Slatest News: January 2024
Updates & Enhancements
Dispatches from Slate Feedback
Check out the latest from Slate Feedback—our Product Management team has been actively soliciting your thoughts for new ideas and posting updates about existing and completed features. Here are a few of our favorite updates from the last few weeks:
Last week at Technolutions: January Updates
Curious about recent updates to Slate? In addition to new feature updates, we're also publishing tweaks and bug fixes via our new periodic posting, "Last Week at Technolutions." Follow our Product Management channel in the Community Forums for info on the latest publishes to Test and Production environments including the recent updates from January 1 and January 8.Recurring Deliver Mailings
When sending a Deliver mailing, the Deduping setting of "Allow recurring delivery of this message to the same recipient" will now provide users with the ability to enter the desired frequency as opposed to selecting from a pre-defined list.Query Profiler
Query Profiler is coming to a database near you! This Summit 2023 feature will launch whenever a query is run, and will display a real-time snapshot of exactly what is happening behind the scenes. This will not only provide insight into the process that is occurring, but it will also be a useful tool for debugging - enabling end-users to identify the more complex parts of their queries. Previously released in Test Environments, Query Profiler is now available in Production for Admin users only.
Summit Central
Registration is Open
Another deadline is fast approaching for Slate Summit 2024! The registration rate will increase on Thursday, February 1 so make sure to take action and register now. Held at Chicago's Navy Pier, June 19-21, 2024, the Summit gathers thousands of users from diverse institutions, roles, and experiences into one place to connect, share, collaborate, excite, and inspire. We can't wait to see you in Chicago!
For Summit hotel and travel information, visit our Slate Summit website and don't forget to register soon!
Award Nominations
This year, we're pleased to debut the Slate Icon Awards honoring the best of the best within the Slate community! We are now accepting nominations in multiple categories such as Best External (Student/Alumni) Portal, Best Internal (Staff/Campus) Portal, Most Slate Spirited, and more! While we hope you will be joining us at Slate Summit, nominations are accepted from everyone.
Call for Proposals
Thank you for submitting your presentation ideas! The core content committee is thrilled to have received a record high amount of proposals representing a wide variety of topics in admissions, student success, and advancement. Look for the final schedule of topics to be announced soon.
Slate Labs
Get Experimental with Slate Labs: Advancement
It's not too late to join Technolutions staff and fellow members of the Slate community for an interactive buildathon focused on evolving advancement industry best practices and developing Slate for Advancement standards for reporting and events. This Slate Lab will also include a "New Feature Pitch Session" where you will be able to present your vision for Slate feature evolution directly to our Founder and CEO, Alexander Clark.
Register now in Home Slate! This Slate Lab will take place February 22-23 at Union League in New Haven, Connecticut.
The More You Know
Slate User Groups
Slate User Groups are a network of like-minded people providing peer-led support and interactions across the Slate Community. Still not sure if you should join one? Read up on one of the larger groups below!
Graduate Slate Community User Group
Initiated in 2020, the Graduate Slate Community User Group is led by co-organizers Allie Duffney (Elon University) and Megan Story (ReWorkflow) who have a combined experience of more than 15 years using Slate in the graduate space. With approximately 300 members, the group conducts quarterly one hour Zoom meetings as well as in-person affinity sessions at Summit each year. aiming to connect individuals in similar roles and provide content for graduate users of all experience levels. Group members find value in networking, collaboration, and a forum for asking questions and problem solving within the graduate landscape.
Follow Slate Graduate Community User Group in the forums to receive meeting notices and participate in the conversation
Join the Slate Community User Groups and check out the other options!
Slate Spotlight on Gift Officer Portfolio Management (Part 2 of 2)
Join Shawn Kelly, General Manager of Advancement, as he walks through the Gift Officer Portfolio Management portal made in collaboration with BWF, a Gold Preferred Partner. Learn how to manage contact reports, household summaries, goals, and tasks for frontline fundraisers, all in one user friendly portal!
To register, visit your Home Slate OR check out Part 1 of this webinar series on the BWF website and access the link for Part 2 from there. This Slate Spotlight webinar is Part 2 of 2; Part 1 will be hosted by BWF and is listed below as part of our upcoming Preferred Partner events.
Community Conversations
Community Conversations are interactive discussions between members of the Slate community, Preferred Partners, and Technolutions staff. Ask your questions and help to enhance the understanding of others who are in your shoes. Register through your Home Slate!
