The University Library will welcome the bursars, registrars and financial aid offices into a singular location this summer in an effort to give students easier access.

One Stop is the name of the service that will take the three front-facing services from the office of Bursar, Registrar and Financial Aid and allow students to speak with one individual who will represent all three of those offices.

“The whole idea is that our staff will be cross-trained and cross-functional to eliminate any Kent State shuffle,” said Iris Mirelez, director of One Stop Student Services.

There will also be an added component of financial wellness which will assist students beginning to think about budgeting.

“Moving it to a central location, like the library, they feel that it’s going to provide higher access for students,” said Kenneth Burhanna, assistant dean for engagement and outreach.

With the road project on Summit Street happening, this means students will not need to cross the street to the Schwartz Center.

One Stop will be available to any future, current and regional students who are coming to the main campus. However, Mirelez pointed out that regional campuses already have their own similar setups on their respective campuses that will continue to function.

Those who work in One Stop will be responsible for face-to-face interaction, responding to emails and answering phone calls. They also plan to have a virtual chat option in the future. The service will have its own website that will house all the information traditionally found on financial aid, registrar, student accounts and financial wellness.

“It will be a comprehensive website to make life easier for students; that’s the whole goal, that’s why we’re doing this,” Mirelez said.

One Stop will also have a social media presence with its own Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Students may have noticed some of the ongoing construction on the first floor of the library. They are using this opportunity to create one lab space for students.

Kara Robinson, head of reference services, said the first two phases of the project have been installing new carpeting and there is one more phase to come. Robinson said that the Tech Help desk has been relocated to the back of the first floor of the library, right next to its training classroom where it is in a more seamless location.

There will be new furniture including stand-up desks and new power fixtures located under each desk that will have USB outlets and plugs. Printing will also be moved to an area with four printers.

Although the Bursar, Registrar and Financial Aid offices will now be located in the library, they will keep their original offices in the Schwartz Center as well. This is where all the behind-the-scenes work and processing will be done for student accounts.

“One of the benefits of a One Stop concept is that as a bulk of the front facing work (emails, phone calls) shifts to the One Stop,” Mirelez said. “The intention and the hope is that this will allow those respective offices to be able to spend more time on the processing, getting the behind-the-scenes work done for students.”

The idea of a One Stop is not unique to Kent State ‒ it’s been around for more than 25 years and different colleges set it up in their own ways. Mirelez said that she is proud of the university and how supportive everyone has been through this students-first initiative.

“Students should know that the changes will result in convenience for them,” Burhanna said.

Structural and staffing work is currently going on to get the One Stop up and running. One Stop is planning to open on June 5, which will coincide with Destination Kent State. 

Paige Brown is the libraries reporter for the Kent Stater, contact her at [email protected]