As part of the Student Sunrise project, we implemented Slate to consolidate and unify our graduate admissions systems and related processes.
The Graduate Admissions Systems project sought to address challenges with our graduate admissions processes, such as complicated manual data entries and data inaccuracies that made analysis and communications difficult for our faculty and staff. With a new, modern solution in Slate, faculty are able to more easily participate in the admissions process and access the data they need to make timely decisions. A new solution also means a smoother process for applicants and reduced manual work for staff.
First implemented in 2017, Slate is the system we use for undergraduate admissions and can integrate with Workday and PowerFAIDS, WashU’s new financial aid system.
Slate Support
Access training and self-help materials to help you use Slate, WashU’s system for managing undergraduate and graduate admissions.
The need for a new solution
Huron Consulting Group, one of our partners for the Workday Student implementation, recommended that we consolidate our graduate admissions systems to mitigate risks related to our current environment and prepare for the transition to Workday.
During the Student Sunrise Discovery Phase, Huron identified seven main systems and 19 additional technologies supporting graduate admissions across the university. At the time, our processes required significant manual work as steps were completed across multiple systems. Additionally, many of these systems were old and unstable, requiring costly upkeep and complicated fixes.
It also was not feasible to integrate all our current technologies with Workday. A unified solution for graduate admissions created an easier integration with Workday and reduced risk related to maintaining multiple aging systems.
About Slate
Workday’s admissions functionality is still evolving and does not yet meet our needs, so we chose a third-party solution in Slate. Many of our peer institutions have likewise moved to third-party systems for graduate admissions, noting improvements in their ability to assess their programs and access key data for decision making, in addition to having a system that is easier to use and support.
Scope
Most of the university’s PhD, master’s and professional programs migrated to Slate. The MD program and School of Continuing & Professional Studies were not in scope.
Some programs, such as Law, Physical Therapy (PT), Occupational Therapy (OT) and the Master of Public Health program at the Brown School, leverage common application systems that all peers use. To remain competitive, this project did not replace those systems. Instead, these programs use Slate in addition to existing systems to enhance functionality, increase reporting and enable better data.
Timeline
The Graduate Admissions project implemented Slate in two phases. Phase 1 program applications launched in Slate in Fall 2022, and Phase 2 in Fall 2023.
Phase 1
All CollegeNET programs, including summer research programs and fellowships, transitioned to Slate in Phase 1. Arts & Sciences, DBBS, McKelvey, Olin doctoral programs, and Brown School’s PhD in Social Work were all CollegeNET users.
Brown School MSW and MSP programs transitioned from Radius, and SOPHAS now integrates with Slate for Public Health MPH and PhD programs.
Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts transitioned to Slate in Phase 1 for admissions capabilities but still uses Slideroom to upload additional portfolio documents.
These programs’ applications opened in Slate September 1, 2022.
- Arts & Sciences
- Brown School
- PhD in Social Work, MSW, and MSP; includes integration with SOPHAS for Public Health programs
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences (DBBS)
- McKelvey School of Engineering
- Except dual-degree programs, which are in Phase 2
- Olin School of Business
- Doctoral programs only
- Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts
- Select School of Medicine programs:
- Applied Health Behavior Research: MS & Graduate Certificate
- Audiology & Communication Sciences: Doctor of Audiology, MS in Deaf Education, and PhD in Speech & Hearing Sciences
- Biomedical Informatics: MS & certificate
- Biostatistics & Genetic Epidemiology: MS in Biostatistics, MS in Biostatistics & Data Science, Certificate in Biostatistics and Data Science, Certificate in Genetic Epidemiology
- Medical Physics: MS, PhD & Post-Doctoral Graduate Certificate
- Nursing Science: PhD in Nursing Science
- Genetic Counseling: MS
- Physical Therapy & Movement Sciences: PhD (Phase 1 does not include DPT)
- Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation & Participation Sciences programs: PhD (Phase 1 does not include OT Masters or ODT)
Phase 2
Many of the programs in Phase 2 use centralized or common application systems (CAS) and need to continue to use these systems to remain competitive. Many Phase 2 programs built an integration with Slate, or a connection from each program’s current application system to Slate that shares student data.
