Strategic Enrolment Strategic Enrolment Management: Management: Core ConceptsCore Concepts

Enform, CalgaryEnform, CalgarySeptember 11, 2008September 11, 2008

PresentersPresenters

Susan GottheilSusan GottheilAssociate Vice-President, Enrolment ManagementAssociate Vice-President, Enrolment Management

Senior Consultant, AACRAO ConsultingSenior Consultant, AACRAO Consulting

Mount Royal College, Calgary, AlbertaMount Royal College, Calgary, Alberta

sgottheil@mtroyal.ca

Bob BontragerBob BontragerDirector, AACRAO ConsultingDirector, AACRAO Consulting

bob.acs@comcast.net

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Session GoalsSession Goals

Establish a common understanding of SEMEstablish a common understanding of SEM DefinitionDefinition

Some key conceptsSome key concepts

Begin discussion of SEM’s applicability to Begin discussion of SEM’s applicability to Enform’s businessEnform’s business

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A bit about SEM…A bit about SEM…

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The Classic Admissions

Funnel

Prospects

Matrics

Admits

Applicants

Inquiries

Promoting Student Success:Promoting Student Success:The Student Success ContinuumThe Student Success Continuum

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Recruitment / Recruitment / MarketingMarketing

AdmissionAdmission

OrientationOrientationCo-curricular Co-curricular

supportsupport Degree/goal Degree/goal attainmentattainment

Academic Academic supportsupport RetentionRetention

Financial Financial supportsupport

Student’s college /university careerStudent’s college /university career

Classroom Classroom experienceexperience

The Student Success ContinuumThe Student Success Continuum

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Recruitment / Recruitment / MarketingMarketing

AdmissionAdmission

OrientationOrientationCo-curricular Co-curricular

supportsupport Degree/goal Degree/goal attainmentattainment

Academic Academic supportsupport RetentionRetention

Financial Financial supportsupport

Student’s college /university careerStudent’s college /university career

Classroom Classroom experienceexperience

Traditional Enrolment PerspectiveTraditional Enrolment Perspective

The Student Success ContinuumThe Student Success Continuum

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Recruitment / Recruitment / MarketingMarketing

AdmissionAdmission

OrientationOrientationCo-curricular Co-curricular

supportsupportDegree/goal Degree/goal attainmentattainment

Academic Academic supportsupport RetentionRetention

Financial Financial AidAid

Student’s college /university careerStudent’s college /university career

Classroom Classroom experienceexperience

The SEM PerspectiveThe SEM Perspective

What is SEM?What is SEM?

Strategic enrolment management Strategic enrolment management is a is a concept and processconcept and process that that enables the fulfillment of enables the fulfillment of institutional missioninstitutional mission and and students’ educational goalsstudents’ educational goals..

Bob Bontrager (2004)Bob Bontrager (2004)

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Enrolment Management

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. Organized by strategic planning and supported by institutional research, enrollment management activities concern student college choice, transition to college, student attrition and retention, and student outcomes. These processes are studied to guide institutional practices in the areas of new student recruitment and financial aid, student support services, curriculum development and other academic areas that affect enrollments, student persistence and student outcomes from college.

- Don Hossler, 1990

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Institutional Mission andInstitutional Mission andEnrolment Goals Are Determined By:Enrolment Goals Are Determined By:

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Programs Programs offeredoffered

Historical Historical status status

NicheNicheWeaknessesWeaknesses

StrengthsStrengths

Range of Range of influenceinfluence

Aspirational Aspirational statusstatus

Current Current competitive competitive

statusstatus

…with consideration to institutional differentiation!

The Purposes of SEM are The Purposes of SEM are Achieved by…Achieved by…

Establishing Establishing clear goalsclear goals for the number & types of for the number & types of students needed to fulfil the institutional missionstudents needed to fulfil the institutional mission

Promoting Promoting student academic successstudent academic success by improving by improving access, transition, retention, & graduationaccess, transition, retention, & graduation

Promoting institutional success by enabling effective Promoting institutional success by enabling effective strategic & financial planningstrategic & financial planning

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The Purposes of SEM are The Purposes of SEM are Achieved by…Achieved by…

Creating a Creating a data-rich environmentdata-rich environment to inform decisions to inform decisions & evaluate strategies& evaluate strategies

Improving Improving process, organizational & financial process, organizational & financial efficiencyefficiency & outcomes & outcomes

Establishing top quality Establishing top quality student-centred servicestudent-centred service

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The Purposes of SEM are The Purposes of SEM are Achieved by…Achieved by…

Strengthening Strengthening communications & communications & collaborationcollaboration among among departments across departments across the campus to support the enrolment the campus to support the enrolment programprogram

--Bontrager (2004) (2004)

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The Enrolment Funnel is Different for Different Students

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Student Type:•Aboriginal Students•New Canadians•International Students•First Generation Students•Northern Canadians•Rural Students•Students with Disabilities•Dislocated Workers•Francophone Students•Sole Support Mothers•Low-income Students•Visible Minority Students•High-Achieving Students

Major SEM Components SEM Planning Data Marketing Recruitment Admissions Financial Aid Pricing Curriculum/Program Development & Delivery Student Services & Support Retention Assessment

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SEM PLANNING

When you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.

