Rutgers Opens “One Stop” Center to Improve Students’ Experience

The "One Stop" represents a giant leap in the customer service experience for our students, university officials said.

After years of planning, Rutgers-New Brunswick recently opened a One Stop Student Services Center to improve the student experience.

The “One Stop” provides student services in the areas of financial aid, student accounts and registration both remotely and at a new walk-in site in Proctor Hall on the Busch Campus. The center’s staff has been answering questions via email throughout the pandemic, and the new walk-in area has served hundreds of students since opening Aug. 9.

Courtney McAnuff, vice chancellor of the Division of Enrollment Management at Rutgers–New Brunswick, which oversees the center, said it allows students to more easily manage the non-academic side of student-life and removes many of the barriers in navigating multiple offices across campus.

“The ‘One Stop’ represents a giant leap in the customer service experience for our students,” McAnuff said. “It acts as a single point of service to promote a progressive, simplified and consistent student experience and a culture that supports student satisfaction and success.”

The center has self-service stations, a queuing system where students sign in to get assistance from a student services advisor, and consultation spaces for students who require further help.

McAnuff said the center, which was created as a result of the University Strategic Plan to improve the student experience, embraces a model that prioritizes strong customer service and effective use of technology; serves all student populations; reflects best practices in higher education; and includes improving self-service options.

“The creation of the center allows students to easily access information and services they need to support their enrollment and timely graduation,” added Deepa Bhalla, assistant vice chancellor of Enrollment Management.

Jay Stefanelli, director of the center, said Enrollment Management’s new approach to customer service has already improved student satisfaction. Thus far in September, students have indicated high levels of satisfaction in the areas of submission/check-in process, knowledge, friendliness, timeliness and overall experience.

“The change in the student experience is entirely the result of the change in culture spurred by the introduction of the One Stop team,” Stefanelli said.

Hannah Makasare, a junior from Union, N.J., who works at Enrollment Management’s Call Center, said navigating Rutgers and its various departments can be challenging.

“Initially, there would be long wait times for someone to speak to a representative from Student Accounting, Billing, and Cashier Services or the Registrar’s office,” she said. “The system that One Stop Student Services has adopted has changed the landscape. The process is 100% much smoother and easier. It is a resource that alleviates any stresses a student may face and works with them to get issues solved with trusted and credible professionals.”

Sherron Randall, a Class of 2021 alumnus who is now a graduate student, said the One Stop Student Services Center allows students to go in-person and handle all their needs to better their academic success.

“This will decrease the amount of unresolved calls and the stress of having financial holds on student accounts and allow incoming and returning students to feel better accommodated by these departments,” said Randall, who also works at Enrollment Management’s Call Center. “The size of our university and the amount of issues that students experience related to financial aid, student accounting and registration are why we need the One Stop Student Services Center.”

Walk-ins are welcome from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday, but students may submit their questions any time at https://go.rutgers.edu/onestop.