slingshot

Our Baseline is Simple

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 17:19:20 GMT

Our Baseline is Simple

Slingshot's Equitable Access program provides required course materials before the first day of class, setting students up for success and helping them achieve their academic goals.

Starting a new semester is always an exciting time for students, but it can also be incredibly stressful. One of the biggest stressors is not having all the required course materials before the first day of class. This can leave students feeling unprepared, and anxious, and even put them at a disadvantage compared to their peers.

At Slingshot, we understand the importance of starting the semester off on the right foot, which is why our Equitable Access (EA) program ensures that all students have their required course materials before the first day of class. This means no more scrambling to find the right textbooks, and no more worrying about whether you have everything you need to succeed - with Slingshot, you'll have all the materials you need, delivered right to your doorstep.

But why is having course materials by the first day of class so important? Simply put, it sets students up for success. When students have all the materials they need, they can hit the ground running and get started on their coursework right away. This gives them a head start and helps them stay on track throughout the semester.

On the other hand, when students don't have all the required materials, they may fall behind in their coursework or struggle to keep up with their peers. This can lead to stress and anxiety, and even impact their grades and overall academic performance.

At Slingshot, we believe that every student deserves the best chance at success, which is why we're committed to providing affordable and accessible course materials. Our EA program ensures that all students, regardless of their financial circumstances, have the materials they need to excel in their studies.

So don't let the stress, of course, materials hold you back. Join the Slingshot revolution and start your semester off on the right foot. With Slingshot, you'll have all the materials you need before the first day of class, setting you up for success and helping you achieve your academic goals.

5 Study Spots Besides the Library

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 17:11:05 GMT

5 Study Spots Besides the Library

Discover five alternative study spots that can help boost your productivity and creativity!

As a student, it’s important to mix things up when it comes to studying. While the library is a classic study spot, sometimes you need a change of scenery to get your creativity flowing and your productivity levels up. Plus, who doesn’t love a little variety in their study routine? So, if you’re looking for a new spot to hit the books, we’ve got you covered.

Here are five student study spots that are anything but ordinary:

1. Dorm

Your dorm room can provide a surprisingly effective study spot. It’s a space you’re familiar with, which can help you feel more relaxed and comfortable as you work. Plus, you can create a study environment that’s tailored to your preferences and avoid the hassle of commuting to another location.

2. Coffee Shop

There’s nothing like a good cup of coffee to get your brain buzzing. Studying in a coffee shop can provide the perfect atmosphere for concentration, and it’s a great excuse to indulge in a latte or two.

3. Hammock

Who knew the dining hall could double as a study spot? With plenty of tables and chairs and easy access to snacks, it’s a great option for a change of scenery.

4. Dinning Hall

Who knew the dining hall could double as a study spot? With plenty of tables and chairs and easy access to snacks, it’s a great option for a change of scenery.

5. Classroom

Once class is over, why not stick around and snag a free desk in an empty classroom? You’ll have plenty of space to spread out your books, and you’ll feel like a secret agent hiding out in a top-secret location. Always get permission of course.

At Slingshot, we understand that finding the right study spot is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to academic success. That's why we're committed to providing affordable and accessible course materials to students so that they have everything they need to excel in their studies.

How to Create an Effective Study Schedule

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 17:07:50 GMT

How to Create an Effective Study Schedule

Master your study schedule and discover 7 ways to create an effective study plan

As a college student, creating an effective study schedule can be the difference between success and failure. With so many responsibilities, deadlines, and distractions, it can be tough to stay on track and make the most of your study time. But fear not - with a little planning and discipline, you can create a study schedule that works for you and helps you achieve your academic goals.

Here are seven ways to create an effective study schedule:

1. Identify Your Peak Hours

Are you a morning person or a night owl? Do you work best after a cup of coffee, or do you need some time to wake up? Figure out when you're most alert and productive and schedule your most challenging tasks during that time.

2. Set Realistic Goals

Don't try to conquer the world in one study session. Set realistic goals that you can achieve, whether it's reading a certain number of pages, mastering a new concept, or completing a specific task.

3. Prioritize Your Tasks

Prioritize your tasks based on their importance and deadline. Focus on the most critical tasks first and then move on to the less pressing ones.

4. Allow for Breaks

Taking breaks is essential to avoid burnout and maintain focus. Schedule short breaks between study sessions to recharge your batteries and avoid mental fatigue.

5. Be Flexible

Life happens, and sometimes your study schedule needs to change. Be flexible and adjust your schedule as needed to accommodate unexpected events or changing priorities.

6. Use Tech to Your Advantage

There are many great study apps and tools available that can help you stay organized, track your progress, and even block distractions.

7. Track Your Progress

Keep track of your progress and celebrate your accomplishments. Seeing your progress can motivate you to keep going and give you a sense of accomplishment.

Creating an effective study schedule takes time and effort, but it's worth it in the long run. With a little planning, discipline, and flexibility, you can achieve your academic goals and succeed in your studies. Remember, at the end of the day, it's not about working harder, it's about working smarter.

7 Study Tips for Students

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 16:58:04 GMT

7 Study Tips for Students

Uncover seven effective study tips for a productive study session!

Studying can be a challenge, but with the right approach, it can also be fun and rewarding. Whether you're just starting out in college or you're a seasoned student, these seven study tips will help you become a better learner and achieve your academic goals.

1. Create a Schedule

A study schedule is essential for staying organized and managing your time effectively. Set aside specific times for studying and stick to your schedule as much as possible.

2. Find a Study Place

Find a study spot that works for you, whether it's a quiet corner in the library or a cozy coffee shop. Experiment with different locations and find what works best for you.

3. Use Active Learning Techniques

Active learning techniques, such as taking notes, summarizing information, and teaching others, can help you engage with the material and retain information more effectively.

4. Take Breaks

Taking breaks is essential for maintaining focus and avoiding burnout. Schedule short breaks between study sessions to recharge your batteries and avoid mental fatigue.

5. Collaborate with Peers

Studying with others can help you stay motivated and gain new perspectives on the material. Find a study group or a study buddy and work together to achieve your academic goals.

6. Get Adequate Sleep

Getting enough sleep is essential for academic success. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night and prioritize your sleep schedule to ensure you're well-rested and alert during your study sessions.

7. Manage Stress

Stress can be a major barrier to effective studying. Practice stress-management techniques such as exercise, deep breathing, or meditation to help you stay calm and focused during challenging times.

By following these seven study tips, you can become a better learner and achieve academic success. So, grab your course materials, find your study spot, and let's get to work!

Top 5 Trends in College Campus Stores

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 16:54:40 GMT

Top 5 Trends in College Campus Stores

Stay updated with what’s happening in College Store design!

Every school has its own campus store, however, these are the top 5 trends we have discovered throughout all college campus stores.

1. Elevated Service Experience

With subscription models like Slingshot, students have more time and less decision fatigue when their materials are delivered for them in one personalized package to their front door.

2. Equitable Access (EA)

For one low, predictable fee embedded in tuition, students receive all course materials by the first day of class. EA’e benefits include lower costs for students, improved access to materials, better academic outcomes, and the timely use of financial aid.

3. Removing Course Materials from the Campus Store

If course materials are sourced from another location, like a distribution center, you have room for innovative merchandise and unique spaces.

4. Centralizing Auxiliary Services

Centralizing auxiliary services to one location in the campus store can drive foot traffic to the store and revive struggling revenue-generating services.

5. Unique General Merchandise

Stores are offering institutional retro branding, responsibly sourced clothing, and taking inspiration from some of the most trendy brands in the market.

4 Reasons to Partner with Slingshot

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 16:45:45 GMT

4 Reasons to Partner with Slingshot

Discover 4 main reasons to partner with us

As an academic leader, you're constantly looking for ways to improve the educational experience for your students. That's where Slingshot comes in. With our innovative approach to course materials, we can help you provide affordable and accessible materials to your students, while also streamlining the process for your faculty and staff.

Here are four reasons why you should partner with Slingshot:

Partnering with Slingshot can help you provide a better educational experience for your students, while also reducing costs and streamlining processes for your faculty and staff. We're committed to innovation, accessibility, and affordability, and we'd love to work with you to create a tailored solution that meets your unique needs. Contact us today to learn more about our course materials solutions and how we can help you achieve your academic goals.

What's Your Learning Style?

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 16:28:37 GMT

What's Your Learning Style?

Ever wonder what your preferred learning style is? Scroll through to learn more!

