Building a SEM Organization
as a Data Driven Consultant
Jay W. Goff,
Vice Provost and Dean for Enrollment Management
Missouri University of Science & Technology
ACAP Annual Conference, Memphis, TN
March 16, 2009
OVERVIEW
• SEM Primer & Positioning: the In-House Consultant
(IHC) Performance Paradigm
• Environmental Scan
• SEM Strategies
• Implementing the IHC SEM Platform with the Entire
Campus
• Preparing to be an IHC SEM professional
• Creating the SEM Plan with the IHC positioning
perspective
Learn More about SEM &
Effective Retention Strategies
• Retention 2009: An International
Conference on Student Retention
May 27-29, 2009, New Orleans, LA
www.educationalpolicy.org
• SEM: AACRAO‘s 19th annual Strategic
Enrollment Management Conference
November 9-11, 2009, Dallas, TX
www.aacrao.org/sem19
The only person who likes
change is a wet baby.
Attributed to Mark Twain
Can‘t Talk about Change
without mentioning Friedman!
What is SEM?
• Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) is defined
as ―a comprehensive process designed to help an
institution achieve and maintain the optimum
recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of
students where ‗optimum‘ is designed within the
academic context of the institution. As such, SEM is
an institution-wide process that embraces virtually
every aspect of an institution‘s function and culture.‖
Michael Dolence, AACRAO SEM 2001
• Research
• Recruitment
• Retention
The External Environment in which Colleges
and Universities Operate is Changing Quickly
•Dramatic changes in student markets.
•Public expectations for a wide variety of high
quality student services.
•Greater needs for an institution-wide
understanding of how to best react to the
emerging student trends, needs and markets.
Today’s Enrollment Manager
• ―Successful senior enrollment managers
have to operate simultaneously on multiple
levels. They need to be up to date, even
on the cutting edge of technology,
marketing, recruitment, the latest campus
practices to enhance student persistence,
and financial aid practices.‖
SOURCE: THE ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT REVIEW Volume 23, Issue 1 Fall, 2007, Editor: Don Hossler
Associate Editors: Larry Hoezee and Dan Rogalski
Hossler continued
• ―(Enrollment Managers) need to be able to
guide and use research to inform
institutional practices and strategies.
Successful enrollment managers need to be
good leaders, managers, and strategic thinkers.
• They have to have a thorough understanding of
the institutions where they work and a realistic
assessment of the competitive position in which
it resides and the niche within which it can
realistically aspire to compete. Furthermore, to
be effective, enrollment managers must also
have a sense of how public, societal, and
competitive forces are likely to move enrollment-
related policies and practices in the future.‖
SOURCE: THE ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT REVIEW Volume 23, Issue 1 Fall, 2007, Editor: Don Hossler Associate Editors: Larry Hoezee and Dan Rogalski
Embracing Consulting Expectations
Similarities between external consultants and current expectations of
SEM professionals is only one step in embracing the IHC approach.
• Both Structure and Orientation are important
• Philosophical orientation (e.g., administrative, student
focused, academic, or market-centered) can impact how
the SEM units operate
• Due to the manner in which universities actually work,
neither structure nor orientation fully optimizes the SEM
units‘ impact on the overall function of the university if
the POSITIONING of SEM processes and its leaders are
not commonly appreciated and valued.
Rolla, Missouri
―The Middle of Everywhere‖
What is Missouri S&T?
• A Top 50 Technological Research University
• 6100 students: 4700 Undergrad, 1400 Graduate
• 90% majoring in Engineering, Science, Comp. Sci.
• Ave. Student ACT/SAT: upper 10% in nation
• +60% of Freshmen from upper 20% of HS class
• 20% Out of State Enrollment
• 96% 5 Year Average Placement Rate within 3
months of Grad
• Ave. Starting Salary in 2007: +$53,000
SEM in ACTION:
Why Change the University Name?
“Missouri S&T will better define the university as a leading technological
research university. We believe the new name will help to differentiate this
university in a highly competitive university market and provide a national
competitive advantage.”
Dr. John F. Carney, III
Missouri S&T Chancellor
7 Years of Strategic and Dramatic Changes
January 1, 2008 University Name Change
2007 Academic Reorganization by Eliminating Schools and Colleges
2003 and 2007 Updated the Mission, Vision and Strategic plans.
2004 Office of Technology Transfer and Economic Development
2001 to 2005 New Student and Business Information Systems
2002, 2004 & 2007 Three New Homepages and Platforms
2003 Student Diversity Initiative
The new goals resulted in three new units and champions:
» Student Diversity Programs,
» Women’s Leadership Institute
» Center for Pre-College Programs.
