Empowering the Whole Student Journey: How The University of Toledo Transformed Housing with StarRez

StarRez became the catalyst for a complete operational transformation at the University of Toledo. By moving away from manual, paper-based systems and embracing a centralized digital platform, UToledo not only streamlined its housing operations but also improved transparency, accountability, and student service. Today, StarRez plays a critical role in enabling cross-functional collaboration and driving continuous innovation across campus housing services.

From Manual Paper Trails to Integrated Digital Workflows

Before adopting StarRez, many of UToledo’s housing operations were managed manually using spreadsheets, emails, and paper forms. These outdated processes caused bottlenecks and created inconsistent experiences for students and staff alike, including delayed service delivery and staff turnover challenges.

After adopting StarRez in 2012, the team implemented digital workflows that created structure, accountability, and automation across key housing services. Templates, routing rules, and assigned roles helped streamline day-to-day tasks, while a centralized platform gave teams access to the same data in real time.

"Now we don’t need to wonder what we did last year—we can pull up a record or workflow and just do it again."

-Hailey Curry, Director of Residence Life, University of Toledo

Accelerating Room Changes and Student Requests

Room change requests were one of the first areas UToledo addressed through StarRez. Previously, these requests were tracked manually and reviewed inconsistently, leading to confusion and delays for both students and staff.

With StarRez, students submit their room change requests directly through the portal. The system automatically routes the request, alerts staff, and records each action along the way. This has drastically reduced response time and eliminated the need for redundant tracking.

"We can process changes faster and make sure students know where they stand, which has made a big difference in satisfaction."

-Hailey Curry, Director of Residence Life, University of Toledo

Transforming the Inspection and Turn Process

Each summer, UToledo prepares hundreds of units for incoming students. Previously, inspections and turnover checklists were tracked on paper, making it difficult to coordinate between housing, custodial, and maintenance teams.

StarRez now handles the entire process digitally. Teams upload photos, log condition notes, update status fields, and track resolution steps—all within the system. This allows everyone involved in turnover to see the same information and progress.

"The inspection process used to live entirely on paper. Now we have everything in StarRez—photos, notes, dates, status flags—and it’s visible to the whole team."

-Hailey Curry, Director of Residence Life, University of Toledo

Unifying Campus Teams Through a Shared Platform

StarRez has also helped foster collaboration between departments that previously worked in silos. Housing and Residence Life now shares workflows and visibility with student conduct, facilities, and financial operations.

For example, damage billing is fully traceable within the platform. Staff can see who logged an incident, when it was reviewed, and whether a charge was issued. This has reduced disputes and ensured proper documentation.

"We can track everything—from when the damage is reported, to who reviewed it, to whether a charge was issued—and it’s all auditable. Before StarRez, there was no clean way to do that."

-Hailey Curry, Director of Residence Life, University of Toledo

Looking Ahead: Continued Growth with StarRez

UToledo continues to expand its use of StarRez to meet new demands. The team is piloting mobile inspections for student staff, exploring reporting dashboards for space planning, and digitizing more of its student life processes.

"I appreciate that we’re not boxed in. StarRez grows with us. Every time we think of something new, we say, ‘We could probably do that in StarRez.’ And most of the time—we can."

-Hailey Curry, Director of Residence Life, University of Toledo

If your institution is ready to eliminate paper processes, streamline communication, and empower your housing and facilities teams, we’d love to help. Contact us to get started.