As a college student, you probably already know that everyone has their own unique way of learning. Some people prefer hands-on experiences, while others like to read and write notes. Still, others thrive on visual aids and diagrams, or by listening to lectures and discussions. That's why it's important to identify your learning style so you can study in a way that works best for you.

Here are the five different learning styles and how they can help you:

1. Visual Learners

These learners understand information best through pictures, diagrams, and other visual aids. If you're a visual learner, try using color-coded notes, mind maps, or other visual aids to help you better understand the material.

2. Auditory Learners

These learners process information best through hearing and speaking, such as through lectures or discussions. If you're an auditory learner, try recording your lectures or discussions, or explaining concepts to a study buddy.

3. Kinesthetic Learners

These learners learn best through hands-on experiences and physical activities. If you're a kinesthetic learner, try using interactive study tools, like flashcards or games, or physically acting out concepts to help you remember them.

4. Reading/Writing Learners

These learners prefer to learn through reading and writing, such as note-taking. If you're a reading/writing learner, try summarizing concepts in writing or creating outlines to help you remember key information.

5. Multimodal Learners

These learners use a combination of different learning styles and may benefit from a variety of teaching methods. If you're a multimodal learner, try incorporating different study techniques and switching up your approach to keep things interesting.

At Slingshot, we understand that every student has their own unique way of learning. That's why we offer a variety, of course, materials in different formats, including digital and physical options, to accommodate different learning styles. By providing students with the tools they need to learn in a way that works best for them, we can help them achieve their academic goals and succeed in college.

So, what's your learning style?

By identifying your learning style and using it to your advantage, you can make the most of your study time and achieve academic success.

3 Problems Solved By Equitable Access

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 16:21:28 GMT

3 Problems Solved By Equitable Access (EA)

Equitable Access solves a lot of problems....Uncover 3 of the big ones!

As an academic leader, you know that providing course materials can be a significant expense for students, and faculty can spend a significant amount of time searching for the best materials for their courses. Slingshot's Equitable Access program offers a solution to these challenges. Our program provides faculty members with the freedom to choose the best materials and format for their courses while ensuring that students have access to all required materials. By partnering with Slingshot, you can simplify the course material procurement process, reduce costs, and help students succeed.

As a college student, you know that course materials can be a significant expense, often adding up to hundreds of dollars each semester. Additionally, it can be challenging for faculty to find the best materials for their course and for students to track down all the required materials. That's where Slingshot's Equitable Access program comes in.

Here are three challenges that our program solves and the solutions we offer:

CHALLENGE #1: Faculty want academic freedom to adopt the format that works best for their course and student population.

SOLUTION: At Slingshot, we understand that faculty members need the freedom to choose the best format and materials for their courses. That's why we work closely with faculty to determine the best mix of course materials, while still allowing them to maintain academic freedom and control over the format of their courses.

CHALLENGE #2: Course material costs are still very unpredictable.

SOLUTION: Equitable Access reduces course materials costs to one predictable fee, automatically charged to the student's account each semester. This eliminates the need for students to track down and purchase individual materials and helps faculty budget for course materials more accurately.

CHALLENGE #3: Students in an inclusive access program may still be responsible for finding some of their course materials.

SOLUTION: Equitable Access provides all materials for all courses in an auto-fulfillment model. This means that students receive all of their required course materials, regardless of their financial situation or ability to track down the materials on their own.

By providing a comprehensive solution to course materials, Slingshot's Equitable Access program helps students save money, simplifies the course material procurement process for faculty, and ensures that all students have access to the materials they need to succeed. If you're looking for a more affordable and accessible way to access course materials, consider partnering with Slingshot and implementing our Equitable Access program on your campus.

Learn more about Slingshot’s equitable access model at slingshotedu.com/equitable-access .

5 Reasons Students Love Subscriptions

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 15:40:46 GMT

5 Reasons Students Love Subscriptions

Convenience, savings, and more: Why subscriptions are the future of course materials

As a student, managing the costs of course materials can be a significant source of stress. However, with Slingshot's Equitable Access subscription model, students can access all required course materials at an affordable price.

Here are five reasons why students love subscriptions:

1. CONVENIENCE

With a course material subscription, all required materials are delivered directly to your doorstep before the start of each semester. This eliminates the need to search for and purchase individual materials from different retailers.

2. PREDICTABILITY

With a subscription model, the cost, of course, materials is predictable and easy to budget for. This helps students better plan for their academic expenses and reduces the financial burden of buying textbooks and other materials.

3. CUSTOMIZATION

.Slingshot's Equitable Access program offers students the ability to choose their preferred format for course materials, whether it's physical or digital. This flexibility allows students to learn in a way that best suits their needs, making it easier to engage with course material and improve academic performance. By allowing students to choose the format that works best for them, Slingshot's Equitable Access program offers a more personalized and effective learning experience.

4. SAVINGS

By subscribing to course materials, students can save money compared to buying individual materials at retail prices. This can make a significant difference in a student's overall expenses, helping them to better manage their finances.

5. FLEXIBILITY

Slingshot's subscription model offers flexibility in terms of how students access course materials. With a mix of physical and digital materials, students can choose the format that works best for their learning styles and preferences.

At Slingshot, we believe that our Equitable Access subscription model is a game-changer for students. By providing a convenient, predictable, customized, and affordable solution to course materials, students can focus on their studies and achieve their academic goals without the added stress of managing course materials costs. Try our subscription model and see how it can help students succeed in college!

4 Tips to Find Your Passion in College

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 15:30:34 GMT

4 Tips to Find Your Passion in College

Discover your secret sauce! Practical advice for college students on finding your passion

As a college student, you have the unique opportunity to explore different subjects, activities, and career paths. However, with so many options available, it can be challenging to know where to focus your time and energy.

Here are four tips to help you find your passion in college:

Try New Things

College is an excellent time to explore new interests and activities. Take advantage of clubs, organizations, and classes that are outside your comfort zone. This can help you discover new passions and interests you never knew existed.

Reflect on Past Experiences

Think about activities or classes you enjoyed in high school or earlier in life. What did you enjoy about them? What skills or knowledge did you gain from them? Reflecting on your past experiences can help you identify patterns and discover areas of interest.

Seek Opportunities for Growth

Look for opportunities to learn and grow in areas that interest you. This could mean taking on a leadership role in a club, pursuing an internship in your field of interest, or attending events related to your passions.

Talk to People in Your Field

Networking is a great way to learn more about potential career paths and discover new opportunities. Reach out to professionals in fields that interest you and ask them about their experiences and advice for getting started.

By following these tips, you can start to discover your passions and interests in college. Remember, finding your passion takes time and effort, but with the right mindset and approach, you can find a path that brings you fulfillment and success.

What Drives Us: Our Core Values

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 17:32:36 GMT

What Drives Us: Our Core Values

We are a values-driven organization, scroll through to learn more!

At Slingshot, we're driven by our core values. These values guide everything we do and help us stay focused on our mission to provide affordable and accessible course materials to students.

Here's a closer look at our three core values and how they shape our approach to education:

Character: It Matters

At Slingshot, we believe that character matters. We hold ourselves to the highest ethical and professional standards, and we believe that honesty, integrity, and transparency are essential for building trust with our partners and customers

Relationships: It's Personal

We believe that relationships are personal, and we strive to build strong, collaborative partnerships with our customers and partners. We don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach that doesn’t account for unique needs. We take the time to get to know our schools and understand their distinctive demands, so we can provide the best possible solutions.

Innovation: Never Satisfied

We're constantly pushing the boundaries of what's possible and striving to improve our solutions through innovation. We believe that there's always room for improvement, and we're committed to staying ahead of the curve and finding new ways to provide affordable and accessible course materials to students.

At Slingshot, we're dedicated to helping students achieve their academic goals by providing affordable and accessible course materials. With our personalized approach and focus on innovation, we believe we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of students and institutions across the country.

So, we ask you: Are you ready to take the next step in providing affordable and accessible course materials to your students? Are you looking for a partner who understands your specific requirements and can deliver tailored solutions that work for you? If so, we're here to help.

Contact us today to learn more about our course materials solutions and how we can help you achieve your academic goals. Together, we can make education more accessible and affordable for everyone.

