Paper applications for employment at Miami University may soon become a thing of the past.
Miami unveiled an ambitious online endeavor Monday to convert its former paper-based application process to a new online process.
Dubbed "PeopleAdmin," the new Internet employment system allows users to create a resume, browse available openings, apply by submitting their prepared application and review the status of those positions online.
Currently, PeopleAdmin includes only classified positions at Miami.
According to the Department of Human Resources (HR) Web site, a classified position is defined as a civil service position that pays an hourly rate and includes food service, custodial, grounds, skilled trade, and clerical and administrative support positions.
Kate Stoss, vice president of finance for the HR department, said PeopleAdmin has been in development for years.
"We've had an online employment system for a number of years," Stoss said. "Part of our thinking was to expand it so all of our paperwork could come in electronically. This new system will save money from copying, mailing and labor."
Stoss said the paper-based system was a manual process that involved several copies being made of each application and then sent to different departments within the university.
Stoss added the HR department received about 80 percent of applications online rather than in-person.
David Creamer, vice president of finance and business services, said the new application process is going to save a lot of time and resources.
"Now, the electronic form is sent in as the application, which can then be routed around and re-visited," Creamer said. "It's more efficient and we'll have a permanent record of the information that is gathered."
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Creamer said the new system costs about $46,000 to launch, but it is the more cost-effective approach for the future.
"We'll be able to complete the transactions more efficiently and it's helpful from an environmental standpoint," Creamer said. "The expectation is that, over time, as we implement other applications like this, it will require fewer staff to support it."
Stoss agreed that PeopleAdmin will help Miami both financially and environmentally.
"We're really trying to cut down," Stoss said. "So, it adds up - the toner, electricity to produce all of those copies, the paper. We're hoping to see a cost savings and to do a small part to better the environment."
Dan Johnson, systems coordinator for IT Services, said the system is easy to use and accommodate. For those who are not completely comfortable with computers, the Web site includes a video tutorial and detailed user's guide.
"I think most people, anyone with a little bit of computer skill can use this system," Johnson said. "If you fiddle around on the computer, just poke around a little bit, you can figure it out."
According to Stoss, other Ohio universities like Ohio State University, Wright State University and the University of Cincinnati use similar job application systems.
Creamer said eventually even salaried positions and those more directly involved in academics at Miami will be included in job postings on PeopleAdmin.
"This is a trend in a way that will gradually alter the way we do work here," Creamer said. "We will gradually see more changes like this overtime."
After the first day of its launch, Stoss said 24 profiles had been created and 14 positions received applications on PeopleAdmin.
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