Colorado Mesa University Boosts Efficiency and Bolsters Reporting After a Seamless Migration from THD to StarRez

Outgrowing THD: The Case for Change

As the Assistant Director of Operations, Nolan Scott manages all back-end housing functions at CMU including assignments, billing, forms, and data reporting. CMU had been using The Housing Director (THD), which, while serviceable, revealed limitations as the university's housing needs grew more complex.

"With THD, it really felt like there was a ceiling," Scott explained. "It did a lot of what we needed to, but there were things we just couldn’t do, especially around reporting."

The forms process, too, was stuck in the past. Students had to physically visit the office to sign contracts, such as waivers for 24-hour gym access. "They’d come in, we’d print the form, explain it, and then manually add access to their account," said Scott. This inefficiency was consuming valuable staff and student time.

Additionally, THD lacked a front desk module and real-time inventory flexibility during move-ins, which meant that check-ins took up to 20 minutes per student and required RA assistance for every room walkthrough.

Embracing StarRez: A Smarter System for a Growing Campus

CMU made the strategic decision to migrate to the full StarRez platform after years of keeping it on the radar. With StarRez, the team saw immediate opportunities to automate manual tasks, streamline move-ins, and scale with growing student numbers.

"It was always a goal of ours to get StarRez... The demos opened our eyes to what it’s capable of, especially the reporting, the forms, and modules like the front desk, which THD didn’t have."

- Nolan Scott, Assistant Director of Operations at Colorado Mesa University

StarRez implementation included weekly support meetings and on-demand troubleshooting, led by dedicated StarRez staff. "Our point person, Travis, was fantastic, super responsive and always helping us translate our old THD processes into new, better workflows," said Scott.

CMU also began using StarRez’s inventory functionality to pre-load check-in details, allowing RAs to complete room inspections in advance. The result? A 75% time reduction during student check-ins, cutting them from 20 minutes to just 5.

Results That Matter: Time Saved, Staff Empowered, Students Satisfied

From faster check-ins to smarter reporting and fewer support calls, CMU is already seeing transformative results from its move to StarRez. The following wins highlight just how impactful the transition has been across key operational areas including automation, customization, student experience, and staff efficiency.

Reporting Capacity Tripled: One of the biggest transformations came from StarRez’s robust reporting capabilities. "I’d say we can now run about three times as many reports as we could in THD," said Scott. "And they’re more comprehensive. We can combine fields and tailor them for different audiences, like our billing office or the president’s office."

Form Automation Saves Time: Replacing in-person gym access forms with StarRez digital submissions saved approximately five minutes per student, per semester. With around 200 students using the gym, this change alone saved over 16 hours of work. "Now, students just log in, submit the form, and we update their card access without them needing to stop by," said Scott.

Streamlined Check-In Process: During CMU’s four major move-in days, over 3,000 students arrive on campus. The new StarRez-powered process has significantly alleviated pressure on staff. "It used to take 15–20 minutes per student. Now it’s 5," said Scott. "That’s a huge help when you’re checking in hundreds of students a day."

Self-Service Reduces Calls by 25%: Allowing students to select and change their rooms online not only improved satisfaction but also reduced support calls by 25%.  

"We’ve noticed fewer calls about room changes, and even when we do get calls, StarRez helps us resolve them 5–10 minutes faster."

- Nolan Scott, Assistant Director of Operations at Colorado Mesa University

Enhanced Student Matching: StarRez's roommate matching capabilities replaced a third-party system and were a hit with students. "The new system lets them see full profiles, match scores, and message each other directly," said Scott. "It’s all in one place and way more accessible."

Flexible Customization: The configurability of StarRez stood out as a major advantage. "I’d say the thing I like most is how customizable it is," said Scott. "You can change just about anything including naming conventions, filters, paths, etc. so you can tailor the student journey exactly as you want."

Staff Empowerment and Collaboration: With forms and processes now digitized, teams at CMU are more empowered to innovate. "We actually welcome change," said Scott. "Our staff is excited to improve workflows and automate more. We’re working with programming and RA teams now to revamp the check-in process even further."

Built to Scale: Planning for Tomorrow

Facing 100% occupancy, CMU recently began constructing a new residence hall for Fall 2026. As CMU continues to grow, StarRez is helping the housing team stay one step ahead by enabling forward-looking solutions that will sustain momentum well into the future.

"StarRez will definitely help us manage that growth. We’ve already added new beds and it was an easy process in the system."

- Nolan Scott, Assistant Director of Operations at Colorado Mesa University

Their next goal is to digitize CMU’s campus census process, replacing the current paper-based method used by 87 RAs.

A Message to Fellow Institutions

For campuses still relying on THD, CMU’s story sends a clear message: migrating to StarRez is not just doable, it’s transformational.

"StarRez allows you to change anything you want, which opens the door to endless possibilities... It’s been a game-changer for our students and our staff."

- Nolan Scott, Assistant Director of Operations at Colorado Mesa University

Schedule a call to learn more about how StarRez can help modernize your housing operations.