships to integrate student information into Banner for processing in their offices

Slate helps the university reduce costs through improved productivity. This increased efficiency allows recruiting and admissions staff to spend more time on the high-value, high-touch work of interacting with prospective students. Slate improves targeting to better reach and build relationships with prospective students. And an attractive, easy-to-use admissions portal makes Oregon State more appealing to prospective students.