7 Questions To Ask When Finding An EA Partner

mshepherd@slingshotedu.com (Mark Shepherd) — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 14:45:01 GMT

7 Questions to Ask When Finding an EA Partner

As the cost of education continues to rise, finding ways to reduce financial barriers and increase access to course materials has become a crucial priority for colleges and universities. One solution that has gained traction in recent years is the use of equitable access (EA) course material providers. These providers work with institutions to ensure that all students have access to the materials they need to succeed, regardless of their financial resources or other circumstances.

But with so many EA providers out there, it can be tricky to find the right one for your institution. That's why it's important to ask the right questions when evaluating potential partners. In this blog post, we'll explore some key questions to ask when looking for an EA provider

By working with an EA provider that takes a holistic approach to addressing the needs of all students, colleges and universities can help to reduce financial and logistical barriers to education and create a more inclusive and equitable learning environment for all. So, let's dive in and explore what to look for in an equitable access course material provider.

questions to ask:

1. How do you ensure that all students have access to the course materials they need, regardless of the timing of their financial aid?

2. What measures do you have in place to reduce the cost of course materials for students, such as used or rental options, digital versions of texts, or free or low-cost resources?

3. Do you have a process in place to review and update course materials on a regular basis, to ensure that they are accurate, up-to-date, and relevant?

4. How do you work with faculty to ensure that they have the resources and support they need to choose the most appropriate course materials for their courses?

5. How do you ensure that students have access to the course materials they need, even if they are taking classes remotely or in an online format?

6. Can you support supplies and other non-textbook items in your equitable access model?

7. Do you have a track record of working with colleges and universities to provide equitable access to course materials? If so, can you provide examples or case studies of your work in this area?

Equitable access to course materials is an important issue for colleges and universities to consider, as it can have a significant impact on students' ability to succeed in their studies. By choosing an equitable access course material provider that takes a holistic approach to addressing the needs of all students, colleges and universities can help to reduce financial and logistical barriers to education and create a more inclusive and equitable learning environment for all. So, it is important for colleges and universities to carefully consider their options and choose a provider that is committed to supporting the success of all students.

The Future of Course Materials and the Campus Store: 2022 Blog Recap

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 14:09:48 GMT

The Future of Course Materials & the Campus Store: 2022 Blog Recap

In 2022, we revealed our predictions about the future of course materials and the campus store. From equitable access to electric skateboards, we believe disruption is the next great thing to happen for campus bookstores.

If you aren’t caught up, we’ve got you covered. Here’s what we shared this last year:

4.) Is shipping the most important part of the course materials experience?

One of the key ingredients to cooking up a happy customer experience at Slingshot is our logistics strategy. We start with distribution centers, which relieve individual campus stores from the burden of storing inventory throughout the year. We also care about the student’s preference, and in all service models, students have the option of delivery to their home address, pick-up at the campus store, or delivery to their campus residence hall. Backed by the latest technology and innovation, institutions can leverage a solid logistics strategy to achieve on-time delivery and improve student preparedness for the first day of class.

Learn more about Slingshot’s approach to logistics here .

3.) Contrary to some opinions, you don’t need try inclusive access before rolling out equitable access at your institution.

Equitable access actually provides solutions to many of the challenges institutions are facing—specifically solutions that inclusive access can’t tackle. Academic freedom, predictable course material costs, and the burden on students of acquiring their remaining materials are just a few. Skipping straight to equitable access reduces confusion and maximizes the financial and academic benefits for students and the institution.

See how equitable access actually solves some of the challenges presented by inclusive access.

The old “find and acquire” model is often the first test of every college student—a test of their resourcefulness, that is. This is neither an equitable nor an acceptable model if we want every student to start on even ground and have the fundamental tools necessary to succeed in academia. What does Moore say about the future of course materials, and how is our current trajectory impacting marginalized populations of students?

Learn more about Moore’s predictions for the future of course materials.

2.) The top trend in campus stores right now isn’t adding but instead removing responsibility from students and staff.

The traditional counter service model places the burden of acquiring materials from the campus store on students, but today’s new subscription model removes course materials from the store floor and ships them directly to the student from a warehouse or distribution center. This creates a more optimized in-store experience and ensures on-time delivery of all required materials with less stress for students and store staff.

Read about the other three trends happening in campus stores today.

1.) Research Scientist Dr. Mike Moore believes IA, EA, and OER are changing the landscape for students and institutions.

Learn more about Moore’s predictions for the future of course materials.

Want to read more course materials news? See what else you may have missed on Slingshot’s website at slingshotedu.com/news .

Equitable Access: The Future of Course Materials

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 16:50:45 GMT

Equitable Access: The Future of Course Materials

Disclaimer: Dr. Mike Moore is a Research Scientist at the University of New Hampshire. This blog is not an endorsement of any product or service, but his opinion as expert in course materials intervention research.

Higher education is experiencing a revolutionary boon in the course materials acquisitions and delivery process. The predominant and archaic “find and acquire” models of course materials are being torn down. They are being replaced by models designed to eliminate barriers students face in access to and cost of course materials.

The use and adoption of Inclusive Access (IA), Equitable Access (EA), and Open Educational Resources (OER) are changing the landscape for college students and higher education across the United States. All three of these revolutionary models are designed to remove students the from the course materials acquisitions process.

Revolutionary Movement

The removal of students from the acquisitions process is a critical element of course materials’ paradigm shifting movement. The “find and acquire” models of course materials acquisitions require to students to figure out what materials they need and where to find them and then decide if they have the financial resources to pay for them.

This model may be fine for a large segment of our college and university students, but some of higher education’s most underrepresented student populations suffer aspiration-altering setbacks before they even get into the classroom. With “find and acquire” models, the first metric used to assess a college student is not their ability to master new material or understand new concepts, but it is their ability to be resourceful or have resources. This is no longer an acceptable or sustainable practice.

Equitable Access

What is Equitable Access? Equitable Access is a whole campus course materials acquisitions model where every student in every section of every course across the entire campus is provided required course materials on or before the first day of class. Generally, students pay a discounted rate for their course materials, but are not required to pay up front for them. Student Bursar accounts are charged a per-credit-hour or flat fee for all their course materials regardless of course or program type.

More importantly, course materials content is delivered digitally through the Learning Management System (LMS). This allows every student in every course to walk into class on day one with their course materials without having to battle the resource barriers of the find-and-acquire models. There are different versions of Equitable Access that include print, rental, and digital options. However, a digital-first approach to Equitable Access may have the strongest benefit for students in terms of access. If you are not using a digital-first approach, you are re-entering students into the acquisitions process. This negates one of the strongest benefits of this revolutionary course materials model.

Future of Course Materials

I have written about IA and OER , but I believe that Equitable Access may represent the future of course materials acquisitions and delivery. The main reason is that it incorporates both the publisher-driven content of Inclusive Access and the open access content of OER. The combination of available content ensures that faculty can use whatever material suits their pedagogical needs. This further supports faculty’s academic freedom and ability to deliver teaching and learning methods that align with their (and their institution’s) vision of education and instruction.

Equitable Access Research

Participation in an Equitable Access program on a campus is not a requirement. Students can opt-out of their campus’s EA program and revert to the archaic “find and acquire” models if they so choose. However, my research on Equitable Access programs and course completion rates suggests that students who opt out of an EA program are 15.5% less likely to complete a course than those who stayed in the program.

The disparity in course completion rates between participants and non-participants is only exacerbated when we look at the impact on opting out for Black students and Federal Pell Grant recipients. Black students who opted out of their EA program were 21% less likely to complete a course, and Pell Grant students who opted out were 17% less likely to complete a course. So, while the opt-out provision is a student’s right, the early research on EA and course completion rates indicates staying in the program is more beneficial to supporting a student’s academic progress and degree attainment.

Final Thoughts

This revolutionary paradigm shift in higher education course materials is not going to slow down. In fact, the adoption of these revolutionary models will only continue to grow. My research and the work of a few others shows that these models are impacting students beyond the cost savings. These models are helping students in their academic pursuits and eventual degree or credential attainment. Furthermore, Equitable Access provides an equal footing when students enter the classroom. No longer are less resourced students forced to make difficult decisions between paying for their course materials and basic needs like food or rent.

Bio: Dr. Mike Moore is a Research Scientist in the Education Department at the University of New Hampshire. Mike’s research focus is understanding how course materials interventions impact higher education beyond the potential cost savings for students. He has completed two quantitative studies on Inclusive Access’s impact on student success rates and the first ever study to examine the impact of Equitable Access on course completion rates. Prior to moving into academia, Mike worked on the front lines of the college bookstore industry. This experience provides Mike a unique perspective in understanding the real-world implications of his research and how the cost of and access to course materials impacts students.