2002 New School of Management and Information Sciences
2002 Center for Education Research and Teaching Innovation (CERTI)
2002 - 2006 12 NEW Degree Programs and 19 Certificate Programs,
128 hour limited for BS Engineering Degrees
2001 Administrative Restructuring and
Formal Enrollment Management Program
» Enrollment Management,
» Distance and Continuing Education
» Research and Sponsored Programs
SEM at Missouri S&T
2001-2009
RECORD GROWTH DECLINING INTEREST
70000
65000
60000
55000
50000
45000
40000
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
“Succeeding while Swimming Against the Tide”
Total Enrollment 2000 - 2008
38% Total Enrollment Growth: 2000: 4626, 2008: 6371
33% Undergraduate Growth: 1,214 Additional Students
57% Graduate Growth: 531 Additional Students
6000
1459
1414
1343
1289
5000
1370
1287
1391
1127
928
4000
Graduate Students
3000 Undergraduate Students
4912
4753
4515
4313
4120
4089
3849
3756
3698
2000
1000
0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Since 2004: 60% of growth due to increased retention
49
Fall 2008
1 5 Legend
7 2
21 2 40 or more students
4
3 15
16 12 10 - 39 students
1
2 15 RI
26 11 5 1 - 9 students
43
5 21
1 430 14 2 No students
22 16 5 DC 2
58 4,433
124 17
16
9
23
21
54 61
2 6 Total Enrollment
11 19 16
115
9 » 47 states & 51 nations
3
12
» 70% Missouri residents
» 10% minority students
» 9% international students
Enrollment Diversity
35% increase in Female Students
86% increase in Minority Students
1419
1391
1,400
1,326
1,248 Total Minorities, Non-
1,224
1,200 1,209 Caucasian US Citizens
1,133 Female
1,097
1,000 1,050
Axis Title
800
655
641
600 600
542
508
483
456
400 414
377
200
200
200
200
200
200
200
200
200
200
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Missouri S&T: 90% Engineering, Science, & Computing Majors
21st in Nation for Largest Undergraduate Engineering Enrollment (Prism 2008)
23rd in Nation for Number of BS Engineering Degrees Granted (Prism 2009)
Fall 2008 All Students by Academic Field
Undergraduate Demographics
• Average Age: 21.6 years old • From a Community 5%
45000
40000
1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Number 63653 66475 67764 64571 64937 63329 63601 65329 65776 61648 54175 52194 51445 48438 45049 42738 43198
SOURCE: ACT EIS 2008
Missouri’s 2008 Student Funnel
for All Engineering Fields
• High School Senior : 72,467
• High School Graduates: 61,752
• ACT Testers/College Bound: 47,240
• Any Engineering Interest (all testers): 1,768
• Any Engineering Interest, (+21 testers): 1,256
(21 = MO average score / 50%)
• Engineering Interest, +24 comp. score: 961
(24 = UM minimum for auto admission)
• Missouri S&T Freshmen Engineering
Enrollees: 681
SOURCES: MODESE 2009, ACT EIS 2008, PeopleSoft
Minimal Markets for Female & Minority Engineers
Missouri‘s 2008 ACT Tested Seniors, +24 ACT and
Interested in Engineering
• High School Senior Cohort: 72,467
• High School Graduates: 61,752
• All Engineering Interest, +24 comp. score: 961
(24 = UM minimum for auto admission)
• Female Engineering, +24 comp. score: 176
• African-Amer Engineering, +24 comp. score: 21
• Asian-Amer Engineering, +24 comp. score: 25
• Native Amer Engineering, +24 comp. score: 7
• Hispanic Engineering, +24 comp. score: 24
SOURCE: US Dept. of Education 2005
#1 Question:
How did you do it?
Silver Bullet
OR
Strike of Lightening?
Strategic Enrollment Management Plan
2007-2011
• Increase Success of Students
– Retention Rates
– Graduation Rates
• Increase College Going Rate & Access
1. Access & Affordability
2. Pipeline of College Ready Students
3. Strategic Partnerships
4. Outreach/Education
5. Scholarships
• Expanding Current Markets & Capturing New Markets
1. Out-of-state students
2. Transfer Students
3. Female Students
4. Underrepresented Minority Students
5. International Students
6. Graduate Students
7. Nontraditional Students
Total Enrollment 2000 - 2008
38% Total Enrollment Growth: 2000: 4626, 2008: 6371
33% Undergraduate Growth: 1,214 Additional Students
57% Graduate Growth: 531 Additional Students
6000
1459
1414
1343
1289
5000
1370
1287
1391
1127
928
4000
4912
4753
4515
Graduate Students
3000
Undergraduate Students
4313
4120
4089
3849
3756
3698
2000
1000
0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
We Learned About Our Students
• Average Age: 21.8 years old • From a Community <40,000: 53%
• Gender: • Average Family Income: $73,000 USD
– 23% Female
– 77% Male • Average Indebtedness at Graduation:
– $21,000 USD approx.
• First Generation College Students:
– 2005-06: 37% • High Financial Need (Pell qualifier): 24%
• Residency: • Freshmen with Credit Cards:
– Missouri Residents: 76% – 24%
– Out-State Students: 22% – 6 arrive with over $1000 USD
– International: 2% standing balance
• Ethnicity: • Students with PCs:
– African-American: 4% – 94%
– Asian-American: 3% – +70% laptops
– Caucasian: 83% – 9% Macs
– Hispanic: 2% • Students with Cell Phones
– Native-American: 1% – 97%
– Non-resident, International: 2%
– Not Disclosed: 5%
PROMOTE OUTCOMES: Starting Salaries
Undergraduate Graduate
2003 $ 47,305 $ 52,744
2004 $ 46,567 $ 52,945
2005 $ 49,181 $ 53,042
2006 $ 51,059 $ 58,120
2007 $ 53,669 $ 62,751
2008 $ 55,975 $ 63,640
10 Core Recruitment Changes
1. Creation of Data and Market Driven Strategic Plan
2. Assigning Executive Officers to be in Charge of Enrollment, Recruitment,
Retention, and Student Assessment
3. Embracing an Integrated Branding Program and New Communication
Series focusing on Outcomes and Fun, without reinforcing science and
engineering stereotypes
4. Engaging the entire campus (unit by unit) in worthwhile recruiting activities
5. Creation of Reward Balanced and Yield Focused Scholarship Program to
Lower the Discount Rate, Raise Enrollment, and Maintain Student Quality
6. Providing accurate and timely processing of inquiry requests and
applications
7. Collaborating with Outreach and Public Relations Efforts
8. Expanding Campus Visit and Summer Camps
9. Campus Signage, Beautification and Landscaping Plan
10. Replacing and Updating Core Campus Buildings and Facilities ($140 M)
National Student Success Trends &
Benchmarks
ACT, 2007
STUDENT RETENTION
Since 2004, 60% of Growth due to Retention Increase
Graduation Rates
2000 2005
General Student Body: 52% 64%
“the list of 35”
