On September 1, 2011, 13 of the 20 private institutions of higher learning that are part of the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU) obtained a consolidated Microsoft Enrollment for Education Solutions (EES) Agreement through their partnership with the software reseller ScholarBuys.While ScholarBuys already provides SCICU institutions with tremendous discounts on software, hardware, and computer accessories, this Microsoft EES Agreement allows for even greater benefits that could otherwise not be obtained. Mike LeFever, President and CEO of SCICU, said, “SCICU’s partnership with ScholarBuys has allowed our small liberal arts colleges to receive premium pricing and technical support through the Microsoft EES agreement that they could never qualify for individually. ScholarBuys has worked diligently on behalf of our members providing excellent service and contact administration.”
These 13 institutions for higher education will benefit from Level B Pricing, something typically reserved for schools with 3,000 or more full-time equivalent employees. They also benefit from the ability to offer Office 365 to students at no cost, and a Microsoft managed account including a local Account Manager, Consortia Account Manager, Technical Specialist, and complete Virtual Team.
ScholarBuys also provides discounted software through their brand VarsityBuys.com. Personalized V-Stores on this site allow students, faculty, and staff at any SCICU institution to purchase software for personal use at a highly discounted rate.
ScholarBuys has partnered with other notable academic consortia in the nation, including Georgia Independent College Association, Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities, and the Alabama Association of Independent Colleges and Universities to bring similar cost-effective software benefits to the academic market.