Preparing for the future - Delgado Community...

Preparing for the Future

Strategic Enrollment Planning Executive ForumFebruary 2011 1

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Preparing for the Future: How to Assess your

Institution's Environment and Its Projected Changes Using a Market Research

and Assessment Checklist

Gary Fretwell, Senior Vice PresidentDr. Jim Hundrieser, Associate Vice President

February 2011

The future is embedded in the present.– John Naisbitt

The best way to predict the future is to create it.– Peter Drucker



Planning is planning for change. There is no need to plan to remain the same or to evolve slowly.

– John Bean, The Strategic Management of College Enrollments

What do you know? What do you wish you knew?

Exercise:Institutional Enrollment Funnel



Create your SEP research plan

MARKETCOMPETITION

PRODUCT

Q: How do we need to change

ourselves to meet our strategic

goals?

Research focus #1: The institution

• Student satisfaction and engagement metrics• Faculty/staff satisfaction and alignment with student

expectations• Alumni satisfaction/outcomes• Student attrition research



Current student research revealsbroad institutional issues…

1234567

Overall, metexpectations?

Rate overallsatisfaction

Would enrollhere again

Tuition aworthwhileinvestment

Overall Satisfaction

Our students Students at other schools

…and specific institutional challenges

1. I am able to register for classes I need with few conflicts.2. Tuition paid is a worthwhile investment.3. There is a good variety of courses provided on this

campus.4. The campus is safe and secure

for all students.5. Faculty are fair and unbiased

in their treatment ofindividual students.

6. Adequate financialaid is available formost students.

Alumni research can informyour institutional strategy

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Percent of Alumni

Master's degree Doctoral degree Other graduate degree



Faculty and staff attitudesshape institutional culture

“As a result of the findings, we have involved faculty and staff much more fully in the planning process, and have made improvements in wages and benefits and in our promotion process.”

– Jackie Virgint, Director of Institutional ResearchSanta Fe Community College (New Mexico)

Research challenges what we “know”

Institutional Priorities Survey

Student F/S/AItem rank rankSecurity staff response 40 6Adjunct faculty are competent as instructors 27 10Student disciplinary procedures are fair 44 8Channels for expressing complaints 58 20

Ranking of items 1-85; 1 = most satisfied

Q: How will the market’s

characteristics impact our future?



Research focus #2: The market

• Demographic trends • Projected demand for academic programs• Price sensitivity• Lost inquiries and applicants• Brand/image research• Delivery format preferences

Demographics tell a story

www.wiche.edu

Tuition Paid by Lost Admits

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Less than$2,500

$2,500 to$4,999

$5,000 to$7,499

$7,500 to$9,999

$10,000 to$12,499

$12,500 to$14,999

$15,000 to$17,499

$17,500 to$19,999

$20,000 ormore

% of Lost Admits

Pricing research replaces intuition

Tuition Paid by Lost Admitted Students

$20,000+<$2,500



0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

Nursing Drama Mathematics Crim. Justice Sports Mgt. Child Care Social Work Env. Studies

Interest Areas of College-Bound High School Students

Primary Market Secondary Market

Program demand shows opportunity

NRCCUA Postsecondary Planning surveyof college-bound high school students

Are you offering too many programsfor the number of students enrolled?

Client Typical Master's I

32 programs; 337 degrees

39 programs; 968 degrees

Ratio: 10:1

Ratio: 25:1

Ratio of Students to Programs

Essential attitudinal research

What level of awareness of our institution exists in out-of-state markets?

Are our marketing messages resonating with prospective students and parents?

How can we use different messages to target different types of students?

How are we viewed in terms of quality against our top competitors?



Perception research can be a wake-up call

“Name a positive perception that students have of MyU…”

PercentDon’t know, nothing 42.5Community, area, scenery 19.2Programs, courses (general) 9.8Social atmosphere, environment 8.5Campus 9.0Reputation 5.8Smaller classes/student-to-teacher ratio 3.8

Graduates' Reputation Among Employers

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Unknown

Better reputation

Below average reputation

Parents Adults Employers Counselors

Perceptions can vary widely by audience

Measuring impact of a marketing initiative

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Competitor 1 Competitor 2 Competitor 3 Competitor 4 Competitor 5 Our School

Pct Extr / Very Familiar (2003) Pct Extr / Very Familiar (2005)

Familiarity v. Competitors



0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Outcomes Technology Diversity Overall Reputation

Pct Prefer Our School (2003) Pct Prefer Our School (2005)

Have we improved parents’ perceptions?

Reputation v. Competitors

. . Research drives marketing media strategy

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Television Internet Newspaper Radio Magazines

NewsEntertainment

Non-enrolling admitted students

• Telephone surveys comparing features with school of choice

• In-depth interviews that get past the polite answers



Q: What is the evolving competitive

context for our institution?

Research focus #3: The competition

• Competitor enrollment trends• Competitor marketing messages• Competitor academic program offerings• Institutional image vis-à-vis competitors

www.nces.ed.gov/IPEDS/



What you can learn from IPEDS

• Institution characteristics

• Degree completions

• 12-month enrollment

• Human resources

• Fall enrollment

• Finance

• Financial aid

• Graduation rates

Assess your real competitors

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

Proprietary Theologicalseminaries

2-year colleges Small public 4-yr Med. or largepublic 4-yr

Med. or largeprivate 4-yr

Share of IPEDS Universe Share of College's Inquiries

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

2001-2002 2005-2006

Bachelor's Degrees Awarded inBusiness Administration

Four-year publics Four-year privates For-profits

Understand your market share trends



Capture the basics of yourcompetitive position

• Have you heard of (our institution/competitors)? (basic name recognition)

• Level of familiarity 1-5 (knowledge)

• One word or phrase they associate with the institution (perceptions)

Top-of-mind (five-minute) telephone awareness survey

Awareness of your name vs. competition

0

20

40

60

80

100

Our school Milton Coll Dover U

Carter U Williams U

% Yes

In-state Florida Alabama Georgia S. Carolina

Research to establish brand positioning

1. Ensure we are not simply duplicating the positioning of other institutions

2. Help correct misperceptions in the marketplace3. Determine which brand messages should be

primary4. Define targeted messages by audience



Research ensures the rightmarketing messages

Quality is…• Faculty who publish• The smartest students• US News ratings

Quality is…• Faculty teaching• Career preparation• Successful graduates

Competitor message content analysis

Communications studies show competitive opportunities

• No competitors sent information designed for parents.

• Only two competitors sent meaningful information about the requested major.

• Only three competitors sent information about financial aid, which was specifically requested.

• Only three competitors responded within 48 hours to an e-mail inquiry.

• Public universities did not use multiple communications to build relationships with prospects.



Do you know competitive pressureby major?

Knowledge comes by taking things apart; wisdom comes by putting things together.

− John Morrison

Create your research checklist

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