Changes to Improve Retention
Retention Strategies and Tactics
2001-2008
I. Assessment Enhancements
II. Programming
III. Policy Changes
Missouri S&T’s Retention Plan
I. ASSESSMENT ENHANCEMENTS
1. Creation of a formal Institutional Research Office, 2001
2. Started annual retention audit of academic (cognitive) and demographic
factors, 2001
3. Identified classes with very low student success rates (DFW), 2001
4. Creation of Standardized Retention and Graduation Reports by gender and
ethnicity, 2002
5. Instituted a new student profile and expectations survey, 2002
6. Re-instituted the HPI assessment to track students by Non-cognitive factors,
2002
7. Revised withdraw surveys & interviews, 2002
8. Started non-returning follow-up telephone surveys, 2002
9. Started collection and campus-wide distribution of freshman academic profile,
specifically new student survey data: expectations, social activities,
GPA,ACT/SAT scores, 2002
10. Started measuring stop-out rate: students who withdraw and return, 2003
11. Revised nationally normed student profile, attitude and engagement
assessments (CIRP & NSSE), 2003
12. Revived student satisfaction survey (switched from ACT to Noel Levitz),
2007-08
II. PROGRAMMING:
Focus on Advising, tutoring, learning communities, faculty training and support
1. Provided a public expectation of student success (VERY IMPORTANT).
Addressed expectations of student success in all recruitment and orientation
speeches (Chancellor – look to your left, look to your right), 2001-02
2. Learning Enhancement Across Disciplines (LEAD) tutoring program
expanded beyond Physics, Fall 2002
3. Address group building (making friends) and study skills (not flunking out) in
all orientation activities, 2002-2003
4. Online tutor request program, 2003
5. Distribution of student profiles and survey summaries to create a better
understanding of faculty and student expectations. Actively embrace the
―social norming‖ concept. 2003
6. Distribution of student profiles and survey summaries to create a better
understanding of faculty and student expectations. Actively embrace the
―social norming‖ concept. 2003
7. Restructured Opening Week activities around a group project activity and to
address core learning objectives and student fears (Making Friends and
Flunking Out) , 2002 & 2003
8. Provided ACT‘s EIS & AIM student profile data bases to all academic
departments for more intrusive advising, 2003
9. Joint Academic Management (JAM) Sessions (student to student tutoring) to
assist low performing students, 2004
II. Programming Continued
11. New on-line Early Warning System, 2005
12. Strategic Retention Intervention: Focus on a rapid response ―Academic Alert
System‖ (2005), on-line student communication system ―Success Chain‖ (2005-
2006), advisor engagement (training sessions and awards, 2002) and more
quantitative knowledge of S&T student strengths (Sharing of student profiles and
new student survey data prior to beginning of academic year, 2002)
13. Creation and expansion of Learning Communities & First Year Experience
Programs: Focus to address student academic skills development and social
engagement through group student life oriented events, 2002-2003
14. Pre-College Transition Programs: Focus to promote greater student preparation to
meet student and S&T academic expectations through a 3-week intense course –
Hit the Ground Running (HGR) and creation of the Center for Pre-College
Programs (CPCP) to expand the K-12 student workshops and STEM summer
camps, 2003-04
15. Creation of the Center for Educational Research and Teaching Innovation
(CERTI): Focus to address improving the S&T learning environment and student
learning outcomes through collaborative learning, experiential learning, technology
enhanced learning and educational research practices, 2003-04
16. Expanded Experiential Learning Programs: Focus to promote greater campus-
wide ―learning by doing‖ student engagement through student design teams,
undergraduate research (OURE expansion), and service learning participation,
2002-ongoing
17. Creation of formal first-year experience office and staff, 2008
18. Creation of formal second-year experience office and staff, 2008
III. POLICY CHANGES
1. Incomplete grade time limit change, 2002
2. Repeat course GPA adjustment policy, 2002
3. Scholarship Reinstatement Policy, 2002
4. All BS degree programs reduced to between 124 to
128 hours, 2002-2003
5. Added 3 degree programs most often requested by
exiting students: Business, IST, Technical
Communication, Architectural Engineering, 2002-2003
6. Revised S&T Advising Program: Focus on faculty
development for student formal and developmental
advising, advisor recognition and advising program
evaluation, 2002-2004
BREAK - SESSION II
• Implementing the IHC SEM
Platform with the Entire Campus
• Preparing to be an IHC SEM
professional
• Creating the SEM Plan with the
IHC positioning perspective
What is SEM?
• Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) is defined
as ―a comprehensive process designed to help an
institution achieve and maintain the optimum
recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of
students where ‗optimum‘ is designed within the
academic context of the institution. As such, SEM is
an institution-wide process that embraces virtually
every aspect of an institution‘s function and culture.‖
Michael Dolence, AACRAO SEM 2001
• Research
• Recruitment
• Retention
The IHC Orientation to SEM
Institutions embracing SEM must start with:
• Organizational Structure
• Philosophical Orientation (Academic vs. Student Affairs)
• IHC Positioning cannot happen until the first
two are established.
Review: In-House Consulting SEM
Model
IHC approach provides:
1. a rhetorical strategy of providing help to all
constituents
2. a values-based training philosophy,
3. an institutional expectation for collaboration
4. a push for a heightened sense of
professionalism.
5. continuity – the consultant does not leave!
The IHC Orientation to SEM
Institutions embracing SEM must start with:
• Organizational Structure
• Philosophical Orientation (Academic vs. Student Affairs)
• IHC Positioning cannot happen until the first
two are established.
IHC: the POWER of Metaphor
SEM professionals could be more effective if the campus
community views them in a ―consultant‖ or helping role,
rather than just ―another administrator‖ running a support
unit.
Positioning SEM professional as an In-House Consultant
signals:
• campus leaders are serious about meeting the
institution‘s enrollment goals
• A willingness to take steps necessary to support a SEM-
based organization.
SEM Fundamentals
Strategic Planning
Context of Setting Enrollment Goals
• Alignment with the College‘s/University‘s
Vision, Mission, Values, and Goals
• Factors of Enrollment Planning
Enhancing the Educational Experience for
Students
SOURCE: Bob Wilkinson
The Strategy of SEM
• Stabilizing Enrollments • Evaluate Strategies and
• Reducing Vulnerabilities Tactics
• Aligning EM with • Improve Services
Academic Programs • Improve Quality
• Stabilize Finances • Improve Access to
• Optimize Resources Information
Adapted from Jim Black, 2003
How Research Is Used In
Strategic Enrollment Management
1. To improve retention
2. To build relationships with high schools and community colleges
3. To target admissions efforts and predict enrollments
4. To recommend changes to admissions policy
5. To examine issues of how best to accommodate growth
6. To improve the educational experience of students
7. To identify needs of unique student groups
8. To project and plan for student enrollment behavior
9. To determine financial aid policies
10. To assess student outcomes
Easy Benchmarking
• Determine Competitors & Comparators
• www.collegeresults.com
• College Board: Institutional Comparison
• US News (United States)
• McCleans (Canada)
• Higher Ed Times (Great Britain)
• Shanghi Jiaotong (China)
Key Components to SEM
The following four steps are fundamental to the development
of a comprehensive recruitment and retention Plan
1. Determine the institution‘s capacity to serve students by
degree program and types of students (traditional, non-
traditional, graduate, etc.)
