OVERVIEW: Student open and response rates to NPC student email is very low, around 3%, and is not meeting the college's student communication needs. NPC must find a more effective way to communicate with students that meets students where they get information. National data shows that text messages have a 98% open rate. NPC Marketing survey data collected in 2017 showed that 92% of NPC students own a smart phone and 91% also have an unlimited texting plan on their phone. Based on this data, the NPC Marketing Office recommended the implementation of a college-wide platform that would allow multiple student services offices to send text messages to students.
The following steps will be used to implement the college-wide texting system:
| Activity | Time Duration | Date Completed |
| Find and review possible vendors | 2 months | 11-2018 |
| Obtain price quotes and award vendor contract | 2 months | 4-2019 |
| Write non-emergency texting procedure and get approved | 3 months | 6-27-19 |
| Vendor and IS work together to produce student texting list | 2 months | 8-2019 |
| Marketing test new platform and send out first text messages | 3 months | 10-2019 |
| Add student service departments to platform one at a time | 11-2019 | on going |
| Monitor text metrics to ensure system is being used effectively | on going |
