How Centre College Built Trust Through Change
Change isn’t always easy in Residence Life. When your work revolves around people and traditions, introducing a new system can feel like shaking up a comfortable routine. For Centre College, adopting eRezLife meant rethinking more than just housing assignments. It became a lesson in communication, trust, and community.
“When I came into this office six years ago, everything was on paper,” says Julie Wheeler, Associate Director of Residence Life and Housing Operations. “Our housing lottery was on paper. We’d put tables in a room with the floor plans, students would file through when their lottery numbers were called, and literally write their names on the rooms they wanted. It was a long process.”
Today, that same process takes minutes. The change didn’t just modernize operations: it helped Centre College strengthen the connection between students, staff, and parents.
From Paper Binders to Partnerships
Before eRezLife, the housing office ran on binders and pencils. “To see a room history,” Julie recalls, “you had to go to the right binder and find what had been scratched out, filled in, scratched out again. It was a lot.”
When COVID-19 impacted operations, Centre College adapted by moving parts of the housing process online with an in-house system. Building on that foundation, the shift to eRezLife marked its first dedicated housing software purchase. eRezLife quickly became an important part of the team.
“We’re a small professional staff – three people for about 1,400 students – and I view eRezLife as our fourth staff member,” says Jess Sweitzer, Director of Residence Life and Housing. “It does so much work that it allows us to focus on students.”
That perspective shaped how the team approached implementation. The goal wasn’t just to digitize old processes. It was to make them more human.
Turning Skepticism into Trust
“Our student body isn’t very trusting initially,” Jess shared. “That first year was rough. They were used to a different approach, and we had to adapt to build their trust.”
Students needed to see and understand the new process before they could believe in it. Julie and Jess decided to make communication the centerpiece of their rollout.
“We offered presentations to students and parents,” Julie says. “We showed screenshots of what their screens would look like during room selection, step by step. We wanted them to see exactly how it worked.”
The team didn’t expect that parents would become their biggest allies. “Centre is a place where parents are very involved,” Julie explains. “So we held two evening Zoom sessions for them, and turnout was fantastic.”
Jess noticed the impact right away. “Bringing parents along changed everything. They understood the process and could help correct misinformation before it reached us. Suddenly, we weren’t getting as many calls or panicked emails.”
The team later began recording those sessions, sharing them with anyone who missed the live events. That small adjustment saved hours of clarification during their busiest time of year.
Communication That Clicks
The technology itself made it easier for staff and student leaders to stay connected. RAs could instantly see who lived on their floors and track attendance at programs. When a resident wasn’t engaging, they could follow up in real time.
“If I have to tell two floors they’re without water today, I can do that quickly now,” Julie says. “Before, there was no fast and easy way to gather the email addresses I needed.”
Jess adds, “We can send messages through the system and even see when they’ve been read. So when a parent calls saying, ‘You never told my student that,’ we can say, ‘Actually, we did—here’s when they received it.’ It’s been a real help.”
Efficiency wasn’t the only outcome. The team gained confidence that information was reaching the right people, which strengthened their relationships with students and families.
“Things that used to take an hour might take five minutes now,” Julie says. “Everything’s faster and less prone to mistakes.”
Adapting in Real Time
Change doesn’t stop once a new system goes live. For Centre, one of the biggest advantages of eRezLife has been the ability to adjust and improve as they go.
“The biggest piece is bringing everyone along for the ride,” says Jess Sweitzer. “You don’t have to get every detail perfect the first time. What matters is having a system that lets you respond quickly when something needs to shift.”
That flexibility has been key during housing selection periods, when timing and accuracy are everything. If a process needed a tweak or a form required an update, the team could make changes in real time—no tickets, no waiting for IT.
“With eRezLife, we can make adjustments immediately,” Jess explains. “If students are confused by part of the process, we can fix it right away. We don’t have to rely on another department or know how to code to make it happen.” Julie agrees: “It gives us a lot of control,” she says. “We can tailor the system to our campus and how we work. Every year, we find new ways to make it even smoother.”
That responsiveness not only makes operations more efficient, it also helps the Centre team maintain student confidence. When residents see that housing staff can act quickly to clarify or simplify a step, it reinforces the trust they’ve built.
Always Learning and Improving
As Centre College continues evolving its processes, the team is finding new ways to use eRezLife data for deeper engagement.
“We have a lot of scholarship groups, athletic teams, and Greek organizations,” Jess explains. “Now we can filter by those groups to approve housing requests—like when the men’s basketball team stays for Thanksgiving break. What used to take hours now takes minutes.”
Jess says conferences and community learning have also expanded her perspective. “Every time I go to an eRezLife User Conference, I learn something new. Someone once said, ‘You can create a field and use it for five minutes if it helps you.’ That flexibility is what makes the system so powerful.”
For Centre College, eRezLife didn’t just replace outdated processes. It brought their community together.
“It’s been night and day,” Julie says. “The more I learn, the more useful it becomes. I’m a huge fan.”
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