The Top 5 Trends in College Stores

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 18:53:52 GMT

Top 5 Trends in College Campus Stores

Is your college’s campus store keeping up with the latest trends in service and merchandise? Trends in retail change fast, but it’s important to know what they are and how they could impact your store’s success.

Slingshot’s Kara Bunde-Dunn, Chief Sales Officer, presented a NACAS webinar on recent trends this fall with Lorelle Davies, VP of Finance and CFO at Columbia Gorge Community College. Here’s a summary of their presentation.

1.) Elevated Service Experiences

Traditional counter service models put the burden of materials acquisition on students, but the latest trend aims to remove students from the acquisition process. Dorm delivery ensures students receive all their materials on time and reduces the amount of time needed to find and acquire their materials. Even in non-traditional academic settings, the campus store can be structured to package and deliver materials to off-campus addresses by the first day of class. With subscription models like Slingshot, students also have more time and less decision fatigue when their materials are delivered for them in one personalized package to their front door.

2.) Equitable access (ea)

For one low, predictable fee embedded in tuition, students receive all course materials by the first day of class. EA’s benefits include lower costs for students, improved access to materials, better academic outcomes, and the timely use of financial aid. EA also offers academic freedom for faculty, meaning they are not limited to digital materials, which is often the case with Inclusive Access programs. EA can also be used for more than textbooks—supplies are included!

For the campus store, this model means greater student satisfaction and ease of use ecosystem. Before implementing EA, institutions should:

Educate stakeholders (students, faculty, and staff) effectively to prepare them for the switch
Get faculty feedback and buy-in during the decision-making process
Have a resident EA expert at the institution for questions and troubleshooting
Decide how the partnership with the physical store will look and operate

3.) removing course materials from the campus store

It’s simple—the less space you need to house inventory, the more space you have to create a visually stimulating retail store. If course materials are sourced from another location, like a distribution center, you have room for innovative merchandise and unique spaces, like a t-shirt vending machine, a technology bar, charging stations, lounge spaces, or even a coffee bar in partnership with your food service vendor.

4.) centralizing auxiliary services

Institutions are recognizing that the campus bookstore can be merged with other auxiliary services like the print shop and mail room to create greater financial and operational efficiencies. Centralizing auxiliary services to one location in the campus store can drive foot traffic to the store and revive struggling revenue-generating services. It can also help consolidate staff and management, leading to cost savings and a potentially smaller footprint in the institution’s facilities.

5.) unique general merchandise

Does Your Institution Need to Try Inclusive Access Before Equitable Access?

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 20:21:51 GMT

Does Your Institution Need to Try Inclusive Access Before Equitable Access?

ia before ea?

As institutions try to improve academic outcomes and affordability, they can take a closer look at one key piece of the student experience: course materials. Many schools are now considering a newer model called inclusive access, which delivers course materials in a digital format and automatically bills the student’s account. Access to course materials on the first day of class is a key predictor in student success, which is why this model has gained some traction in higher education.

But is inclusive access (IA) the first step toward equitable access (EA), and should your institution try it first?

The simple answer is no, you can skip right to EA! But first, let’s understand Inclusive Access.

IA offers consolidated billing and the automatic fulfillment (and return) of digital course materials through the LMS. It saves students money in some cases by using digital materials instead of new print materials. Students reap the benefits of discounted pricing from publishers and can opt out by course. The institution also has a greater market share than a traditional counter service delivery model.

On the other hand, the IA model decreases the margin for the campus bookstore by using digital materials. It also fails to solve the problem of ensuring all materials are delivered by the first day of class, as students may need to acquire materials for any courses not using the IA model . Sometimes professors will link students directly to publishers to purchase their materials outside of the IA program.

Any time students are responsible for acquiring their own materials and paying out of pocket for them, they face issues of affordability, preparedness for class, and additional stress. These factors can contribute to lower retention rates and academic performance.

Recently, Equitable Access (EA) emerged in the industry as a more student-focused delivery method. It’s similar to IA in that it offers auto-fulfillment and automatic billing to the student’s account. But EA takes a personalized approach, allowing faculty to select their preferred format for materials without requiring 100% digital content. EA also accommodates opting out (and back in) by semester and reduces the student’s costs to one predictable flat fee for all materials.

To better understand how EA compares, let’s look at how it creates greater accessibility for students:

CHALLENGE: Faculty want academic freedom to adopt the format that works best for their course and student population.

SOLUTION: EA tackles affordability concerns by offering a mix of physical and digital materials, curating the options that create the lowest possible cost for students. A partner like Slingshot can help faculty choose the best mix, while still allowing academic freedom to decide the best format for students.

CHALLENGE: Course material costs are still unpredictable.

SOLUTION: EA reduces course materials costs to one predictable fee automatically charged to the student’s account each semester. Pricing EA programs can be difficult on your own, but a partner like Slingshot can help with the development of a thriving EA program on your campus.

CHALLENGE : Students in an IA program may still be responsible for finding some of their course materials.

SOLUTION: EA provides all course materials for all courses in an auto-fulfillment model. Like IA, it is also a first-day access model, but it completely removes the burden of acquiring course materials from the student and ensures preparedness for class.

Slingshot’s EA model, Slingshot Premium, ships all materials by the first day of class, whether students are on campus, online, or at satellite locations. It’s a subscription model similar to Netflix with one price for all content. Slingshot leverages its relationships with publishers to negotiate better pricing and maintain academic freedom for faculty, and we work with your institution to customize a cost that offers the most benefit to your students.

Skipping straight to an EA model gives your students the maximum benefit and the most flexibility without the confusion of switching from IA to EA. With the right communication plan and a partner with plenty of experience rolling out EA programs, you can successfully launch a course materials model that fosters accessibility and affordability at your institution.

Learn more about Slingshot’s equitable access model at slingshotedu.com/equitable-access .

How Slingshot Delivers on or Before the First Day of Class, from Warehouse to Dorm Room

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 14:23:57 GMT

How Slingshot Delivers on or Before the First Day of Class, from Warehouse to Dorm Room

Companies can offer excellent customer service, user-friendly online ordering, and an affordable price, but a terrible shipping experience? That can ruin everything. This critical step in the e-commerce process is mostly invisible but behind it is a great deal of strategy and expertise.

Logistics is also the key to the Slingshot maxim “on or before the first day of class.” So, how exactly do we guarantee first-day access to course materials?

1. Coast to Coast Service Through Distribution Centers

Once a textbook is ordered from the publisher, it makes its way to one of our two distribution centers in Indiana or Nevada. Our newest distribution center in Las Vegas is part of our strategy to shorten shipping times and lower costs for our pool of expanding clients on the West Coast. Currently, the Las Vegas center serves one-third of Slingshot accounts.

2. A Strong Logistics Strategy

Inside the distribution center, the item, such as a textbook or a course pack, is assigned a serial ID and stored using a shelving schematic. From there, course materials wait for an order to be placed. In some cases, campus stores will fulfill their own orders, and the distribution center supplies their inventory. Slingshot also sells some inventory on the online marketplace, like Amazon and eBay.

3. Putting Students' Shipping Preferences First

After an order is placed, one of the logistics team members assembles the materials and it is shipped depending on the student’s delivery preference—either to campus, where their materials will be waiting at their residence hall when they arrive, or to the shipping address of their choosing. In either case, the Slingshot promise is still…

All students, all materials, by the first day of class, at an affordable price.

The logistics team also receives returned and rented books and prepares them for the next round of learners.

4. Pursuit of Better with Innovation and Technology

The logistics team is currently transitioning to a new software that will further streamline how the team supports partner schools and Slingshot as a whole. Mark Deisler, VP of Logistics, says he’s excited about what’s on the horizon.

“Innovation is definitely a part of our DNA,” he says. “Logistics is a resource for the entire company. We are here to help get whatever is needed done.”

5. Building and Maximizing Strong Relationships

The most frequently asked question we hear about logistics has to do with shipping times and troubleshooting shipping issues. Shipping is a top concern in the course materials industry right now because the entire shipping industry has been overwhelmed in the past couple of years. Between the growth of e-commerce and worsening supply chain issues, these obstacles have had trickle-down effect on consumers and businesses alike, including Slingshot. Mark spends a lot of time working with shipping representatives in the industry to troubleshoot those issues, and most importantly, he works to maintain good relationships with them. At Slingshot, we believe these relationships are equally critical to delivery “on or before the first day of class.”