Slate Preferred Partners
Webinars with BWF
Introducing the New Gift Officer Portfolio Management Portal for Slate (Part 1 of 2): February 7, 2024 at 12:00 PM (EST)
Join us for an engaging session with our expert speakers Amy Lampi and Gina Mandros, associate vice presidents at BWF, with special guest Shawn Kelly, General Manager of Advancement at Technolutions.
Part 1 of 2: Register for both webinars through the BWF website
Automating Transcript Processing with Receive Premium & Slate
In this webinar, Director of Graduate Admissions at Wayne State University Graduate School, Sherry Quinn, and Assistant Vice President of Athletics and Enrollment at Calumet College of St. Joseph, Andy Marks, discussed the integration of Parchment Receive Premium with Slate and how it improves the transcript processing experience for their admissions offices.
Learn Slate with Carnegie
Carnegie Tiny Training: March 6, 2024
Subquery Join Us: Configurable Joins 101
"Join" us to learn how tables work in Slate, what the different categories and bases really mean, and when to use global vs subquery joins
$100 per person, with payment due at time of registration
Carnegie Slate Camp: June 18-19, 2024 in Chicago
Held prior to the 2024 Slate Summit
Half-day sessions on Tuesday, June 18 and Wednesday, June 19
Tuesday session: Queries and building from a strong foundation of best practices into complex querying with subqueries
Wednesday session: Portals, with Beginner and Advanced options
$300 per individual for one session / $500 per individual for the full program
Visit Carnegie's Upcoming Slate Trainings site for further information.
Slate Print: Year-End Summary & New Features
2023 was another busy year for Slate Print with more colleges and universities than ever using Slate Print, the largest number of pieces mailed in a year, and lots of new cool products and exciting features added.
2023 At A Glance
12+ million pieces mailed
6100 active client templates
4,000+ orders
400 active colleges and universities
90+ Slate Print products + virtually unlimited custom products
Pricing Update
The USPS announced a postal rate increase, effective as of January 1, 2024 and resulting in minor cost increases on a limited number of products at certain quantities. See our handy 2024 Slate Print Postal Rates Guide in our Support area for a summary of postal rates.
Fun Facts!
Can you guess the five busiest print days and largest volumes of 2023?
Most Orders in a Day: April 28, 2023 (124 templates ordered)
Largest Volume in a Day: August 22, 2023 (1+ million pieces)
Slate On Tour
Get the full #SlateOnTour experience with Technolutions staff at these upcoming conferences. Come say hello—and bring your Slate (and future Slate!) colleagues, too.
CASE District III Annual Conference, Orlando, February 4-6: If you're in the area, visit Shawn and Stephen at the Loews Sapphire Falls Resort to chat about Slate for Advancement.
CASE District II Annual Conference, Baltimore, February 11-13: Swing by the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront to say hi to Genevieve and Stephen.
2024 NASPA Annual Conference, Seattle, March 9-13: Make sure to visit us at Booth #414 in Exhibit Hall A at the Seattle Convention Center Summit Building to learn more about student success.
Spotlight on the Slate Community
Are you following us on socials?
We're on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and X (formerly known as Twitter), and we regularly share everything from new features to behind-the-scenes life in our New Haven offices. Follow us today to stay updated on the latest and greatest - or should we say latest and Slatest?
Visit New Haven
On the road again this spring? If travel season's got you buzzing about our neighborhood, stop in for a coffee break with the Slate team! Meet some of our Technolutions staff, tour the office, and refuel for the next stop of your trip.
Now serving up cappuccinos in the Slate Cafe at our New Haven location. Sign up for a coffee date with Slate!
Feeling February
We're ready for February . . . but not quite ready for those Valentine's Day playlists. You, too? We got you.
Get To Know…Community Ambassadors
Jasmine Solomon, Slate Community Ambassador
Senior Associate Director, Systems Operations
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
New York University
Read the full profile through your browser!
How long have you been a Slate user?
I started using Slate in December 2016 with a trip to New Haven for Launchpad.
What recommendations would you give to someone wanting to improve their Slate skills?
I recommend attending Community Conversations on any area of Slate that interests you. Getting inspired by the questions your peers ask and thinking through how you can apply those same use cases and solutions to improve your own instance is a great exercise. If you have the budget and the time, signing up for a year of Learning Lab and setting goals for completing each course is a great option!