- School of Medicine
- Occupational Therapy MS, OTD
- Doctorate of Physical Therapy
- Population Health Sciences
- Law School
- McKelvey School of Engineering
- Dual degree programs
- Biomedical Engineering
- Institute of Technology Bombay partnership
- McDonnell International Scholars Academy
- Olin Business School
- Master’s programs, Integrate with Salesforce
Slate support team
The project has identified Slate Specialists and Captains to support the long-term maintenance of the system. Please slate.wustl.edu or contact a Slate Specialist from your school or unit with questions or immediate needs.
Slate Specialists are the prime Slate contact for their school or division. Slate Specialists can request access for new users or additional system development from the Slate Captains. They also are responsible for training impacted or new users in their schools or units.
- Beth Elliott (elliottb@wustl.edu), Audiology & Communication Sciences, School of Medicine
- Sara O’Neal (saraoneal@wustl.edu) Applied Health Behavior Research, School of Medicine
- Na’Nette Ashford (ashford@wustl.edu), Arts & Sciences*
- Jamie Adkisson-Hennessy (jadkisson@wustl.edu), Brown School*
- Andrew Richards (richardsa@wustl.edu), DBBS*
- Leslie Skaggs (leslieskaggs@wustl.edu), DBBS
- Rachael Bradshaw (bradshawr@wustl.edu), Genetic Counseling, School of Medicine
- Elizabeth Yoder (e.yoder@wustl.edu), Genetic Counseling, School of Medicine
- Julie Follman (jfollman@wustl.edu), Medical Physics, School of Medicine
- Kimberly Freels (kfreels@wustl.edu), Biomedical Informatics and Data Science, School of Medicine
- Katie Bay (k.bay@wustl.edu), Biomedical Informatics and Data Science, School of Medicine
- Tammy Kampwerth (kampwertht@wustl.edu), McKelvey School of Engineering*
- Nancy Schwartz (schwartzn@wustl.edu), McKelvey School of Engineering
- Judy Frain, (jfrain@wustl.edu), Nursing Science, School of Medicine
- Abby King (abigailking@wustl.edu), Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine
- Jessica Hatch (jessica.hatch@wustl.edu), Olin Business School*
- Shengxin Sun (shengxin@wustl.edu), Olin Business School
- Jennifer Brown (jennifer.brown@wustl.edu), Physical Therapy
- Kathleen O’Donnell (odonnell@wustl.edu), Sam Fox School
*denotes Working Group member
Slate Captains are designated system administrators who will train Slate Specialists, support system integrations, and maintain Slate.
- Jessie Runiewicz, business analyst/Graduate Admissions Slate Lead
- Ben Englert, application developer, Inbound Slate Integration
- Ryan Mulvaney, business analyst
Project leadership
In addition to the project team, a core team and working group provide direction on key decisions, including the selection of Slate as the new graduate admissions system.
- Erin Culbreth, associate provost and Student Sunrise executive project director
- Jason Clevenger, solution architect
- Ben Englert, inbound Slate integration
- Ryan Mulvaney, business analyst
- Jessie Runiewicz, business analyst/Graduate Admissions Slate lead
- Jamie Adkisson-Hennessy, director of admissions and recruitment, Brown School
- Andrew Richards, director, graduate admissions, DBBS
- Na’nette Ashford, director, graduate admissions, Arts & Sciences
- Cathy Freesmeier, associate dean, McKelvey School of Engineering
- Tammy Kampwerth, director, graduate admissions, McKelvey School of Engineering
- Jessica Hatch, associate director, doc admissions and student affairs, Olin Business School
- Emily Thompson, director, online programs, School of Medicine
- Kim Selle, senior executive director, Undergraduate Admissions
- Latonya Barnes, program coordinator, Office of International Affairs
- Luke Bretscher, Senior Associate Director Admissions, Olin Business School
- Shannon Eckhoff, Manager of Academic Programs, Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine
- Jeanne Heil – Chapdelaine, Assistant Dean, Director of Graduate & International Programs, Law School
- Faith Tyler, Office Coordinator for Division of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine
- Ron Laue, Sr. Assistant Dean for Engineering Admissions and Advising, McKelvey School of Engineering
- Andi McLaughlin, Senior Database Analyst, Olin Business School
- Sarah Rands, Manager of Academic Programs, Physcial Therapy, School of Medicine
- Naomi Stuart, Associate Director Admissions, Law School
- Andrea Androuais, senior change manager
- Barry Martin, training lead
- Amanda Ringwald, instructional designer
- Ellen Rostand, Sunrise project director, OCM
News
View the latest news from the Graduate Admissions project.