Want to know more about what makes Slingshot logistics different? Read more about our course materials delivery models at slingshotedu.com/equitable-access .

The Top 5 Most Important Slingshot Blogs You May Have Missed

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 13:32:55 GMT

The Top 5 Most Important Slingshot Blogs You May Have Missed

Should higher education look more like Netflix? Is it better to build course material fees into tuition? Did the pandemic put your campus store’s market share in quarantine?

If you aren’t caught up on Slingshot’s latest disruptions of the course materials industry, we’ve got you covered. Here are the top five must-know topics you may have missed from our blog.

5 Yes, Equitable Access still offers academic freedom for faculty, student choice, and institution-level billing!

Not to be mistaken for Inclusive Access (IA), Equitable Access (EA) is centered on each individual student’s needs. Student choice is a key component of EA and levels the playing field at many institutions. Where Inclusive Access is often 100% digital materials for eligible courses only, EA can offer various material formats for all courses, ensuring they are affordable and delivered before the first day of class. Unlike IA, EA doesn’t require that faculty use only digital materials and won’t eliminate student choice at your institution.

Learn more about the differences between IA and EA here .

4 We believe your campus store and course materials delivery should look more like a box on your doorstep than a mall parking lot.

Take a look at how your services stack up against big marketplace competitors like Amazon. Are your materials as cheap or cheaper than Amazon? How fast do your students receive their course materials? Do you offer a delivery service or do students need to stand in line in the campus store to pick up and return materials?

Find all of the questions to evaluate your auxiliary services here .

3 The top complaint you hear about course materials is actually about friction.

It’s true—the best thing you can do to improve customer experience is lower the friction people experience in the process. With course materials, that can involve auto-fulfillment programs, savings that beat other online sellers, auto-adoption software, and first-day guarantees. Slingshot offers all of these solutions for friction and more.

See where else you can remove friction from course materials here .

2 It’s possible to create financial and operational efficiencies by merging some of your auxiliary services.

Slingshot recently began partnering with institutions to create one-stop-shops at their campus store. We specialize in merging course material delivery, merchandise sales, print, and mail services into one centralized location. Centralizing your auxiliary services can drive foot traffic to your campus store and revive struggling revenue-generating services. It can also help consolidate staff and management, leading to cost savings and a potentially smaller footprint in your institution’s facilities.

Learn more about combining print and mail services into your campus store here .

1 On average, we find traditional college bookstores only have a 25% share in the market.

Between the increase of digital content in the classroom and the impact of COVID-19, it’s possible your market share has decreased. We have discovered that switching to an equitable access model can actually increase the percentage of your market share. Our Slingshot Premium model offers several benefits, including one predictable flat fee for course materials and our first-day access guarantee. We’ve found our Premium option could increase the campus store’s market share to up to 95.5% when switching from a traditional counter service model to Premium.

Get all the details about increasing your market share here .

Still want more? See what else you may have missed on Slingshot’s website at slingshotedu.com/news .

Slingshot Celebrates 25 Years

marketing@slingshotedu.com (Mark Shepherd) — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 12:28:44 GMT

Slingshot Celebrates Twenty-Five Years

A Heart for Students & Affordable Course Materials

Slingshot started in 1997 in a small city in Indiana. Founders, Darren and Nancy Campbell along with her parents and sister opened a 1200 square foot bookstore coffee shop in a Walmart shopping plaza. They had a heart for the local college students and wanted a place where people could come together and meet, grab a coffee, and find resources they needed for classes at the local Christian colleges. At the time, they didn’t know their small family business would one day become a team of over 350 people who impact thousands of students’ learning experiences across the country.

So much has changed since that little shop opened its doors, and yet not much either.

Today, Slingshot still has the same friendly, approachable personality as it did 25 years ago: a place that’s personal, puts an emphasis on character, and embraces innovation. This month marks its 25-year anniversary, and we begin by taking a look back at how a spirit of adaptability inspired the evolution of an innovative company.

1998

The family owned small bookstore opened their 2nd location managing a local college on-campus store.

2000

Slingshot introduced the first textbook rental service in the industry. At the time, rentals offered an innovative solution for saving students money on course materials and staying competitive in the marketplace.

2007

With the rise of competitors moving into the online space, the Slingshot team had a decision to make: evolve and compete with the big players in the textbook industry or step back from the fight.

“Many of our colleagues in the business just got out. They said there’s no way, it’s over,” Nancy said. But the Slingshot team decided to continue reinventing themselves to ride the current of the tech boom and find a way to remain competitive in the marketplace, which led to expanding Slingshot into online spaces and offering online buyback services.

2010

In another evolution that would disrupt the course materials industry, Slingshot designed and developed what is known today as equitable access (EA). EA is a subscription model for course materials that levels the playing field for all students and ensures delivery of materials by the first day of class.

2017-Today

Since then, Slingshot launched its proprietary software Slingshot Pro, which offers an auto-adoption feature, a seamless adoption process for faculty, adoption metrics, and more. In recent years, Slingshot has also helped colleges and universities become more efficient by combining the campus store, print shop, and mail room into one centralized service location.

Darren says faith, family, and focus have been integral in reaching this milestone.

“We are a family business, and we consider each of our 350-plus employees to be family,” Darren said. Slingshot’s growth has hinged on its people—resilient thinkers and doers who stick it out through the growing pains while creatively imagining the next big disruption in the industry. “It’s their hard work, determination, commitment, and creativity that built this company.”

For the last 10 years, Slingshot has been focused on implementing equitable access programs in its partner schools, believing that the model would eventually win out. Today, it’s now being widely adopted across the industry.

So, what’s next for Slingshot?

Darren believes the next five years will be critical for the industry. With major changes on the horizon, including the adoption of equitable access, Slingshot is ready to guide institutions through the turbulence.

“We intend to build on that lead and return significant course material market share back to the local store while offering affordable course material solutions to students.”

To learn more about Slingshot, visit slingshotedu.com/about .

Messiah University Delivers Course Materials to Dorms in 45 Minutes

marketing@slingshotedu.com (Mark Shepherd) — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 16:07:10 GMT

Messiah Delivers Course Materials to Dorms in 45 minutes

Messiah University decided to make a change to a new retail store and course materials partner. They were looking for the right partner that could help better understand the needs of the institution and its students. They wanted a true partner who could help stabilize revenue and provide a more predictable and affordable course material solution and a more modernized approach to course material delivery.

Messiah chose Slingshot for their partner for those exact reasons! Together we have driven up marketshare, increased savings to their students, and delivered course materials to almost 50% of the students.

Initial Impact after 1 Year of Partnership

108% increase in Market Share
99% of course materials by the first week of class
10,580 items were delivered to dorm rooms for first-year students.

This past spring we delivered all of their residential student course materials to their dorms in 45 minutes. This may seem like an impossible feat for most, but it is par for the course with Slingshot. In addition, it created a wow service experience for their students and families on move-in day!

The team at Messiah received a lot of positive feedback on the dorm delivery process. “Our first dorm delivery of the Slingshot program was a HUGE success. Packages were out and in the rooms in about 45 minutes” , stated Kathie Shafer, VP of Operations at Messiah University.

To learn more about this success story we encourage you to download the Messiah University Client Spotlight Document.

Has COVID-19 Impacted your Course Materials Marketshare?

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 15:27:07 GMT

Has COVID-19 Impacted your Course Materials Marketshare?

Over the past 10 years, digital course materials have been steadily increasing. This is from programs like Inclusive Access (IA), K-12 students using more digital content, and pressure from the online market. When college stores couple that with the impact of COVID-19, it made for a very challenging time for college bookstores.

When Slingshot partners with a new institution we often see their traditional market share around 25% . We define a traditional college bookstore as one where students either shop in the store and wait in line to check out with their materials, or order their books online and come to the store to pick them up.

We now live in a subscription economy. From music, to clothes, to food, it is the way many of us shop. However, very few college bookstores have evolved to meet the needs of today’s consumers.

At Slingshot, we do things differently. Our course material programs provide a “subscription service” for course materials. Our mission is to ensure every single student receives every single course material, by the first day of class, at an affordable price.

Slingshot Choice

Slingshot Choice is a lot like a Stitch Fix box. Based on your preferences, we will tailor custom items at a price unique to you. In Slingshot Choice, students select their format preferences (digital, rental, buy used, buy new) and we ship their individualized materials to them and charge a price based on their format preference.

