Cloud Nine Experiences: Louisiana State University’s Journey to StarRez Cloud

Louisiana State University (LSU) Residential Life has long been committed to delivering an exceptional living experience for its students. Over the past decade, the university has seen significant growth, with enrollment surging year after year. Accommodating these increasing numbers has brought its own set of challenges, particularly for the Residential Life department, which oversees housing for over 8,000 students. Kilbert Spland, Associate Director of Technology at LSU Residential Life, leads the team responsible for managing the technological infrastructure that supports room selection, access control, and other essential services.

In the face of this growth, LSU recognized the need for technology systems to scale and adapt to the growth of the institution. The manual processes and on-premises infrastructure that once served them well were no longer sufficient. With these limitations becoming more apparent, LSU made the pivotal decision to migrate to StarRez Cloud, a move that would dramatically improve their efficiency and student experiences.

When Growth Outpaces Tech

Louisiana State University’s housing population has experienced a remarkable surge over the last 12 years, growing from approximately 5,000 students to over 8,000 today. As LSU welcomes record-breaking first-year classes year after year, the increased demand for housing quickly outpaced their existing systems. Kilbert Spland recalls challenges his team faced over the last few years:  

"We had record-breaking first-year classes, and the increased student demand put a strain on our team and what they could manage."

-Kilbert Spland, Associate Director of Technology, Louisiana State University

With just a seven-person IT team responsible for managing housing technology and an on-premise solution causing delays, LSU found itself bogged down with time-consuming manual processes. Tasks like granting and revoking access to student rooms through the university’s access control systems, ASSA ABLOY’s Persona and Transact systems became particularly burdensome. Managing room access could take up to two hours a day, leaving little time for other critical IT tasks.

The limitations of LSU's on-premises infrastructure became painfully clear during peak portal times, such as room selection periods. The system could only support a limited number of users at once, causing frequent delays and downtime. "We would get flooded with calls from frustrated students during room selection periods because the system couldn’t handle the traffic," Spland recalls. These recurring issues highlighted the need to pivot.

Out of the Server Room, Into the Cloud

In response to these challenges, LSU Residential Life explored alternatives to their on-premise setup, ultimately deciding to migrate to StarRez Cloud. The decision was driven by the need to enhance system capacity, automate manual processes, and improve the overall experience for students and staff alike.

"Moving to the Cloud was a game changer," Spland states. The most immediate benefit was a substantial increase in system capacity. After migrating to StarRez Cloud, LSU saw a 183% increase in concurrent portal users, alleviating bottlenecks and allowing students to complete housing tasks without delays. Spland highlights the impact: "This year, we didn’t get a single complaint about access issues. The Cloud has completely resolved that problem."

Automation also played a crucial role in LSU's improved efficiency. Before the migration, processes like room changes and cancellations required hours of manual input. With StarRez Cloud, these updates now run automatically every 10 minutes, drastically reducing the workload for LSU’s IT team. "Our team of seven is still small, but automation has saved us countless hours," Spland explains. "We’re no longer bogged down with manual work, and the system updates itself in real time."

The Cloud migration also allowed LSU to reduce its reliance on hardware, cutting down from five on-premises servers to just two. This has not only streamlined maintenance efforts but also improved data security and paved the way for future integrations with other campus systems such as Workday and Slate.

Real-Time Results for Residential Life Staff

Since adopting StarRez Cloud, LSU Residential Life has experienced significant improvements in both operational efficiency and communication with students, freeing up valuable time for staff to focus on strategic initiatives. Procedures that once took hours, such as processing enrollment data from Slate, are now completed in just 10 to 15 minutes. "The Cloud has opened up new possibilities for us," Spland notes.

Beyond efficiency gains, the migration has transformed how LSU communicates with students. The built-in SMS functionality and automated email notifications have streamlined communication, particularly when it comes to room assignments and changes. Previously, staff had to manually send emails to students and their roommates—now, the system handles this automatically. This not only improves communication speed but also allows staff to concentrate on more pressing housing operations.

StarRez Cloud has also enhanced LSU’s ability to manage emergency situations. During environmental emergencies, LSU is now able to use the Cloud’s communication tools to quickly provide updates to students who remain on campus. For example, through hurricanes events, the LSU team was able to send text messages to students about safety procedures, available dining locations, and continuous updates without hesitation. "That’s something we wouldn’t have been able to do as effectively with our old system," Spland remarks.

Additionally, the self-service options available through StarRez Cloud have empowered students to manage many of their housing needs independently. Whether scheduling appointments, requesting room changes, or applying for end-of-semester extensions, students can now complete these tasks on their own time.

The transition to StarRez Cloud has been transformative for LSU Residential Life, delivering tangible improvements across the board. This shift has allowed a reduction in manual workload for hall staff, enabling them to focus on enhancing the overall student experience. Looking forward, Spland and his team are excited to explore new features within the platform, particularly around data management and reporting. Real-time dashboards and enhanced workflows are just a few of the tools they plan to leverage to further streamline operations.

"We’re now in a position where we can handle the growth of our student population and the increasing demands that come with it. StarRez Cloud has given us the tools we need to better serve our residents and create a more efficient housing operation."

-Kilbert Spland, Associate Director of Technology, Louisiana State University

Connect with us to learn how moving to the Cloud will benefit you and your team.