QuercusPlus
Academic Structure & Development
The foundation and building blocks of academic life. Using the academic structure and development module staff can build up, block by block, all of the information relating to modules, subjects, courses and tutorials. From credits associated with them right though to details of tutorials to be attended, assessments to be completed and exam questions to be issued. Pass marks, weightings and rules can also be recorded – from an overall course level right down to individual modules - the level of detail is all but infinite.
In addition once a course instance has been created it can be used multiple times and applied to many different situations – for example the same course instance can be used for multiple start dates, locations, types of study and so forth. No need to re-create the details, simply apply the course to a new situation.
Marketing and Enquiries
A central source for entering and retaining any incoming calls or correspondence enquiring about courses and options. The appropriate information can be entered directly into the system, enquiry statuses can be applied and next steps or actions can be assigned to ensure successful resolution of the enquiry. Reponses can be prepared, materials can be attached and with a simple press of the button personalized communications can be bulk printed and mail merged at the close of the day. As with all QuercusPlus modules any information entered online using QuercusLive will automatically be populated in this back office module.
Admissions
Whether direct to the university or via a clearing house the admission module in QuercusPlus can manage the process for the university. Using rules and business logic agreed with the university all admission data is cross checked to ascertain suitability of the application. Once a match is made the system will automatically check for place availability and only then will a response be authorized and the communications prepared. Naturally check points for manual intervention and administrator go/no decisions are built into the workflow process.
Where the applications are through a clearing house such as UCAS or CAO the same process is followed and the system automatically accepts feeds directly from UCAS or CAO and facilitates an automated link back to ensure a seamless communication process negating the need for any manual data entry.
Enrolment
Gone are the days of paper data collection and manual rekeying of information. With QuercusPlus all of a student’s information can be entered directly into the system at the time of enrolment. This ensures not only a swift and speedy process but accurate data collection. Once the data is entered QuercusPlus will update other systems where appropriate and automatically trigger and enable the next set of actions – for example:-
Curriculum assignment
ID card creation
Access code generation – e.g. computer system/library
Generation of fee dues, based on appropriate fee category
QuercusPlus makes the enrolment process swift and accurate and ensures that all appropriate next steps are enabled – the outcome is a better student experience when returning to college.
Student Fees and Finance
Using this module administration staff can allocate the appropriate fees for modules, courses and subjects. Naturally the fees can be customized to match the myriad of different options which need to be accounted for – from nationality, through to full time/part time study types and so forth.
Using this information and correlating it back to the student's course details entered at the time of enrolment, the system will automatically calculate the fees owed by the student and reconcile the same against any payments received, either directly or via third party funding to give an on the spot accurate balance.
Standard reporting and customized analytics are available to administration staff to keep abreast of outstanding balances and debt collection follow up communications are automated where appropriate.
Where students are being funded by 3rd parties such as local councils or employers these details can be entered into the system and balances updated as payments are received. The system comes out of the box with automatic links to the Student Loans Company (SLC) and feeds information directly and seamless into any in-house or 3rd party finance system a university may have in place.
Student Tracking
The student tracking module in QuercusPlus is the core module where all student information is entered and maintained. From name and address right through to statements on funding, course timetables and records of attendance – it is the nerve centre and central source of all student information.
Once a piece of data is changed or entered into the student tracking module QuercusPlus automatically updates all other modules and systems to ensure there is one single version of student information.
And of course, for clients who use QuercusLive – any information updated by the students themselves online is automatically sent to and updated in QuercusPlus.
Student Support
The student support module manages all the ancillary services surrounding the student's university life. From work placements through to work based learning and requests for additional support such as child care, extensions or leave of absence. The student support module is the single source of record for all such requests and communications.
Examinations and Progression
As we all know there is no such thing as a simple pass or fail! The examinations and progression processes within universities are complex, time consuming and incredibility important.
QuercusPlus has a robust and reliable examinations and progression module that has been designed in collaboration with our clients. As a simple starting point the module enables universities to record exam results to infinite detail - right down to individual student and score per exam question if required. Working with clients to understand their specific needs we then customize our results calculators to reflect the unique rules that govern progression – from subject level right down to individual assessments and question. Once these are in place QuercusPlus will run the calculators against the results entered and produce an accurate pass/fail list.
From this point the module automates a series of appropriate next steps – for example:
The set up and management of “repeat” examinations
The publishing of results to approved portals
Roll over of successful students to the next year
Automatic student registration for the next year where appropriate
Finally, where courses are certified by external governing bodies the results will be sent automatically from the system to these bodies for review and approval.
Conferring and Alumni
Using QuercusPlus the management of the conferring and graduation process can be transformed. Because QuercusPlus is a fully integrated solution all appropriate details of students approved for graduation are automatically updated. From there administration staff can prepare and issue all appropriate communications, record acceptances, payments, number of guests attending and so forth. Venues can be managed and seating and conferring lists prepared, updated and prepared again. QuercusPlus provides a single source of all of the details needed for a smooth and success graduation ceremony.
And in addition it goes one step further and acts as the CRM system for managing all communications with students post graduation – from the issuing of newsletters through to the request for donations and notifications of reunions.
Statutory Returns
Two simple words but a mind field of complexity in reality. Preparing and submitting statutory returns to bodies such as HESA and HEA can be a nightmare for universities. We are confident that QuercusPlus is the market leader with its statutory return module. Why? Because we built it in conjunction with the bodies themselves, and our clients. QuercusPlus automates the production and population of the annual reports required by HESA and its counter parts. The accuracy and quality of the reports is unrivalled.
Reporting and Analytics
Like all good systems QuercusPlus comes out of the box with standard management information reports for all levels of the organizations – from registrar to administrator.
In addition we know people always want to know more so we enable our clients to analyse and interpret the data themselves providing customized reporting tools and techniques that are easy for administrators to use without expert IT or programmers support.