Question

1 of 2 Case Study Assignment METROPOLITAN COLLEGE Professors P. Fraser Johnson and Robert D. Klassen wrote this case solely to provide material for class discussion. The authors de not intend to illustrate either effective or ineffective handing of a managerial situation. The authors may have disguised certain names and other identifying information to protect confidentiality Copyright © 2009. Ivey Management Services Version (A) 2009-12-14 Mary Clark, manager of Student Services at Metropolitan College, was preparing for the start of the new school year. It was August 10th, and in another four weeks, Mary's department of eight people would be responsible for registering approximately 1,000 students as they arrived for the fall term. Clark was not satisfied with the registration process of the previous year, which had resulted in long lines, frustrated staff and unhappy students. She wanted to identify opportunities for improvements for this year. THE REGISTRATION PROCESS Each year, students arrived on Metropolitan's campus in the first week of September, termed Orientation Week, with classes beginning the following week. During Orientation Week, all students registered (or, the case of returning students, reregistered), confirmed their initial course selection, paid their tuition fees and participated in a variety of orientation activities. Mary identified several steps and the associated times required to perform the registration process, as shown in Exhibit 1. She found that each step was assigned to a different person. To process the large volume of registrations in a short period of time, a temporary office was set up on the third floor of the college administration building during the first week of September. The first four steps were performed at this location. The office was open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and was closed between 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. for lunch. All students were required to have their registration data reviewed and confirmed, including their address, program-based tuition and course selection Students living in one of the college's residences took the longest time to process. Approximately 10 per cent of students did not complete their registration forms correctly and had to have them reviewed again. Students from outside the province, roughly one-quarter of the total, were required to enroll in the college's out-of-province health coverage plan (Step 2). In the third step, students could sign up for a variety of services such as meal plans, bus passes and parking: these fees were then added to the student's invoice.

Q4. What changes would you suggest making to the process? Why? (CLO3)

Answer 1

In the first step, more temporary staffs are to be hired up for the process to run smoothly and quickly as reviewing and confirmation of registered data takes a longer time so to make it a less burden in less staffs, more staffs must be hired for it. Moreover the time is also fixed so they have to complete it within less time. And then the 10% that didn’t complete their registration forms correctly was because of the burden on the less staffs.

The second and the third step was smoothly ongoing so doesn’t need a change in it.

In the fourth step, i.e payment of tuition fee, the collage can arrange for an online payment option. That is if the students are willing to enroll for the registration process they can submit the fee on an early basis and bring the receipt only just for confirmation and therefore it will reduce a great lot of time. And the staffs can just verify the payment through the receipt and it will save a lot of time and staffs for other steps to be performed.

For the photographs to be taken and for producing and coding of the I-Card, it takes up most of the time. Therefore, more staffs are to be hired as these will help the registration process to go more smoothly and can save a lot of time. And students don’t have to wait much for the process and more student can be registered through it.

And if these are followed in upcoming years, more enrolments can be done in a smooth and efficient manner and would save a lot more time.