- Cheshire Cat, Alice in Wonderland

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Data

What puts the “S” in “SEM”; basis of SEM planTransactional dataRecruitment & retention analysisCourse & classroom schedulingAssessment of strategies, services &

outcomes

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Creating a Data-Driven Enrolment Plan

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ActiveAlumni

Graduated

Engaged,Satisfied

Retained

Enrolled

Deposited

Applied/Admitted

Prospective Students

Alumni Research

Placement DataGraduate Rates

Retention DataStudent Surveys

Yield DataAdmission Statistics

Competitive AnalysisMarket Research

The EnrolmentData Agenda

Financial Aid Analysis

Enrolment StrategiesAlumni

engagement

Graduation/Career Development

Yield

Recruitment

Marketing

First Year Exp. &Retention Programs

Marketing

Branding, positioning initiatives widespread Purpose: to gather broad, initial interest in institution Direct mail used less in Canada than U.S. due to

privacy legislationCan it be used (more effectively) in your

industry? Focus on capturing & managing inquiries at

recruitment events, career fairs, reply cards, web forms, e-mails/phone calls

Mass media advertising

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Recruitment

Purpose: To attract the “right” students into specific programs

Move from “liaison” to “recruitment”

Concern with access (& persistence) of “1st generation” & “low-income” students including Aboriginal & immigrant populations

Desire for increased flexibility (scheduling, course offerings, mode of instructional delivery)

Industry pressures & expectations

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Admissions

Purpose: To use differing strategies, processes & policies to maximize yield

Change in philosophy from gatekeeper to facilitating enrolment

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Financial Aid/Pricing

Before the late 1970’s:Financial aid generally used to meet

students’ demonstrated financial aidAn incentive for enrolment

Modern financial aid practices and pricing (tuition & fees, discounting) focus on both students’ willingness to pay & ability to pay

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Student Support & Retention

Student success initiatives help students achieve their educational & career aspirations through quality academic & student support services, programs & experiences

Link between recruitment & retention

Technological tools help provide high tech/high touch service

Notion of education as a commodity

Meet/exceed “customer” expectations

One-stop service centres: eliminate “run-around” & bureaucracy

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What SEM is Not

A quick fix

Solely an organizational structure

An enhanced admission & marketing operation

A financial drain on the institutional budget

An administrative function separate from the academic mission of the institution

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Enrolment Management System

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InstitutionalGoals

Environmental Factors

StudentCharacteristics

Institutional Objectives

InstitutionalStrategies

Desired Outcomes

Enduring Effect

Enduring Behaviour

Member ofunderservedstudent group

Beliefs & values

Academic preparation

Motivation to learn

Educationalaspirations

Self-discipline

Adaptability

Interpersonal skills

Peer involvement

Ability to pay

Study habits

Family & peerSupport

Studentenrolmentbehaviour

Demographictrends

Competition

PublicAccountability(loan default rate,graduation,Accessibility,retention)

Studentgeographic draw

EconomicTrends

Off-campusemploymentavailability

Federal &provincial polices

QuantitativeGoals

QualitativeGoals

Diversity Goals

PersistenceGoals

CapacityGoals

Net RevenueGoals

Student headcount

Admission averageTransfer GPA

Visible minorities,Aboriginal, international

Retention rates,StudentSatisfaction,graduation rates

Classroom capacity,adequate sections,Class size

Financial aid discount rate,internationalenrolment

•Marketing•Recruitment•Admission•Financial aid/pricing•Orientation•Residence•Athletics•First Year•Experience•Advising•Supplemental instruction•Service learning•Learning communities•Academic support•Peer support•Teaching & learning approaches•Student engagement•SEM organization•Data mining

Awareness

Interest

Commitment

Enrolment

Persistence

Satisfaction

Education

Relationship

InstitutionalLoyalty

Institutional Image

Source: Kuh et al , 2007; Black, 2003

Applicability of the SEM model Applicability of the SEM model to Enform?to Enform?

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DiscussionDiscussion

Q & A

Thank you!

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