Blackboard Recognizes Pioneers in Campus Services
03 May, 2005
category: Education
At its recent users conference in Baltimore, Blackboard recognized Louisiana State University and Creighton University with its first annual Campus Service Pioneer Award. This award is designed to recognize innovative programs utilizing Blackboard’s Commerce Suite and includes a $2,500 award to each school. Next year’s recognition will include two $5,000 awards.
WASHINGTON, DC, May 03, 2005 – Blackboard Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBB) is pleased to announce a special award presented to Creighton University and Louisiana State University for innovative programs each has implemented with the Blackboard Commerce Suite(TM). Representatives from each school were recognized in April at the 7th Annual Blackboard Users Conference in Baltimore, MD, as a lead-up to a new Campus Services Pioneer Award Program which will launch this fall.
The new annual award program will recognize and reward members of the Blackboard Community who show innovative use of the Blackboard Commerce Suite. The Blackboard Commerce Suite consists of three independent, yet integrated software programs which allow all members of a campus community to use a universal account for various on- and off-campus activities, purchases and access.
The Campus Services Pioneer Award will recognize two Blackboard clients who demonstrate the following criteria through use of the Blackboard Commerce Suite:
– Vision for enabling a Networked Transaction Environment(TM)
– Relevance and usefulness to the greater campus community
– Innovation of product use
– Transformation and operation of campus services through Blackboard
technology
– Integration among disparate transaction solutions
Both Louisiana State University and Creighton University are being recognized for demonstrating these qualities on their campuses and enabling Networked Transaction Environments. A Networked Transaction Environment exists when any student, teacher or member of the campus community can use a universal account on campus, off campus and online for all commerce transactions, activities and facilities access and web services.
Louisiana State University (LSU) is being recognized for significant enhancements to the campus community after licensing The Blackboard Transaction System(TM) and BbOne(TM) program last year. Following the transition to Blackboard, students and faculty at LSU enjoyed significantly greater use of the Tiger Card program, which is enabled through Blackboard’s Commerce Suite.
“We saw more than a 100% increase in our pay-for-print program, over 85% increase in use of vending services and more than 300% increase in use of laundry facilities with the Tigercard since we moved to Blackboard,” said Mark Kraner, Director, Contracted Auxiliary Services at Louisiana State University. “This clearly demonstrates the value our campus community members find in this program. Our school is thrilled to be highlighted as a leader in innovative technology for campus services.”
Creighton University is using the entire Blackboard Commerce Suite to improve service to students in a variety of ways that will lead to the ultimate goal of creating a totally cashless campus. As each year passes the program grows and matures. This year’s addition of the Blackboard Community System(TM) is enabling student commerce over the Web and making even the task of paying a parking ticket as simple as shopping on-line.
“We are always growing our program. We are making plans to expand services deeper into the Creighton community,” said Brenda Hovden, Director of Card Services at Creighton. “Students and faculty are looking for ways to access additional off-campus vendors and want more services through our e-Commerce application, with even easier access to all these services via wireless technology. We are also currently looking to enhance the school’s transaction system with an application which provides integrated door/gate access replacing our current independent model.”
“I am honored to be selected as one of the first recipients of the Campus Service Pioneer Award and accept this recognition on behalf of my campus and colleagues who made this possible,” Hovden added.
“Brenda is more than just an ‘early adopter’ of emerging technologies, she pushes [the program] to stay at the forefront of customer expectations,” said Daniel Burkey, Creighton’s Vice President for Administration and Finance.
“We are pleased to open up this new award program to schools that are enriching the educational experience for their students and campus community members with the Blackboard Commerce Suite,” said Jim Hermens, Director of Global Services at Blackboard. “We expect to hear many innovative examples of how our clients are using our products, and hope this new program will foster a new energy and awareness in the market of transaction systems.”