Enrollment Management Planning Presented by Jim Black, Ph.D.

Strategies for Strategies Sake Student Marketing Student Recruitment Student Services Student Retention Student Graduation Strategies KPIs Goals Objectives Metrics ROI Objectives Mission Vision Strategic Initiatives Core Values Student Needs Industry Needs Institutional Foundation

EM Plan Antecedents = FRUSTRATION = ANXIETY = CHANGE = CONFUSION = GRADUAL CHANGE = FALSE STARTS

Planning Cycle Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5 Current Reality Strategic Issues Plan Development Implementation Evaluation PROCESS STEPS Conduct an external audit of existing practices and strategic issues Report on findings and related recommendations Decide which recommendations require action and become an institutional priority Identify and answer key research questions Use data as actionable intelligence Target significant strategic issues Identify goals and objectives related to each strategic issue Design strategies to achieve stated goals and objectives Define the action steps required to complete each strategy Build a business case for additional resources (if required) Grab the “low hanging fruit” and look for quick “wins” Ensure needed antecedents of success are in place (e.g., training, technology, space, funding, incentives) Execute at the highest level of quality possible Engage in “proof of concept” pilots for large-scale initiatives Measure the effectiveness of each major initiative Continuously improve implementation efforts based on effectiveness measure findings Assess the degree to which goals and objectives were met PLANNING PROCESS ACTIVITIES PLANNING MILESTONES Audit complete and priorities established Strategic issues identified on the basis of data Plan written along with action steps Implementation following an agreed upon timeline Evaluation and continuous improvement PLANNING STATUS STANDARD TIMEFRAME 3 months 3 months 3 months 1-3 Years Ongoing

Audit complete and priorities established Planning Cycle Phase 1 Current Reality PROCESS STEPS Conduct an external audit of existing practices and strategic issues Report on findings and related recommendations Decide which recommendations require action and become an institutional priority PLANNING PROCESS ACTIVITIES PLANNING MILESTONES Audit complete and priorities established PLANNING STATUS 3 months STANDARD TIMEFRAME

The Art of War Know yourself. Know your enemy. Know the ground. Know the weather.

Know Yourself Something you know Something you have Something you are

What Works? What Matters? Expand to new markets Target audience The right courses and programs Adequate class availability Manage capacity Invest in the Web Increase number of communications or touch points

Know Your Enemy SWOT Program niches Perceived value Message Response time Resources Tactics Image

Overview: Awareness and Perception Awareness and Perception Ratings for YOUR College Overall Awareness How well do potential students know your school? * Average awareness rating on a 5 pt. scale Comparison with other colleges in the region Colleges Your College Awareness Rating Awareness Breakout What percent of students have reached the awareness levels needed to select your school? % of students at each level of awareness for your school Five point scale ranging from “Never Heard Of” to “Very Familiar” Never Heard Of Very Familiar Overall Perception How do potential students rate your school overall? How does your school compare with other colleges? Overall perception rating on a 5 pt. scale Comparison with other colleges Your College Very Unfavorable Very Favorable Perception Rating Your College Awareness Perception Positioning Matrix What is your school’s primary challenge – increase awareness or improve perception? Overall awareness and perception Comparison with other colleges

Know the Ground Political frame Human resource frame Structural frame Symbolic frame The “black box” The “boiling frog”

Know the Ground Institutional Objectives Strategies

Know the Weather Situational Analysis Enrollment trends Capacity analysis Population characteristics Yield analysis Retention and graduation rates Pricing and financial aid comparisons Competitor analysis Job trends Demographic trends

Exercise #1 Planning Direction Strategic Opportunity Filters 3-5 Environmental Factors Market-demand Student-centered Academic-focused Promise-oriented Market share Risk management Strategies Action 3-5 Current Reality Assessment/Analysis

Strategic issues identified on the basis of data Planning Cycle Phase 2 Strategic Issues PROCESS STEPS PLANNING PROCESS ACTIVITIES Identify and answer key research questions Use data as actionable intelligence Target significant strategic issues PLANNING MILESTONES Strategic issues identified on the basis of data PLANNING STATUS 3 months STANDARD TIMEFRAME

Sample Strategic Opportunities Aggressive, integrated target marketing and recruitment Be a retention-focused institution emphasizing student success Improve customer services and build loyalty Maximize human capacity to promote the brand and deliver on the promise of the brand Leverage technology/communications to produce enrollment results Adopt a student-centric orientation Optimize course availability at convenient times/locations and through student desired formats to meet market demand

Force Field Analysis

Prioritization Voting criteria: Potential impact on the institution’s enrollment objectives The probability of success

Key Performance Indicators Institutional image Student enrollment Student diversity Student satisfaction Student retention Institutional loyalty Capacity management Net revenue

Enrollment Metrics 2 1 3 6 4 5 Yield Rates Awareness Retention and Graduation Rates 1 3 6 4 Competitive Position Enrollments 5 Market Share

Exercise #2 Strategic Opportunity: Increase Market Share KPI #1: Increase headcount / FTE Metrics % increase of recent HS grads from previous years Market share by high school % increase of adult learners (first-time freshmen) from previous years % increase of adult learners (transfers) from previous years % increase of online learners from previous years % increase of dual enrollment from previous years % of full-time vs. part-time enrollment Enrollment between credit and non-credit courses Enrollment in undersubscribed programs

