6 Themes to take away from COMTEC 2025

Celebrating innovation, resilience and a thriving future in higher education

COMTEC, TouchNet’s annual user conference, brought together higher education business administrators and technology leaders for an inspiring few days packed with innovation, insight and practical strategies. For those who attended, the energy was palpable; and for those who missed out—rest assured, COMTEC 2026 can’t come soon enough!

Here are six key themes shaping the future of campus commerce and higher education as a whole:

1. Higher education is in the human potential business

Jeremy Loch, president of TouchNet, opened the conference with a deeply personal reflection on the mission at the heart of higher education. Drawing on his own experiences and those of his father, both lifelong advocates and beneficiaries of education, he emphasized that higher education isn’t just about systems or transactions – it’s about unlocking human potential and transforming lives.

"Business combined with education can be a powerful source of societal change," Jeremy remarked. He emphasized that TouchNet’s goal is to advance the broader mission of higher education institutions.

This focus is what drives TouchNet to innovate solutions that truly support students and the people who serve them.

2. Taking a people-centric approach

At COMTEC 2025, the voice of the customer was front and center. Client testimonials highlighted how TouchNet’s dedication to people is a cornerstone of its success.

Karen Sorrell from Carroll Community College shared passionately, “...you couldn't tear me away from TouchNet.” She emphasized that TouchNet’s client success managers (CSMs) should be seen as “an extension of your team on campus... here to make sure the product works for you.”

Melissa Lewis from Pima Community College echoed this sentiment, sharing the kind, personalized support she receives, “My CSM cares about my students as if they are HER students.”

These stories demonstrate how, by TouchNet centering its mission on client empowerment, it creates a ripple effect that enhances the entire campus community. The client panel’s theme was clear: TouchNet isn’t just a vendor, but a valued partner helping institutions advance their missions and simplify the complex business of higher education.

3. Staying resilient amidst rapidly changing regulations

During a keynote led by Bryan Dickson, director of student financial services and educational programs at NACUBO, attendees gained valuable insights into the evolving policy landscape impacting colleges and universities.

Dickson explored recent developments from Capitol Hill, including sweeping new legislation signed earlier in the year, and laid out actionable strategies for higher ed leaders to navigate these changes.

He identified five key responsibilities and challenges facing institutions today:

• Managing unreliable funding sources

• Amplifying the value of higher education

• Navigating political and policy disruptions

• Supporting and maintaining the workforce

• Meeting rising operational costs

Despite these hurdles, the core message resonating from Bryan’s session was one of resilience: “By staying flexible and vigilant, higher ed will make it through this tough time.”

4. Meet Genius, an all-in-one point of sale for campus commerce

During the conference, TouchNet introduced Global Payment’s Genius point of sale suite to the higher education community. Leveraging flexibility and cloud innovation, this unified POS solution is ideally suited for on-campus merchants, dining halls, recreational facilities, departments, clubs, stadiums and more. 

Genius brings PCI-compliant, all-in-one devices to simplify operations and meet student’s elevated expectations for modern payments. The result: fast, mobile-first, seamless payment options across campus. Prioritizing a seamless student experience? That’s Genius.

The introduction of Genius reaffirmed TouchNet’s commitment to meeting the evolving needs of higher education finance offices by delivering advanced solutions that simplify operations while improving the campus community’s financial interactions.

5. AI: The bright shiny object with complex challenges

Artificial intelligence continues to captivate with its potential to automate backend processes and enhanced student support. For example, with the Conversational Experience Platform from TouchNet’s partner, Satisfi Labs, institutions can deploy AI agents that autonomously handle student inquiries and complete tasks 24/7, saving staff hours and improving student satisfaction.

However, COMTEC sessions didn’t shy away from addressing the risks. Troy Leach, chief strategy office at Cloud Security Alliance, shared that 71% of companies that deployed AI without strong oversight experienced at least one significant incident within a year (MIT Sloan, 2024). New threats, including cybercrime-as-a-service and deep fakes, pose challenges that institutions must tackle head-on. Staying vigilant and leveraging AI responsibly is essential to safeguarding campuses in this evolving digital landscape.

6. Moving from surviving to thriving: The power of mindset

A recurring theme throughout the conference was mindset transformation.

Higher ed is often asked to “do more with less,” but TouchNet champions the idea that with the right tools and partners, you can do more with more—more integrations, more solutions, and more dedicated support.

Motivational keynote speaker Charles Clark inspired attendees to embrace a “Thrive” state of mind, shifting the narrative from mere survival to dynamic growth and success.

Until next year: Ready to thrive in 2026?

COMTEC 2025 was a celebration of resilience, innovation, and people-centered progress in higher education. The ideas shared and the community built here make it clear: the future of campus commerce is bright, bold, and full of promise.

If you missed this year’s event, now is the time to mark your calendar for COMTEC 2026! Meet us in Orlando, Florida on October 26-29, 2026.