Slingshot Premium

Think of Slingshot Premium like Netflix. For one flat, predictable fee you can have everything you need. Slingshot Premium is a mixture of digital and physical materials based on what is most affordable. Regardless of the classes a student takes, each student is charged the same flat per-credit-hour rate.

Interested in learning more about the course material programs offered at Slingshot and how we can help you increase your market share? Contact sales@slingshotedu.com .

Upcoming Conferences with Slingshot

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 17:45:30 GMT

Upcoming Conferences with Slingshot

While our team is hard at work launching our new Equitable Access clients, our sales team is hitting the road and ready for the next conference stretch in June and July! We encourage you and your team to stop by and say hello at any or all of the following conferences and trade shows!

National Association of College Auxiliary Services WEST - (NACAS West)

Kara is heading west to beautiful San Diego, California June 5-10th representing Slingshot as a silver-level sponsor. We will be presenting an education session on Removing the Friction from Course Materials by Audience. We hope you will join us!

National Association of College Auxiliary Services EAST - (NACAS East)

Our own Stephanie Rager will be traveling to Hartford, Connecticut June 7-10th to present our education session on Removing the Friction from Course Materials by Audience. She will also be representing Slingshot at our booth as a silver-level sponsor!

National Association of College Auxiliary Services CENTRAL - (NACAS Central)

Matt Houston, our Vice President of Marketing is taking the drive to Cincinnati, Ohio June 12-15th to represent Slingshot as a silver-level sponsor. Matt is excited to meet all of our Central institutions and talk EA!

National Association of College and University Business Officers - (NACUBO)

Slingshot is heading to Denver, Colorado July 16th to experience NACUBO. This will be our first time participating in this conference and we look forward to seeing you all there at booth 1214!

Michigan Association of College Stores (MACSMI)

We can’t wait to celebrate 50 years with MACS this year. The Slingshot team will be there to share all the news about Slingshot and celebrate 50 years of great service to the industry with MACS members, retirees and friends!

We look forward to connecting with clients and building new relationships with prospective institutions at these upcoming trade shows and conferences. We hope to see you soon!

From Used Books to Equitable Access for All: Breaking Down the Various Models of Course Materials

Tue, 17 May 2022 13:38:42 GMT

From Used Books to Equitable Access for All: Breaking Down the Various Models of Course Materials

USED MATERIALS > RENTALS > IA > EA

Like other aspects of higher education, course materials are currently evolving. From the way students acquire their materials to the unique ways they can interact with those materials, cultural shifts and cost concerns are powering these changes.

Leaders across higher education are searching for ways to innovate course materials. This helps to attract new students, minimize financial hardship, and increase a student’s chances of graduating and becoming a successful professional. College affordability has become an even larger concern throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as the media spotlight has highlighted student debt, repayment, and forgiveness.

What we know is the average student debt for a 2020 bachelor’s graduate is around $30,000, with an average total student loan debt-to-income ratio (DTI) of 54.6% for recent graduates. With four-year students at both public and private institutions spending on average $1,240 per year on course materials, that means a student who graduates on time could spend almost $5,000 on average—maybe more if prices inflate further—by the end of their four-year program. That’s 16% of the average student debt load that could be attributed to course materials.

So why is affordability important? Having affordable course materials means:

You can offer an additional selling point to prospective students,
Graduates and non-completers alike are financially healthier in repayment,
Students have access to the same majors, materials, and tools, and
Student retention and student experiences are improved.

In order to better understand the evolution and financial impact of course materials, we have broken down the various models available to institutions today, including their effectiveness, benefits, and pain points.

LEVEL 1: USED MATERIALS

Perhaps the oldest trick for saving money is to default to used books. The campus store can offer both new and used options in the faculty’s preferred edition. Students can also seek out the lowest price on their own from multiple online sellers.

Benefits: Used materials are available at a lower cost than new materials with access to the same content.

Pain points: Used materials typically need to be sourced and purchased by the student, adding additional stress. Some institutions may adopt special editions or materials with supplemental content that may not be available as a used book. Students in certain majors may pay a higher price for their materials, even in a used format. In addition, the availability of used books in the open market is shrinking.

Effectiveness: Often the least effective option for cost savings and academic success.

LEVEL 2: RENTALS

Rentals are available both through the campus store and some online providers. Students often pay a lower price for rentals, and all rented materials must be returned at the end of the term. Students must visit their campus store in the beginning and end of each term to rent and return physical items.

Benefits: Rentals are an environmentally friendly option and offer additional support for students (no sell back or finding places to store old books). It also has the potential to save money for students versus buying used or new.

Pain points: There is a small window of time for students to pick up and return their rental books. Students often cannot keep their rented materials, which may or may not be desirable. Sometimes there are additional fees associated with any damages to rented physical materials.

Effectiveness: Effective in offering cost savings and improved convenience to the student through handling by the campus store.

LEVEL 3: INCLUSIVE ACCESS

Inclusive access (IA) is a model of course materials delivery that fulfills and bills students automatically to their student account. Students typically cannot choose the format of materials they prefer (commonly IA is digital), but they do receive their materials by the first day of class. They can opt out of inclusive access, per Department of Education regulations, but then they are fully responsible for sourcing their own course materials.

Benefits: Inclusive access reduces the burden of out-of-pocket costs related to course materials and lowers stress related to securing materials before class starts. It also lowers costs of the materials for the institution through bulk publisher discounts.

Pain points: Some critics of IA say the costs of IA digital materials are not all that impressive, even though they usually beat the price of physical materials. The all-or-nothing setup does not offer flexibility. Digital materials essentially expire at the end of each term.

Effectiveness: IA is more effective at offering cost savings through built-in costs covered by a student’s financial aid, as well as first-day access that sets learners up to engage in class immediately.

LEVEL 4: EQUITABLE ACCESS

Equitable access (EA) is the newest addition to higher education. Similar to IA, EA offers first-day access to students with no out-of-pocket expenses related to course materials. However, with EA the fees can be included in the cost of tuition or charged at one flat rate to the student account regardless of the student’s area of study. Students also have the power to choose their preferred format of course materials or opt out of the program.

Benefits: EA levels the playing field for all students by charging one flat fee for all. It saves money for the majority of students, offers the power of choice, and ensures first-day access. Faculty also have academic freedom without restriction to certain publishers or formats.

Pain points: EA is still new enough that it will require diligent communication in order to foster engagement and understanding. In a certain few cases, the flat fee may cost more than what a student might have paid by sourcing their own course materials; however, students can opt out of equitable access at any time.

Effectiveness: Equitable access is the most effective course materials delivery format currently available for widespread savings and first-day access to materials.

If your institution wants to explore how it can innovate in course materials delivery and offer additional savings for students, visit slingshotedu.com to learn more.

Spring Conference Recap

Wed, 04 May 2022 17:15:38 GMT

Spring Conference Season Recap

Watch our Vice President of Sales, Shannon Blackwell, or scroll below to read more.

After many weeks and back to back conferences, we wanted to share the top six topics we heard quite a bit about during this Spring Conference season.

Licensing . With college athletes now able to capitalize off their collegiate athletic experience, it is important to understand the rules and regulations and to explore how this can impact your campus retail. Think about how to engage athletics, build relationships with athletes and develop general merchandise that helps further connect your athletes, students and community.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Ask yourself what you and your team are doing to continue the DE&I conversations on campus, especially how it relates to your departments, housing, dining, retail, etc.

Labor Shortages & Budget Reductions. Many of your colleagues are dealing with reduced budgets and continued labor shortages. While filling those positions is imperative, it is important not to lose sight of those employees who you do have today. Do you know what drives them? Are you empowering them in their position and giving a trajectory to grow? It costs us all more to find a new employee than to keep an existing one, so be sure you are not losing focus on those that know your business and can make the greatest impact today.

Student Success. With so many different audiences requiring auxiliary focus, it can be easy to think financial return, department leadership and streamlined processes are top of mind. Auxiliary leaders reminded us not to forget student success! Many of your colleagues emphasized their desire to ensure students are successful at their institution and to find ways to track and measure the impact auxiliary services has on that student success.

Disruptive Innovation. According to Harvard Review at the broadest sense, “disruptive innovation” is any situation in which an industry is shaken up and previously successful incumbents stumble.” Higher education is the definition of disruptive innovation, whether that is how we do things, the rules we must follow or the students we serve, it is constantly changing requiring us to innovate quickly.

