Standards in College Store Industry

Standards in Action

Practical Use Cases & Applications

The CAS Campus Store Standards offer a comprehensive framework for achieving operational excellence
and strategic alignment in collegiate retail. Here’s how campus stores are leveraging these standards
to drive success.

Assessment & Continuous Improvement

Ensures that campus stores establish a culture of ongoing evaluation, using data and feedback to refine operations, enhance student services, and improve efficiency in alignment with institutional goals.

Comprehensive Assessments

VolShops @ UT Knoxville – The VolShops at UT Knoxville are conducting a comprehensive program review that includes forming a committee based on their Clifton Strengths, tracking progress with Microsoft Planner, and utilizing external reviewers. Once this assessment is complete, they plan to review 25% of the standards every two years to drive continuous improvement and ensure compliance.

Focused Assessments

Joliet Junior College Bookstore – When developing their bookstore strategy, Joliet Junior College uses the standards to ensure that nothing is overlooked. Additionally, the standards help structure their comprehensive annual bookstore review by incorporating successes and opportunities that align with the college’s broader annual program update.

North Hennepin Community College Bookstore – Taking a team approach, the store staff collectively reviews the standards, identifies which ones they already meet, and creates action plans for those they still need to implement.

Weber State University Wildcat Store – The initial approach at Weber State University is to review the standards and identify the "low-hanging fruit"—compliance with standards that can be easily achieved through small changes and minimal expense.

Strategic Planning

Guides campus stores in setting clear objectives, aligning resources, and proactively adapting to evolving campus needs, retail trends, and student expectations to ensure long-term success.

Joliet Junior College Bookstore – When developing the bookstore strategy, using the standards helps to ensure nothing is overlooked. When submitting the comprehensive annual bookstore review, the standards help incorporate successes and opportunities that align with and complement the college’s annual program update.

University of California, Davis - Aligned strategic planning and procedural updates with the standards. Utilizing Lean Six Sigma, they are streamlining processes and ensuring policies are regularly reviewed for consistency with the standards.

Policy & Procedure Documentation

Establishes structured and transparent operational guidelines to promote consistency, accountability, compliance with regulations, and effective decision-making within the campus store environment.

Brown University Bookstore – Creating new business workflows and processes using the standards as a guide. Implementing a new ERP and POS system required significant change management, leading to updates in policies and procedures. The standards have also been used as conversation starters with key stakeholders on campus.

Clark University Campus Store - The standards were useful during a review of the store’s policy and procedures manual. The process led to additional documentation and expanded sections in the manual that are important to the store operation, and will support future training and succession planning.

Consulting Engagements

Provides expert analysis and recommendations to optimize campus store operations, improve financial management, enhance customer experience, and implement best practices tailored to institutional needs.

Memorial University of Newfoundland Bookstore – Used the standards to develop an RFP for business consultation about the bookstore and regularly consults them for daily decision-making to ensure all new processes and services align with best practices.

Western Washington University - Reviewed the standards internally before a consulting engagement to identify focus areas and support consultant preparation.

Store Staff Engagements

Encourages a collaborative and customer-focused workplace by fostering staff development, promoting training opportunities, and ensuring employees are actively engaged in achieving store objectives and enhancing the student experience.

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Campus Store – At UMHB, they started by sharing the standards with the campus store staff to increase engagement and referring the staff to articles in The College Store Magazine. Then, they identified specific standards for their initial focus and are working on those. They have also used the standards in discussions on campus regarding store mission and student services.