2. Establish Goals: need to be agreed upon by all involved
3. Formulate Strategies based on data
4. Develop action plan with tactics and an operational
calendar:
– What exactly is going to be done
– When will it be completed
– Who is responsible
– How much will it cost
– How will you know if it has been accomplished (evaluation)
What is included in a SEM Plan?
1. Strategic Framework: Mission, Values, Vision
2. Overview of Strategic Plan Goals & Institutional Capacity
3. Environmental Scan: Market Trends & Competition Analysis
4. Evaluation and Assessment of Position in Market
5. Enrollment Goals, Objectives, & Assessment Criteria
6. Marketing and Communication Plan
7. Recruitment Plan
8. Retention Plan
9. Student Aid and Scholarship Funding
10. Staff Development and Training
11. Student/Customer Service Philosophy
12. Process Improvements and Technology System
Enhancements
13. Internal Communication and Data Sharing Plan
14. Campus wide Coordination of Enrollment Activities
Traditional Core SEM Objectives
• Establishing Clear Enrollment Goals and
Determining Capacity to Serve
• Promoting Student Success
• Determining, Achieving and Maintaining Optimum
Enrollment
• Enabling the Delivery of Effective Academic
Programs
• Generating Tuition
• Enabling Financial Planning
• Increasing Organizational Efficiency
• Improving Service Levels
Fundamental Question:
―What is an effective approach to
implementing SEM that is
sustainable and likely to be
embraced by the entire campus?‖
Complexity of SEM & the Belief that
External Knowledge is Best
•Core planning activities
•Environmental scans
•Assessment of strategic needs
•Development of marketing plans
•Execution of Plans and Training
There is a time and place for
colleges and universities to seek
outside help.
FACT: Many schools need a SEM ―road map‖ that only an
external agent can help construct.
Familiar Scenario?
• a problem is identified
• a consultant hired
• a plan written, and…
• THE CONSULTANT LEAVES
• The task of supporting the external consultant and
carrying out the plan is often left to the very individuals
who had the training and capacity to write the plan; but
were disregarded because of their internal position.
The professional SEM consulting field has
become highly valued
• Over 200 consultants with focuses in 50 different
categories
• Over 130 firms were noted for their abilities to assist
universities with implementing SEM
– Change Management - Marketing
– Diversity - Financial Aid
– Distance Education - Student Market
Research
– Strategic Planning - Communications
Comparing Roles
Consultant vs. SEM Leaders
Consultants SEM Leaders
1. A track record of presenting 1. Solid foundations in job experience,
workable solutions to clients education and a record of enrollment
successes
2. Ability to diagnose problems 2. Strong organizational and analytical
skills
3. Ability to lead teams and generate 3. Ability to collaborate with faculty and
consensus staff
4. The ability to implement solutions 4. Provide a team-work philosophy
(systems, training, budget
distribution, etc.) 5. High energy and passion for student
5. Facilitate consensus and success and higher education
commitment to the plan of action
6. Strong communication, budgeting and
6. Strong interpersonal and public personnel development skills
communication skills
ADAPTED FROM: Barbara Kibbe & Fred Setterber (1992) Succeeding with Consultants, Packard Foundation
The fundamentals of SEM are aligned
with Successful Consulting Practices,
they focus on:
• the use of research
• cross-unit collaboration to drive student
recruitment and retention activities
• Use of analytics and tactical skills to engage
the entire campus community in knowledge
and activities that spur student success and
optimize institutional resources.
IHC: a SEM performance
concept
The ―in-house consultant‖ model (IHC) is a means to more
clearly position the chief enrollment officer, and SEM units, as
a campus wide support team focused on helping most offices
achieve and sustain core institutional strategic initiatives.
The IHC metaphor would address the mind- and skill-sets
required by enrollment management professionals to
help their institutions operate in a more efficient and
proactive manner.
IHC Model in a Nutshell
The In-House Consultant is expected to:
• Stay abreast of current trends & market
activities
• Actively engage and inform the
campus – BE PRESENT
• Regularly ―take the plan off the shelf‖
and…..
• Put the plan into action.
Shifting Student Populations
―The demographic shifts we are beginning
to experience are largely the result of
welcome advances in technology and
public health that have extended life
expectancy, improved living standards,
and reduced population growth.‖
SOURCE: Jane Sneddon Little and Robert K. Triest. (2001) SEISMIC SHIFTS: THE
ECONOMIC IMPACT OF DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE.
Future Students: Demographic
and Population Changes
• Fewer first-time, traditional students in the
overall pipeline until between 2015-2017—
while older population is growing
• More students of color
• More students of lower socioeconomic status
• More students unprepared college level work
WICHE, 2003 & 2008
A National
Environmental Scan
RESOURCES
• www.act.org
• www.ama.com
• www.collegeboard.org
• www.collegeresults.org
• www.educationalpolicy.org (retention calculator)
• www.nces.gov (2007 Digest of Education Statistics)
• www.higheredinfo.org
• www.noellevitz.com
• www.stamats.com
• www.wiche.org
• www.educationtrust.org
• www.lumina.org
• www.greentreegazette.com
• www.pewinternet.org
• www.postsecondary.org
• www.communicationbriefings.com
• Recruitment and Retention in Higher Education
Factors Most Noted in Choosing
a College
• Majors & Career Programs Offered
• Location/Campus Characteristics
• Cost/Affordability
• Campus Size/Safety
• Characteristics of Enrolled
Students
• Selectivity
Over 4200 Colleges & Universities:
Heavy Competition for Students
Number of Colleges and Universities
SOURCE: U.S. Education Department
http://chronicle.com Section: The 2007-8 Almanac, Volume 54, Issue 1, Page 8
Labor Demand vs. Student Interests
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics,
www.bls.gov/emp/home.htm
Change in Intended Major 1976-77 to 2006-07
College Board, 2007
Source: CIRP
In-state vs. out-of-state freshmen
recruitment funnel ratios
SOURCE: Noel Levitz 2006 Admissions Funnel Report
SOURCE: College Board, 2007
Constant Growth in One Demographic Market: Adults Over 60
SOURCE: US Census Bureau
NATIONAL Shift Impacts on Higher
Education
1. Nationally, in 2009-10 the number of high
school graduates will begin a gradual decline.