Equitable Access . While Slingshot has been providing auto fulfillment models for more than 15 years and true Equitable Access for 11, it has been amazing to see the market catching up. Equitable Access was a topic at nearly every single conference. And when you think of how it helps mitigate many of the challenges discussed above, it makes sense.: Leveling the course material playing field, stabilizing financial performance while reducing student expense, improving student success and continually being innovative. Even if you do not think EA is for you today, be sure to understand the term and how the program works – it is the next innovation in course material delivery.

Join the Slingshot team at any of the following conferences in June:

NACAS West in San Diego
NACAS East and Hartford
NACAS Central in Cincinnati

Why Should You Centralize Print, Mail, and the Campus Store?

marketing@slingshotedu.com (Mark Shepherd) — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 13:28:57 GMT

why should you centralize print, mail & campus store under one roof?

The ebbs and flows of a college campus are just one highlight of living and working in higher education. The campus buzzes to life on move-in day but takes a slower pace in summer when the hallways and sidewalks are empty.

Behind the scenes, though, these seasons of a campus can lead to complicated inefficiencies in labor and services. When your campus is built to support thousands of students, how can you maximize your staff, spaces, and auxiliary services to build a more efficient operation in all seasons?

In a College Services Magazine article , Victoria Lim reported that colleges and universities are also finding a new balance after experiencing significant staffing and budget impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. One administrator emphasized the need to evaluate auxiliary services in order to make them more efficient and fiscally responsible. Auxiliary services like housing, dining, conference services, campus bookstores, mail, and print shop operations are all major revenue generators for higher education institutions, but many took a big hit during the early months of the pandemic. Schools are reporting net losses for the previous and current year.

While there are several strategies to creating efficient and profitable auxiliary services, institutions could target their print and mail services, specifically as they work in conjunction with the campus store. Here are a few benefits to merging your printing, mail, and campus store services at your institution.

Centralized Service: Merging these three services creates one central location for students, faculty, and staff—a one-stop shop for walk-in traffic that makes the most of valuable space in your campus buildings. It also creates a more convenient customer service experience, driving traffic into your campus store and increasing visibility and sales in your bookstore.

Consolidation of Staff: When these auxiliary services are in a centralized location, your institution can consolidate management and staff, making a more efficient use of labor in peak and off-season times.

Cost Savings: Centralizing can save you time and money, helping you achieve your goals for the fiscal year and aim to not just break even, but begin to foster or redevelop revenue-generating services for your institution.

You may also consider adding a partner that can help you merge and streamline processes for your print shop, mail service, and campus store. At Slingshot, we aren’t like other players in the bookstore industry—we’re a partner that’s committed to innovation and exceptional service, putting your students first and partnering with you to help you meet your goals. Through creative processes, a nimble infrastructure, and a tenacious pursuit of better, we have steadily innovated in software, course materials delivery, responsibly sourced clothing, purchasing practices, and store structure. We also work in partnership with your campus store, helping it stay independent and deliver exceptional service with the backing of our expertise, technology, distribution capabilities and impeccable service.

We’ve already mastered the challenges of merging and managing these auxiliary services, and we’ve discovered that adding print and mail services to your campus store can help your institution save up to 20% on mail operations and up to 25% on print .

Developing better, more efficient solutions for institutions has always been a driving force for our company. To learn more about the benefits of print, mail, and campus store services under one roof, visit slingshotedu.com/printandmail .

Self-Manage or Partner for Equitable Access?

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 23:43:01 GMT

Should You Self-Manage or Partner for Equitable Access?

As Equitable Access (EA) continues to gain traction in the market, many institutions are trying to determine if they should manage this course material program themselves or find a partner to help. First, let’s lay some groundwork to ensure we are understanding what EA is and why it is making an impact.

What is Equitable Acess?

EA programs allow students to access all course materials on the first day of class for one low fee embedded in the cost of tuition or fees, regardless of major, the format of materials, or financial aid status. Think of it as Inclusive Access at the student level, instead of at the course level. It operates very similarly but provides both print and digital materials.

Why Equitable Access?

Lowers course material costs
Increases access to materials before the first day of class
Improves student performance
Levels the playing field for all students
Allows for timely use of financial aid
Removes confusion for parents and students

Now that you have the baseline of information around what EA is and why you should do it, you are ready to weigh the options of self-managing your EA or partnering with a provider.

Cash Flow. If you manage EA yourself, you will also need to cash flow and source all of your own materials. If not, your partner will source and cash flow all of your required course materials.
Physical Logistics. In a self-managed model, you will need to determine how you are going to order and distribute your physical materials. This is also true if you partner with a digital-only provider. Some stores have the staff and software to figure this out. If that isn’t true for you, you may want to pick a partner who will package all physical materials, box them by individual students, and have them delivered to the store, dorm, or preferred address.
Discounts and Pricing. If you have a team of people who can work with publishers and negotiate your rates for physical and digital materials, operating your own EA program might be right up your alley. If that feels overwhelming, a partner can do this en masse and get the power of bulk purchasing.
Marketing, Communications, and Customer Support. Do you have a great relationship with your marketing and communications teams? You will need their help to get the word out about this new course materials program. You will also need to support your students and help them get book rentals back at the end of a term, which requires the right software and people to give this level of service to your students. A great partner should be providing all of these elements for you as an extension of your staff.
Pricing the Program. Determining the right price for an EA program can sometimes be the hardest element. Many campuses have hired actuaries to help them set the price. The price can be per credit hour, a flat fee, built into tuition or fees, or customized by what each individual student consumes. If this step makes you feel overwhelmed, a partner might be the best option for you. A partner can determine your price and work with you to set your store commission rate.

Getting the right buy-in to move forward with a new model like EA takes some effort, but the impact you can have on the success of your students is worth it! If you’re exploring managing your equitable access program yourself or looking for an awesome partner to help you make it happen, be sure to let our team at Slingshot weigh in!

Visit slingshotedu.com to learn more.

Removing Friction from Course Materials

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 18:46:33 GMT

For years, those of us working in higher education have experienced friction in reaching our common goal: educating students. This friction comes from the challenge of keeping faculty, administration, and students in sync and provided with the necessary tools to be successful.

Over the past 25 years, Slingshot has been helping institutions build bridges across these three populations with flexible equitable access programs, proper engagement and streamlined software. Our goal is to help all students be successful in the classroom by having access to 100% of the required course materials before the first day of class.

How Slingshot Helps Students

Students seem to think the campus store is out to get them and couldn’t possibly want what is best for them. We all know this isn’t true, but what can we do together to break down this perception and help build trust back? We believe that if you provide enough value to your students, they will build back that bridge one step at a time. Let's walk through how we can do that together.

No-Click Shopping. Through a Slingshot auto-fulfillment program, students no longer need to search your website side-by-side with the online marketplace, their books are automatically procured and delivered to them. This seamless shopping makes it an incredible service experience for your students.
Course Material Savings. On average we can save students 25-50% off of their course material costs. Students often think the store is the most expensive place to shop, but with early adoptions, effective sourcing strategies and the growth of EA, we have greater tools to affect course material affordability.
Levels the Playing Field for All Students. All students, whatever their economic background, receive their required materials by the first day of class. We have eliminated the concern or anxiety over finding the right books and the money to pay for them. This is especially true for students who use financial aid who often have to wait weeks before they can access the necessary funds to purchase their course materials.

How Slingshot Helps Faculty

Faculty do not always understand the lifecycle of textbooks and how early adoptions allow the campus store to source materials at an affordable rate for students. Faculty also must often navigate challenging adoption processes, lacking the detail to make educated adoption decisions.

Auto-Adopt Software. Faculty will spend less time adopting course materials due to the Slingshot Pro adoption software where users can see historical adoptions, other faculty adoptions and utilize an auto-adopt feature.
Complete Academic Freedom. As the industry continues to evolve and change, faculty fear they will be forced to use specific publishers, content, and format types. Ensuring complete academic freedom for course materials including format type, the ability to use OER or instructor-created materials, and already licensed materials from the library helps faculty realize the store is on their side.
Ready to Teach on the First Day of Class. With students immediately having all the materials they need, faculty no longer need to delay instruction. Students are more secure and more likely to be successful within the class, which ultimately improves the entire classroom experience and outcomes.

