Enrollment Management

Enrollment Management 2019 ASSFAA Conference Atmore Alabama By: Dr. James Theeuwes, EdD, MBA

What is EM?? • Is it • Advertising? Admission? Marketing? Career Center? • Recruiting? Student Accounts? Financial Aid? • Switchboard operator? Call Center? Counseling Center? • Website? Registrar’s office? Student Service? • Housing? Food on campus? Parking? Retention? • Book store? Advising? Academics? Campus security?

Goals of Presentation • Discuss various definitions, ideas and functions of enrollment management • Explore issues involved from admissions to retention • Discuss the use of Data and to find resources to help

Definition • Enrollment Management is a term used frequently in higher education to describe well-planned strategies and tactics to shape the enrollment of an institution and meet established goals. Plainly stated, enrollment management is an organizational concept and a systematic set of activities designed to enable educational institutions to exert more influence over their student enrollments.

University Examples • Welcome to Enrollment Management! The mission of the Division of Enrollment Management is to strategically plan, implement, and evaluate services and programs which facilitate student enrollment and success. The Division of Enrollment Management will • Be acknowledged as a model for innovative enrollment management programs, services and practices; • Ensure the University has a successful and diverse student population; and • Engage the University community in the enrollment planning process. • Admissions, Financial aid, Registrar, Housing and Enrollment Technologies

Examples Continued • Enrollment Management is an association of university strategic partners consisting of: • The Office of Admissions, Bursar's Office, Division of Financial Aid, International Students and Scholars, Student Access, Transition and Success Programs, Office of the Registrar, and Space Management and Academic Scheduling. This association will develop and continually reevaluate a comprehensive enrollment management strategy that is consistent with university goals, mission, and resources. • Furthermore, the implementation of this model will maintain lateral autonomy in which areas internally operate within the framework of the enrollment strategy with an outcome of realizing university goals Discovery, Learning and Engagement

Examples - Continued • Enrollment Management is the administrative area of the University that includes • the Offices of University Admission, Financial Assistance and Registrar. • The Mission of Enrollment Management is to assist and coordinate the above mentioned offices in providing state-of-the-art administrative services and information to students and their families. • The Office of the Dean is responsible to monitor student enrollment, retention, marketing, merit scholarships and need-based financial aid trends.

Examples - Continued • Welcome to the Office of Enrollment Management XXX University. • Our focus is on students, their needs, and their SUCCESS! Our goal is to recruit students for success, link them to faculty and other mentors and guides, and help them become XXX graduates and lifelong achievers and learners • Enrollment Management delivers an array of services to students, faculty, and staff including: • Academic Advising & Retention (which also includes Education Pay$, NOVA, Student Athlete Academic Success Center, and the Transfer Center), Admissions, Financial Aid, Registrar, and Transition & University Services(which also includes Academic Skills, Academic Testing, Developmental Education, Educational Talent Search, First Step Program, and Upward Bound).

The Enrollment Funnel • The traditional funnel starts with Suspects, these move to Inquires, these move through to Applicants, then Applicants become Accepted , Accepted move to Enrolled by paying a deposit, Enrolled move to Matriculated • Matriculated moves through the rest of the funnel down to Graduate and then to Alumni. • The funnel is ‘ripe’ with challenges or ‘leaks’ that stop Suspects from becoming Alumni Name some :

New Thoughts on the Funnel • You can predict using the funnel, ratios stay the same. • This has been true for years as EM ‘fixate’ on getting prospects to student, to matriculate and then moving to graduates • But Technology is changing how ‘things’ work: • Instead of a funnel think of the totality of prospective students as the tip of the ice burg with most of ice burg below the surface

New Thoughts • The digital age has demolished the notion that a single college can control the information on its student experience. Now, information on your institution is ubiquitous and curated and highly accessible. • New tools and new thinking are allowing the modern enrollment manager to work beneath the surface of the ice burg and are delivering deeply relevant content to prospective students, working with the automated and flowing nature of the internet—not against it. By Thom Golden, Vice President of Data Science