2. The proportion of minority students is
increasing and will account for about half of
school enrollments within the next decade.
3. High school graduates in the future will include
higher percentages from families with low
incomes.
Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School
Graduates by State, Income, and Race/Ethnicity,
WICHE 2008.
WICHE, 2008
WICHE, 2008
College Board, 2007
National vs. Regional Trends
WICHE, 2008
HOMESCHOOLED STUDENTS: Number and distribution of
school-age children who were homeschooled, by amount
of time spent in schools: 1999 and 2003
NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Homeschooled children are those ages 5–17 educated by their parents full or part time who are in a grade
equivalent to kindergarten through 12th grade. Excludes students who were enrolled in public or private school more than 25 hours per week and students who
were homeschooled only because of temporary illness.
SOURCE: Princiotta, D., Bielick, S., Van Brunt, A., and Chapman, C. (2005). Homeschooling in the United States: 2003 (NCES 2005–101), table 1. Data from U.S.
Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Parent Survey of the National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES), 1999 and Parent
and Family Involvement in Education Survey of the NHES, 2003.
WICHE, 2008
WICHE, 2008
WICHE, 2008
55.7% US College-Going Rates of High
School Graduates - Directly from HS
College Board, 2007
College Board, 2007
SOURCE: ACT EIS
College Board, 2007
PARTICIPATION IN REMEDIAL EDUCATION: Percentage of
entering freshmen at degree-granting institutions who enrolled
in remedial courses, by type of institution and subject area:
Fall 2000
NOTE: Data reported for fall 2000 are based on Title IV degree-granting institutions that enrolled freshmen in 2000. The categories used for analyzing these data include public 2-
year, private 2-year, public 4-year, and private 4-year institutions. Data from private not-for-profit and for-profit institutions are reported together because there are too few private
for-profit institutions in the sample to report them separately. The estimates in this indicator differ from those in indicator 18 because the populations differ. This indicator deals with
entering freshmen of all ages in 2000 while indicator 18 examines a cohort (1992 12th-graders who enrolled in postsecondary education).
SOURCE: Parsad, B., and Lewis, L. (2003). Remedial Education at Degree-Granting Postsecondary Institutions in Fall 2000 (NCES 2004–010), table 4. Data from U.S. Department of
Education, NCES, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System (PEQIS), ―Survey on Remedial Education in Higher Education Institutions,‖ fall 2000.
What is the name of your institution?
email address
What type of institution are you?
How many full-time, full-year freshman students do you have?
What percentage of your FT/FY cohort is from out-of-state? %
What is the average tuition and fee charge per student? (in-state)
What is the average tuition and fee charge per student? (out-of-state)
Average annual tuition and fee percentage increase %
What is the average government or external subsidy that your institution
receives for each student?
Percent of Year 1 (freshman) students who returned in Year 2 (sophomore) %
Percent of Year 2 (sophomore) students who returned in Year 3 (junior) %
Percent of Year 3 (junior) students who returned in Year 4 (senior) %
Percent of Year 4 (senior) students that completed Year 4 (senior) %
Student Success Trends
ACT, 2007
SOURCE: http://www.postsecondary.org/archives/Posters/192Chart1.pdf
Financial considerations the most
common reason for leaving college
SOURCE: ELS:2002 ―A First Look at the Initial Postsecondary Experiences of the
High School Sophomore Class of 2002 (National Center for Education Statistics)
COLLEGE COST COMPARISON
SOURCE: The College Board 2006, MAP: TIME, November 6, 2006
MOBILITY OF COLLEGE STUDENTS: Percentage of freshmen who had graduated from high
school in the previous 12 months attending a public or private not-for-profit 4-year college in their
home state: Fall 2006
NOTE: Includes first-time postsecondary students who were enrolled at public and private not-for-profit 4-year degree-granting institutions that participated in Title IV federal financial aid programs.
See supplemental note 9 for more information. Foreign students studying in the United States are included as out-of-state students. See supplemental note 1 for a list of states in each region.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Fall 2006 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Spring 2007.
By 2015
• All States will have a structural budget
deficit
• Higher Education will likely lose funding
to health care, transportation, prisons
and K-12 education.
• Tuition revenue will become the majority
source of operational income
Alabama
Louisiana
Mississippi
Tennessee
Nevada
Projected State and Local Budget Surplus
Texas
Oregon
(Gap) as a Percent of Revenues, 2013
Washington
Missouri
South Dakota
South Carolina
Idaho
Florida
North Carolina
Indiana
Iowa
California
New Mexico
Utah
Montana
Source: NCHEMS; Don Boyd (Rockefeller Institute of Government), 2005
United States
Rhode Island
Alaska
Pennsylvania
Illinois
Hawaii
Georgia
New York
Arizona
Michigan
Kentucky
West Virginia
Colorado
Minnesota
Oklahoma
Nebraska
Virginia
Arkansas
Kansas
Connecticut
North Dakota
Ohio
Vermont
Wisconsin
Massachusetts
Maryland
Maine
New Jersey
Delaware
New Hampshire
College Costs and Disposable Per Capita
Income, 1996-97 to 2006-07
Source:The College Board
Percent For Whom Financing was a Major Concern
1992-93 to 2006-07 (Selected Years)
College Board, 2007 Source: CIRP
SOURCE: ACT EIS
Female Enrollments Exceed 57% of All College Students
SOURCE: NCES, The Condition of Education 2006, pg. 36
Today‘s Teens and Social Media
• The use of social media gains a greater
foothold in teen life as they embrace the
conversational nature of interactive online
media
• Some 93% of teens use the internet, and
more of them than ever are treating it as a
venue for social interaction – a place where
they can share creations, tell stories, and
interact with others.