How Slingshot Impacts Administration

The current campus store market share has decreased to around 25% due to the increased online competition and counterfeit books, causing a financial burden on the institution that was once receiving healthy profits from the campus store. In addition to this financial pressure, institutions are struggling with enrollment and retention issues, making the campus store's financial challenges feel even more significant.

Returned Market Share. With an auto-fulfillment program, the campus store can regain its lost market share and will likely see between 75%-95% market share without sacrificing student affordability. In fact this program can increase course material affordability through increased ability for publisher negotiation.
Cash Flow and Financial Risk. In partnership with Slingshot, we assume the cash flow needs and financial risks associated with course materials. This can result in significant savings to the institution and more predictability during budget season.
Increased Student Retention. Most college administrators are trying to determine what can be done to help students persist and graduate. Every time we have been able to study student retention we have been able to positively impact retention rates by ensuring every single student has everything they need to learn before the first day of class.

In summary, an equitable access course materials delivery model gives students access to all their required course materials on or before the first day of class. This model will save students money, provide them with better learning outcomes due to first-day access, support remote learning, allow students to pick classes and majors financial aid award, and provide a frictionless experience for both faculty and students.

Slingshot Fulfills Free Course Materials for Pikes Peak Community College

marketing@slingshotedu.com (Mark Shepherd) — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 19:09:35 GMT

Slingshot Fufills Free Course Materials for Pikes Peak Community College

Indianapolis - A new partnership with Pikes Peak Community College and Slingshot will make required course materials free for PPCC students this fall.

“We are grateful Slingshot was willing to quickly collaborate with us so we could provide our students with free textbooks. It is a pleasure working with a business partner that makes students as big a priority as we do,” says Lorelle Davies, Director of Auxiliary Services at Pikes Peak Community College.

On average, this partnership will save PPCC students $1,000 on their course materials. In addition, Slingshot will provide all of the required materials before the first day of class, ensuring students are ready for classes on day one.

"Partnering with Pikes Peak Community College to offer free course materials to their students aligns with our commitment of removing barriers to learning. Having the right materials before the first day of class at no additional cost will positively impact students,” said Josh Peters, President at Slingshot.

“Slingshot is excited to innovate together with Pikes Peak Community College to offer free course materials to their students. We both put the needs and success of the students first which made for a great fit”, said Kara Bunde-Dunn, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Slingshot.

Read the full press release from Pikes Peak Community College here .

Watch the most recent news coverage videos below:

About Pikes Peak Community College

Pikes Peak Community College’s advisors and online tools can help you navigate their 150-plus degree and certificate programs, turning your passions into something tangible. With more than 20,000 students, PPCC is the largest post-secondary educational institution in Southern Colorado and offers the most widely accessible and affordable education in the region.

About Slingshot

At Slingshot, the baseline is: every single student, every single course material, by the first day of class, at an affordable price. Slingshot offers Equitable Access course material delivery models, and complementary services to help institutions operate a campus store, mailroom, or print operation. Whether institutions need software or people resources, they can tailor the solution to meet campus needs. Slingshot has offices and warehouses in Central Indiana and Las Vegas, Nev. Learn more at slingshotedu.com.

We Live in a Subscription Economy

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 17:57:10 GMT

We Now Live in a Subscription Economy

We now live in a subscription economy. The way retailers conduct business has fundamentally changed. Think about the way you consume goods and services today; from news, to television, to music, to clothes. I know when I check my monthly spending it is flooded with monthly subscription services.

Over the last 50 years, the evolution of retail has changed from being all about the products to all about the customer service experience. Now, it’s all about the relationship between the customer and the company. Ask yourself…

Has your store evolved with retail trends?
What kind of relationship do you have with your customers?
What would your students say about the type of relationship they have with your store?

This idea of a subscription economy is changing the way higher education bookstores are delivering course materials to students. Equitable Access (EA) programs are starting to take off. The term equitable access refers to the notion that every student in any classroom in any school should have the same opportunity as any other student. Many administrators think of EA programs as Inclusive Access for all students and all materials.

As it relates to course materials, EA is a subscription model with one price for all content. All students pay a fixed per-credit-hour fee and receive access to 100% of the required course materials adopted by faculty. The idea of subscription box services for all physical and digital materials is becoming an expectation from students.

As you continue to evaluate the evolution of course material delivery and consider subscription services we encourage you to answer the following questions.

Are students prepared for classes with all their materials on day 1?
Are your materials as cheap or cheaper than Amazon on average?
With your proximity advantage, are you fulfilling course materials faster than Amazon?
Do you create memorable and personalized experiences for your students?
What can you provide that online retailers can’t?

Like any major economic shift, when the dust settles there will be winners and losers. Aligning to the core characteristics that make companies successful in challenging times will be critical for college bookstores.

Students First . Put the needs of the customers first when making decisions.
Innovation . Think about what you can do today to adapt to the changing environment.
Relationships Matter . Care about your people.
Core Values . Be rooted in honesty and integrity.

If it feels overwhelming to build out a course material program that can meet the needs of today’s consumers, let Slingshot help. To learn more about the Equitable Access (EA) programs offered by Slingshot, head on over to Our Solutions page.

What is Equitable Access?

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 13:37:38 GMT

What is Equitable Access?

Equitable Access means many different things in different industries, but in higher education it simply means every student should have the same opportunity as any other student. Focused into course materials, it ensures all students receive all their required materials by the first day of class.

You are likely familiar with the concept of Inclusive Access which was introduced in 2016, and began gaining traction in the following years. The concept that institutions could sign up whole classes of students to automatically receive digital course materials at a discounted rate, rather than purchasing individually, was attractive.

Inclusive Access has grown into Equitable Access, which better takes into consideration a students choice / need for various formats of course materials (not just 100% digital) and includes all courses, not just the ones that can fit the requirements of any Inclusive Access negotiated deal. Equitable Access is Inclusive Access for All.

Questions around the impact of an Equitable Access Program (or really anything new on campus) always arise. We find the top three items can easily be addressed with the following clarifications:

Faculty’s Academic Freedom remains intact in an Equitable Access model because faculty are not forced to identify a digital component or require that digital is used. And it is a misnomer that digital or used is always cheaper. When you take the opportunity to negotiate with publishers across your entire population and show how the return of the market share impacts their return, new books can be a real option to help save students money.

Student Choice is not eliminated and they have the ability to opt out. And since you know your student’s the best, it is up to each institution to determine eligible populations and how to roll-out a program across your campus. We see many institutions start with Freshmen and grow the program over four years. Other institutions choose to communicate the advantages across the campus and start the program across the entire institution. Both have their pros and cons, but ultimately students have the choice to participate and being able to opt in/out at a program level each semester, versus a section level, saves students, faculty and administration time.

Billing Decisions are evaluated at the Institution-level. Many are finding value in including course material fees within tuition and/or fees, but other institutions choose to charge student accounts based upon a student’s load, avoiding any necessary delays in processing financial aid distribution checks.

Click Here to download an educational PDF on Equitable Access and how it can help your students, faculty and institution as a whole.

Slingshot developed the first Equitable Access program over 10 years ago. When working with a few local institutions, we analyzed their retention issues and found that those students that dropped out and/or were unsuccessful at the institution did not purchase their course materials. This prompted our Equitable Access program currently implemented at more than 35 institutions across the country.

Slingshot Virtually Presents at C3X2020

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 19:13:22 GMT

Slingshot Virtually Presents at C3X2020

Kara Bunde-Dunn, Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Slingshot, was a virtual presenter at the annual C3X 2020 Virtual Conference and Expo, conducted virtually on November 9-12, 2020. According to NACAS (National Association of College Auxiliary Services), C3X Expo is the pinnacle for campus auxiliary services industry leaders who convene for collaboration and exploration into new ways to create customized, unique, and meaningful services that contribute to each school’s community.

Along with her co-presenter, Mr. Thomas Bonetati, Director of Auxiliary Services at the University of California, San Diego, Kara virtually presented, “From IA to EA: Course materials Evolution in 2020.”

Kara’s presentation discussed course material delivery models and their success rates, current barriers facing college students, and how the Equitable Access (EA) model benefits students and faculty staff delivering course materials before classes start.

One EA model Kara highlighted was Slingshot's course material delivery service. Slingshot is an auto-fulfillment, subscription-based program that offers students all of their required course materials, by the first day of class, at an affordable price.

To learn more about Slingshot and how it could benefit your institution and students, contact us .