What is a CRM?
CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management—but in higher ed, it’s better thought of as a Campus or Constituent Relationship Management system
It’s a digital platform that helps track, manage, and personalize interactions with students, from their first inquiry to graduation (and beyond).
A CRM brings together data from across departments—admissions, advising, financial aid, etc.—to provide a 360° view of each student and enable proactive, coordinated support.
What is a “student 360° view”?
Student 360° View is a comprehensive, real-time snapshot of a student’s journey at USU—all in one place.
It brings together data from across departments—like admissions, advising, financial aid, academic records, and student services—so faculty and staff can see:
- Who the student is
- What they’ve experienced
- What they need nex
Think of it like a student’s “profile page”—but way smarter. It shows the full picture, not just one piece. Instead of jumping between systems or asking the student to repeat their story, staff can quickly understand each student’s context and provide personalized, proactive support.
What is OneUSU CRM?
OneUSU CRM is USU's implementation of Salesforce Education Cloud across the institution to streamline communication and centralize data, revolutionizing the student experience at Utah State University. Powered by an AI-driven Customer Relationship Management system and Marketing Automation Platform, this innovative solution will simplify services and boost engagement, offering a tailored journey for every USU member.
Why use one CRM across USU?
Using a single CRM system across USU offers numerous benefits:
- Centralized Data: A unified CRM consolidates student and constituent data, providing a comprehensive view of each individual. This ensures consistency, reduces data silos, and enhances collaboration and decision-making.
- Streamlined Communication: One CRM coordinates communication with students, alumni, faculty, and staff through automation and targeted messaging, improving response rates and fostering stronger relationships.
- Improved User Experience: A seamless system reduces frustration and simplifies processes, creating positive interactions with the university.
- Enhanced Reporting and Analytics: Easier and more accurate reporting offers insights into trends and metrics like student retention and engagement.
- AI and Automation: AI-driven insights and marketing automation streamline tasks, improving efficiency and freeing resources for strategic work.
- Cost Efficiency: Managing a single CRM reduces the complexity and cost of multiple systems, saving time and money for other initiatives.
In summary, OneUSU enhances collaboration, improves engagement, provides insights, and reduces costs.
What is Salesforce?
Salesforce is a powerful, cloud-based platform designed to help organizations manage relationships and streamline communication.
While it started as a customer relationship management (CRM) tool for businesses, today it’s used in higher education to improve how institutions connect with students, staff, faculty, and alumni.
Why Salesforce?
After a two-year analysis of USU's current systems and a thorough review of vendors, Salesforce was selected for its powerful,
flexible, and student-centered platform. Aligned with USU’s vision to modernize the student experience and enhance operational efficiency, the university is implementing Salesforce Education Cloud, Marketing Cloud, and Data Cloud solutions. These tools offer robust AI and automation, cloud-based scalability, enterprise-grade security, and seamless third-party integrations. Together, they enable a unified student experience, centralized data, streamlined communication, and data-driven decision-making—empowering teams across the institution to drive long-term impact.
What is Salesforce Education Cloud?
Salesforce Education Cloud is a version of Salesforce specifically designed for colleges and universities. It helps institutions manage the entire student lifecycle—from recruitment to alumni engagement—in one connected platform.
At its core, Education Cloud provides the tools to:
- Create a 360° view of each student
- Personalize support and communication
- Improve coordination across departments
- Track student engagement and outcomes
- Make smarter, data-driven decisions
What is Salesforce Marketing Cloud?
Salesforce Marketing Cloud is a powerful digital marketing platform that helps you deliver personalized, automated, and data-driven communications—at scale.
It allows institutions like USU to send the right message to the right person at the right time across email, text, social media, and more.
What is Salesforce Data Cloud?
Salesforce Data Cloud is a real-time data platform that helps bring together data from across systems and sources to create a single, unified view of each person—in our case, each student.
It pulls in data from multiple systems (like Banner, LMS, support tools, etc.), keeps it updated in real time, and makes it accessible across Salesforce products—so teams can act on the most current info instantly.
How can I start learning how to use the Salesforce platform?
To help you get started, we’ve created a Guides and Tutorials page. There, you’ll find step-by-step resources, videos, and training materials tailored to USU's Salesforce setup—including Education Cloud, Marketing Cloud, and Data Cloud. Whether you're brand new to Salesforce or looking to deepen your skills, this is the best place to begin. Be sure to check back often—we’re continually adding new content and updates!
When will I be trained to use the OneUSU CRM platform?
Training for the OneUSU CRM will follow a train-the-trainer model to support a smooth transition for teams across the university.
If you're a current Recruit user or someone whose day-to-day work will be affected by Phase 1 (Recruitment and Admissions), you’ll be invited to participate in targeted training sessions. These sessions will begin in August and will be shared directly with the appropriate teams as we get closer to launch.
Our department is interested in using USU’s Salesforce platform. How can we get started?
USU is making significant progress with the OneUSU CRM initiative, powered by Salesforce. We're currently in Phase 1, focused on modernizing Recruitment and Admissions, with Phase 2 expanding to Advancement and Alumni operations. These initial phases are building a strong foundation for future university-wide use of Salesforce Education Cloud.
If your department is exploring CRM needs, we recommend waiting until the core implementation is complete so we can better support your goals with the right tools and services. However, if your needs are more immediate, please reach out to Nicole Schrubb (nicole.schrubb@usu.edu) to discuss your options and how your team might align with the project roadmap.
How can I get involved with OneUSU CRM initiative?
We’d love to have you involved! Whether you're interested in providing feedback, joining a working group, or simply staying informed, there are many ways to engage with the OneUSU CRM initiative. To learn more or express your interest, please reach out to Nicole Schrubb (nicole.schrubb@usu.edu), who is leading this effort. She can guide you to the right opportunities and ensure you’re looped into the latest updates.