• SOURCE: PEW 12/19/2007
Psychographic FACTOID:
Landline telephones are still a lifeline for teen social life
Girls continue to lead the charge
as the teen blogosphere grows
• 28% of online teens have created a blog, up from 19% in 2004.
• Overall, girls dominate the teen blogosphere; 35% of all online teen
girls blog, compared with 20% of online teen boys.
• This gender gap for blogging has grown larger over time. Virtually all
of the growth in teen blogging between 2004 and 2006 is due to the
increased activity of girls.
• Older teen girls are still far more likely to blog when compared with
older boys (38% vs. 18%), but younger girl bloggers have grown at
such a fast clip that they are now outpacing even the older boys
(32% of girls ages 12-14 blog vs. 18% of boys ages 15-17).
• SOURCE: PEW 12/19/2007
Top Twenty Graduate Degrees
Searched for on gradschools.com since 2004
1. History 11. Physician Assistant
2. Physical Therapy 12. Sports Administration
3. Journalism 13. MBA
Communications 14. Fine Arts
4. Social Work 15. International Relations
5. Fashion & Textile 16. Art Therapy
Design
17. Counseling & Mental Health
6. Clinical Psychology
Therapy
7. Law
18. Public Health
8. Architecture
19. Educational & School
9. Biology
Counseling
10. Creative Writing
20. School Psychology
HIGHEST ADVANCED DEGREE ATTAINED: Percentage of 1992–93
bachelor’s degree recipients who had earned an advanced degree by
2003, by bachelor’s degree field of study and highest degree attained
# Rounds to zero.
NOTE: Master‘s degrees include students who earned a post-master‘s certificate. First-professional programs include Chiropractic (D.C. or D.C.M.), Pharmacy (Depart), Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.),
Podiatry (Pod.D. or D.P.), Medicine (M.D.), Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.), Optometry (O.D.), Law (L.L.B. or J.D.), Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.), or Theology (M.Div., M.H.L., or B.D.). Detail may not
sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1993/03 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (B&B:93/03), previously unpublished tabulation (September
2005).
Trends Summary
1. Decreasing numbers of high school graduates in
the Midwest and Northeast
2. Declining percentage of high school graduates
pursuing higher education directly out of high
school
3. Increasing numbers of freshmen choosing to start
at community colleges
4. Increasing diversity and financial need of future
high school graduates
5. Increasing dependence on student loans and a
larger percentage of household income needed to
pay for college
6. Continued growth in the college student gender
gap
7. Ongoing interest declines for non-biology STEM
majors
Other Shifts to be Aware of…
• First Generation Participation Rate
• Increased Competition for International
Students
• Increased numbers of students with identified
mental Illnesses
• Changes in Work Force needs and training
Development
• Communication/Technology patterns: +90%
with cell phones and 63% using Social
Networking Facebook and MySpace prior to
freshmen year
Shift Conclusions
―Virtually all public and private colleges and
institutions will see changes in their
student bodies during the next decade.
The only exceptions might be the top-tier,
most popular institutions that already have
many more highly qualified applicants than
available spaces.‖
College Board, 2005
SEM Strategies for Success
1. Increase the College Going Rate
2. Increase Retention
3. Reach-out Further
4. Increase College Participation in Primary
Markets
5. Look for Post Retirement Student
Opportunities - Certificate Programs
6. Focus on Transfers from 2-year Colleges
7. Further develop Graduate Outreach and
Graduate Certificate Programs
Strategic Enrollment
Management Plan 2007-2011
• Increase Success of Students
– Retention Rates
– Graduation Rates
• Increase College Going Rate & Access
1. Access & Affordability
2. Pipeline of College Ready Students
3. Strategic Partnerships
4. Outreach/Education
5. Scholarships
• Expanding Current Markets & Capturing New Markets
1. Out-of-state students
2. Transfer Students
3. Female Students
4. Underrepresented Minority Students
5. International Students
6. Graduate Students
7. Nontraditional Students
Why Hire a Consultant?
• You are faced with a task or problem that
won‘t go away
• You have a complex project that creates
additional work for the existing employees
• You want to save time and money by
temporarily employing someone with a
special expertise that can help you move
forward on overcoming an obstacle
SOURCE: Barbara Kibbe & Fred Setterber (1992) Succeeding with Consultants, Packard Foundation
Consultants are Help Agents
Who can Help Unite the Campus
Consultants HELP by..
• Providing and Sharing a Variety of Skills
• Supplementing Staff Expertise
• Objectivity
• Credibility
• Providing Advise on Political and Legal
Issues
SOURCE: Barbara Kibbe & Fred Setterber (1992) Succeeding with Consultants, Packard Foundation
Today‘s Consultants embrace Change
Management and Rarely take on just one Task
• Diagnosis & Assessment • Training
• Problem Solving • Mediation
• Research and Analysis • Facilitation
• Strategic Planning • Systems Development
• Organizational Process • Search for Potential
• System Development Employees
SOURCE: Barbara Kibbe & Fred Setterber (1992) Succeeding with Consultants, Packard Foundation
The IHC concept is not new, but seldom
publicly embraced by executive leaders
• Michael Hovland‘s (2006) ―Experts Close to Home: How to
work Like a Consultant on Your Own Campus‖
– many traditional consulting tactics can be systematically applied
by SEM professionals.
• Jim Black‘s SEM framework papers (2003) and SEM
business practices workshops (2002) promotes:
– using diagnostic tools,
– establishing staff technical competencies & training systems
– using key performance indicators (KPIs) for cross-campus data
sharing
– outcomes assessment.