Thoughts • Today • Think about what your college has for information and how it communicates that information and then what happens with the results of that communication. • Note Colleges are receiving fewer ‘inquires’ • Families can research schools anonymously online • Secret shoppers and stealth applicants populating US colleges • 32% of first-time college enrollments and 50% of transfer students didn’t identify themselves to college until applied • Inspired panic in heart of admission directors AiSAP downloaded 030119

Thoughts • Changing the funnel reflects both how people ‘shop’ and increased competition. • What to do • If inquiries are decreasing colleges need to focus on Increasing applications, this means changing how business is done. Then the focus shifts to Matriculation, after this then the focus needs to be on retention and graduation

Enrollment Management Function • Data driven – all aspects, not ‘seat of the pants’ • Involved in strategic planning • Quality Service from all aspects of operation • Communication, cooperation and collaboration • Admissions, registrar, student affairs, student accounts, etc.

Enrollment Manager • Need President or Chief Executive officer support • EM must be able to/ have or be • influence, communicate, persuade, lobby, and bargain with others • Formal and informal education • Broad, well versed in all aspects of higher education • Other skills: Communication, computers, analytical, marketing research and personnel management

Enrollment Management Tools • Tools • Data driven inquiry management • Data driven travel planning • Making the case for affordability • ROI of XXX university education • Targeted messages and proof statements for high ability students • Transfer success – data and anecdotes

EM tools Continued • Predictive modeling, • Outcomes-based research on retention, programs, and activities, • Evaluation of students' satisfaction to meet the needs of students, graduates, and society in general • No magic bullet

Outcomes of Enrollment Management • Provide academic deans, the president, and fiscal officers • with information about programs, the quality of students, demographic trends for graduates and potential students, attrition, and image. • Practices in awarding financial aid that may assist some students • Present financial problems for the institution and ethical concerns for the enrollment manager. • Increase Enrollment/retention

EM Data Resources • https://www.nassgapsurvey.com/survey_reports.aspxhttp://www.nassgap.org/about.aspx • The National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs • The National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs (NASSGAP) is dedicated to the promotion, strengthening, encouragement and enhancement of high standards in the administration and operation of student grant and aid programs so that these programs shall be available to students in all states to expand and further postsecondary educational opportunities. NASSGAP's membership is drawn from single agencies in each state or territory which are responsible for state-funded student aid programs.

EM Data Resources • http://www.nassgap.org/about.aspx • IPEDS Data Center • Census data • Grapevine • College Board Trends in Higher Education • Title IV Program Volume Reports • ERIC

EM Data Resources • Federal School Code Search • FAFSA Completion by School • National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) • SREB Fact Book on Higher Education • WICHE Factbook for Higher Education in the West • Education Commission of the States • State Higher Education Executive Officers Association • National Center for Higher Education Management Systems

What EM is NOT • ‘NOT MY JOB’ • Enrollment Management is Everyone’s Job

Need Help???? • https://www.ruffalonl.com/ • About Ruffalo Noel Levitz • Technology-enabled services, software, and consulting for higher education enrollment management and fundraising • For more than 40 years, colleges and nonprofit organizations have turned to Ruffalo Noel Levitz to enroll the students they want, help more students graduate and succeed, and build lifelong relationships with donors. Our mission is to make colleges, universities, and nonprofits successful and vibrant with inspired and relevant engagement in: • Enrollment management: Recruitment, marketing, and financial aid services that engage the right students for each campus. • Student success: Retention assessments, analytics, and career services so students achieve their educational goals and secure their first job in their desired field. • Fundraising management: Annual, digital, major, and planned giving services that identify and excite donors who are ready to give. • A track record of trust and results • Each year, we work with more institutions to touch the lives of more students and donors than any other firm. We are proud to support the mission and success of so many campuses and organizations making an impact in the world today.

Need Help? • https://www.maguireassoc.com/ • About Maguire Associates • ‘We are a research-based consulting firm that serves educational institutions. We’ve been in the business for over 35 years, during which time we’ve provided our clients with the insights needed to make strategic decisions. • We’ll support you to meet your goals: Attract top scholars, artists, and athletes. Promote diversity. Fill your residence halls. Maximize revenue.’

Enrollment Management