Plan written along with action steps Planning Cycle Phase 3 Plan Development PROCESS STEPS Identify goals and objectives related to each strategic issue Design strategies to achieve stated goals and objectives Define the action steps required to complete each strategy Build a business case for additional resources (if required) PLANNING PROCESS ACTIVITIES PLANNING MILESTONES Plan written along with action steps PLANNING STATUS 3 months STANDARD TIMEFRAME

Linking Metrics to Strategies Improve Student Satisfaction Reduce wait times Decrease service complaints Increase service usage Eliminate student runaround

Substantially Exceeds Criteria Enrollment Strategy: Prioritization Criteria Substantially Exceeds Criteria Exceeds Criteria Adequately Meets Criteria Minimally Meets Criteria Does NOT Meet Criteria Meeting market demand Student needs Industry needs Community needs Supporting the institution’s mission and academic objectives Maximizing return on investment Benefit to students or the institution Impact on enrollment targets Potential revenue vs. cost Enhancing the student experience Student satisfaction Student engagement Student success Documenting the probability of a successful implementation and outcome Antecedents for success are in place (e.g., funding, human resources, infrastructure, technology, leadership support) Data supporting the probability of a successful outcome Evaluator Comments:

Planning Coordination Implementation Oversight Sample Structure Strategies Implementation Metrics Improvements Situational Analysis Strategic Directions Research Questions Planning Coordination Implementation Oversight

Other Potential Teams Marketing Research Student Experience Customer Service Educational Product Precision Scheduling Advising

Exercise #3 Indentify strategies for one metric. Define your EM planning structure.

Implementation following an agreed upon timeline Planning Cycle Phase 4 Implementation PROCESS STEPS Grab the “low hanging fruit” and look for quick “wins” Ensure needed antecedents of success are in place (e.g., training, technology, space, funding, incentives) Execute at the highest level of quality possible Engage in “proof of concept” pilots for large-scale initiatives PLANNING PROCESS ACTIVITIES Implementation following an agreed upon timeline PLANNING MILESTONES PLANNING STATUS 1-3 Years STANDARD TIMEFRAME

The Flywheel

High Performing Organizations Innovation Operations Management New product opportunities Product design/development Products to market Product portfolio Supplier relationships Production capacity Distribution capacity Risk management Impacts Drives Impacts Enables Knowledge Management Relationship Management Human capital Information capital Organizational culture Selection and targeting Outreach Relation cultivation Retention Aligns Adapted from Kaplan and Norton, 2005

Human Capital People are the only sustainable competitive advantage that exists.

At the end of the day, 95% of our organization’s assets walk out the door… Management’s job is to make them want to come back.

Attributes of a Learning Organization Employees feel what they do matters Personal /professional growth emphasized Collective knowledge is emphasized over individual expertise Employees are encouraged to understand their organization beyond current scope Employees have easy access to just-in-time information

Antecedents to Employee Success Just-in-time information The right people on the bus Organizational structure Faculty and staff learning Adequate resources Clear policies and procedures Process efficiencies Technology optimization Incentive to innovate Leadership support Accountability

Perfecting Strategy To thrive in the future, we must have the intelligence that allows our organizations to FOCUS on the right strategic issues and the institutional WILL to act.

Exercise #4 What are the antecedents for successful implementation of your enrollment management plan?

Evaluation and continuous improvement Planning Cycle Phase 5 PROCESS STEPS Evaluation PLANNING PROCESS ACTIVITIES Measure the effectiveness of each major initiative Continuously improve implementation efforts based on effectiveness measure findings Assess the degree to which goals and objectives were met PLANNING MILESTONES Evaluation and continuous improvement PLANNING STATUS Ongoing STANDARD TIMEFRAME

If it moves, track it! Communications Interactions Transactions Learning objectives Learning outcomes Learner preferences Complaints Success stories Wins/losses with competitors

You can’t manage what you can’t measure. Awareness of the institution Institutional image Staff productivity Effectiveness of enrollment efforts Price elasticity

Insanity is defined as... doing the same things tomorrow that we do today and expecting different results.

Information Continuum Silos Conversation Courting Fusion

Definition of Actionable Intelligence Having the necessary information immediately available in order to deal with the situation at hand.

Exercise #5 Identify the necessary infrastructure to collect, analyze, and act on effectiveness measures and metrics.

Strategic Approach Quick Wins Low Hanging Fruit Incremental Maximum ROI Build Infrastructure and Incentives as Enrollment Grows

Strategic Approach Internal Campaign External Campaign

Enrollment Management Vision Map Credit/CEED Workforce Portfolios (Nov 07) Consistent Policies, Procedures, Practices (July 08) Inquiry/Applicant Communications Plan (Nov 07) Web Tutorials (June 08) External Marketing Plan (09) Shared Service Center (July 08) CAPP Implementation (Nov 07) Online Application (Jan 09) Integrated Credit & CEED Outreach (Nov 07)

Exercise #6 Outline the components of your enrollment management plan.

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