―If you don‘t know where you‘re going,
any path will take you there.‖
Sioux proverb
The Power of Alignment
EMBRACE the Phases of
Consulting Process
1. Engaging in initial contact and defining the work
2. Formulating a contract and establishing a helping
relationship
3. Gather all decision makers and discuss the plan, their
roles and what they can contribute
4. Identifying problems through diagnostic analysis
5. Set goals and planning for action with all decision
makers
6. Taking action and cycling feedback
7. Completing the project
ADAPTED FROM: Gordon L. Lippitt, Ronald Lippitt
(1994).The Consulting Process in Action, 2nd Edition
A Significant Challenge
• Creating a unified SEM structure is
complicated by the fact that the university is
structured to be decentralized and protect
academic units from environmental shifts
(such as what occurs in enrollments).
• Most faculty do not know about (and even
more do not understand the importance) of
strategic enrollment management.
• The faculty need to know the difference!
The Entire Campus Must be
Engaged in the Solution
―Changing demographics is not simply an issue for
enrollment managers—and enrollment managers
cannot ―do magic‖ to perpetuate the status quo.
Trustees, presidents, deans, faculty, and other
administrators need to engage in some serious
strategic planning to project manageable goals,
not only from the institution‘s perspective, but
also from the perspective of providing access and
opportunity to this new group of students.‖
SOURCE: College Board. (2005). ―The Impact of Demographic Changes on Higher Education‖
Faculty SEM Needs
• Faculty need information/data: start with
Deans/Chairs.
EX: student demand for general education
courses
• Help predict workload (# of student by program)
• Admissions and Student Profile Trends: What are
their learning needs and classroom expectations?
• What are issues with international recruitment and
admissions
• Identification of roadblocks or obstacles keeping
students from graduating.
• Effective recruiting strategies and the faculty‘s role
How to Engage Faculty
• Reach out, invite, feed
• Provide information:
– Understanding Current Students needs/activities
(psychographics)
– Understanding ―Helicopter‖ Parents
• Ask for Departments to determine their
capacity to serve with current resources
• Ask for a desired student profile
• GRAD PROGRAMS: Ask for preferred top 10
feeder schools
Student Services SEM Needs
Building the ―Caring Campus‖ atmosphere depends on Student Services
understanding of the students‘ needs and the institution‘s performance goals
• The Campus Visit‘s impact on Recruitment
• Retention implications: Outside of the classroom, largest interaction with
students
• Learning New Students‘ Profile and College Expectations and Needs for
Outside of Class and best matching the campus services…plus dealing with
Helicopter Parents
• Understanding how to serve the Needs of Institution‘s Targeted Student
Markets
• Knowing new students‘ previous co-curricular experiences in high school, at
the community college, or through work.
―Administrator‖ to ―In-House
Consultant‖ can be a natural transition
Institute of Management Consultancy‘s 2002
model for professional managerial
consultants:
Consultants must be individuals who:
1. regularly manage complexity and
responsibility,
2. seek personal growth,
3. use analytical and pro-active thinking,
4. have strong interpersonal interactions, and
5. have delivery effectiveness.
Unite the Isolated
IHC builds an organizational culture that:
1. better motivates staff and faculty
collaboration,
2. demonstrates a dedication to intelligent
planning and strategy execution,
3. promotes a stronger passion for academic
and student success through shared
governance
4. embraces the regular use of solid analytical
and data-driven skill-sets.
Getting Started with
the IHC SEM Model
Characteristics of Successful
Internal Consultants (Lawrence & Lorsch, 1967)
1. Ability to bridge goals and build trust between different
departments.
2. Respect earned through demonstration of an expert
knowledge base.
3. Understanding and communicating institutional vision.
4. A high profile throughout the organization.
Active individuals who are familiar to the organization, have an intimate
knowledge of the organization, and are trusted by the organization
and its members possess great capacity for initiating and sustaining
change.
Phases of Consulting Process
SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH A PROCESS FOCUS
1. Engaging in initial contact and defining the work
2. Formulating a contract and establishing a helping
relationship
3. Gather all decision makers and discuss the plan,
their roles and what they can contribute
4. Identifying problems through diagnostic analysis
5. Set goals and planning for action with all decision
makers
6. Taking action and cycling feedback
7. Completing the project
ADAPTED FROM: Gordon L. Lippitt, Ronald Lippitt (1994).The
Consulting Process in Action, 2nd Edition
Key Components to SEM
The following four steps are fundamental to the development
of a comprehensive recruitment and retention plan
1. Determine the institution‘s capacity to serve students by
degree program and types of students (traditional, non-
traditional, graduate, etc.)
2. Establish Goals: need to be agreed upon by all involved
3. Formulate Strategies based on data
4. Develop action plan with tactics and an operational
calendar:
– What exactly is going to be done
– When will it be completed
– Who is responsible
– How much will it cost
– How will you know if it has been accomplished (evaluation)
Create an Enrollment Development Team
• Faculty from each division • Execs: Academic,
• Admissions Student & Enrollment
• Registrar Affairs
• Financial Aid • Advising
• Campus Housing • Info Tech
• Student Activities • Institutional Research
• Counseling Center • Minority Programs
• Orientation • International Affairs
• Teacher Training Director • Cashier/Billing
• Faculty Senate Leaders • Pre-College Programs
• Reporting Services
NOTE: The EDT does not replace the campus recruitment and retention committees
IHC’s Use and SHARE Data
• Become a data expert
• Translate the data into a form and with
messages attached that engage the
interests of faculty and administrators
• Train your staff to use data and expect
them to use it
• Share data and invite others to help you
interpret it
Michael Hovland, 2006
What does an IHC Read?
In addition to ACT pubs & AACRAO SEM updates…..
• Chronicle of Higher Education
• Greentree Gazette
• University Business
• Inside Higher Ed (like Chronicle, but free)
• ACT News You Can Use (www.act.org)
• Google News Search: ―University Enrollment‖
• Postsecondary Education OPPORTUNITY
• State Economic & Demographic Reviews (OSEDA)
• Anything by Michael Dolence, Tom Mortenson, Bob
Bontager, David Kalsbiek, Bob Sevier, Richard Whitesides,
Bob Johnson, Stan Henderson, and Jim Black
• Much, much more
What Reports Do IHCs
Produce?
• Weekly ―Funnel‖ Reports
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Annual Environmental Scans & SWOT
updates
• New Student Profiles Prior to Start of
Classes
• Student Profile after Census Date
Basic Analysis for SEM
• Capacity Study
• Preferred New Student Profile
• Primary Market Penetration
• Price Elasticity
• Un-met Need Gap (key for fundraising)
• Student Need/Support Alignment
Core IHC Retention
Assessments
1. New Student Survey (prior to start of classes)
2. Withdrawal Survey (prior to cancelling classes)
3. Phone/Email Survey of Non-Returning Students (2-
4 weeks prior to start of semester)
4. Student Satisfaction Survey (all returning students)
5. Graduating Student Survey (prior to
commencement or within the first six months after
graduating)
Long-Term Benefits of IHC
.
Model
• Cost savings
• Greater organizational unity and engagement on
core business practices.
• Increased likelihood for sustainable change due
to a stronger understanding of the culture that
exists on campus.
• Establish better internal linkages and trust
needed to create a stronger and more
coordinated strategic plan through regular
communication and requests for unit input.
Can Internal Consultants be Effective?
1. Setting and establishing linkages, shared goals,
improved communication, and synergy across all
institutional units. Unit objectives need to be tied directly
to enterprise-wide goals, rather than functioning as
stand-alone systems.
2. Using an analytical, empirical, data-driven approach to
problem solving and decision-making. Intuition is
important but not sufficient. The ―culture of evidence‖ is
a cornerstone of effective enrollment management.
3. Providing critical leadership. Enrollment management
almost always means changes in structure, reporting
lines, communication, goals, etc. The challenges and
risks of change should never be underestimated.
Effective enrollment leaders are willing to accept the
risks where they see the need for change.
Skannel and Kurz, 2007
Conclusion
• IHC model is an ideal for strategic levels of
performance and professionalism.
• IHC: an ideal performance model for SEM
professionals, not an argument against using
external consultants.
• Promoting the idea of internal, experienced
SEM practitioners developing institution-wide
partnerships and plans to better ensure the
university lives up to its promises to students,
families, faculty, and alumni.
Learn More about SEM &
Effective Retention Strategies
• Retention 2009: An International
Conference on Student Retention
May 27-29, 2009, New Orleans, LA
www.educationalpolicy.org
• SEM: AACRAO‘s 19th annual Strategic
Enrollment Management Conference
November 9-11, 2009, Dallas, TX
www.aacrao.org/sem19
QUESTIONS?
Building a SEM Organization
as a Data Driven Consultant
Jay W. Goff
Vice Provost & Dean for Enrollment Management
573-341-4378
goffjw@mst.edu
http:/enrollment.mst.edu
References
• Birnbaum, R. (1988). How Colleges Work: The Cybernetics of Academic Organization and
Leadership. Jossey-Bass Publishers: San Francisco.
• Black, J. (2002). Excelling in the Core Business Functions of Strategic Enrollment
Management. Paper presented at the 17th Annual Enrollment Planners Conference.
Chicago, IL
• Black, J. (2003, October). Defining enrollment management: The symbolic frame. Accessed
September 28, 2007 from
http://www.semworks.net/content/resources/jim_black_publications.php.
• Bontager, R. (2004). Strategic Enrollment Management: Core Strategies and Best Practices.
College and University Journal, 79 (4), 9-15.
• Dolence, M.G. (1993). A Primer for Campus Administrators. Washington, D.C.: American
Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.
• Dolence, M.G., Lujan, H.D., & Rowley D.J., (1997). Working toward strategic change: A
step-by-step guide to the planning process. Jossey-Bass Publishers: San Francisco.
• Habley, W. & McClanahan, R. (2004) What Works in Student Retention – All Survey
Colleges. ACT, Inc.: Iowa City, IA.
• Henderson, S. E. (2004). Refocusing Enrollment Management: Losing Structure and Finding
the Academic Context. Paper presented at the 14th Annual SEM Conference. Orlando, FL.
• Hossler, D. (1986). Managing College Enrollments. New Directions for Higher Education.
No.53. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
• Hossler, D. (2005). Managing Student Retention: Is the Glass Half Full, Half Empty, or
Simply Empty. Paper presented at the 15th Annual SEM Conference. Chicago, IL.
References Continued
• Hovland, M. (2006). Experts Close to Home: How to Work like a Consultant on Your
Own Campus. Paper presented at the 2006 GACRAO Conference. Kennesaw, GA.
• Institute for Management Consultancy. (2002). Introducing the New Management
Consultancy Framework. Accessed September 3, 2007 from http://www.imc.co.uk.
• Kalsbeek, D.H. (2006). Some Reflections on SEM Structures and Strategies. College
and University Journal, 81(3), 3-10.
• Kurz, K. & Scannell, J. (2006). Enrollment Management Grows Up: Enrollment
Managers Share Their Current Approaches. University Business, 5(5), 34-38.
• Lawerence, P.R. & Lorsch, J.W. (1967). Organization and Environment: Managing
Differentiation and Integration. Boston: Graduate School of Business Administration,
Harvard College.
• Lencioni, P. (2006). Silos, Politics, and Turf Wars. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco.
• Noel Levitz, Inc (2007) 2007 National Research Report-Student Recruitment Practices
at Four-Year and Two-Year Institutions. Author: Coralville, IA.
• Tuchtenhagen, A. (June 2007). Enrollment Management Position Descriptions 2004-
2007. Unpublished compilation. University of Wisconsin – River Falls.
• University Business. (June 2007). Consultants, Dealers, Services & Products. Insert.
• Weick, K.E. (1976). Educational Institutions as Loosely Coupled Systems.
Administrative Science Quarterly, 21(1), 1-19.
• WICHE. (2003). Knocking At the College Door; Projections of High School Graduates by
State, Income and Race/Ethnicity, 1988 To 2018. Author: Boulder, CO.