ENROLLMENT GROWTH TASK FORCE December 17, 2004

COMMITTEE MEMBERS Co-Chairs – Greg Key and Dan Burcham THANK YOU  Maude Bigford  Sandy Britton  Matt Chaney  Dave Engels  Jana Hurley  Rick Kowalkoski  Nancy Peterson-Klein  Bill Smith  Deb Thalner  Craig Westman

MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS  Continue to raise admissions standards, using the “ratchet up” strategic plan.  Change the paradigm of academic major structure in order to re-establish 2+2 programs which will include modifying general education and size of majors.  Increase scholarship offerings in targeted curricula that have an ability to attract students from the Midwest states and Canada.

MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS  Create positive morale development by promoting recruitment teams and assigning resources to follow enrollment.  Develop specific recruitment plans for colleges and programs that appropriately involve recruitment officers and faculty experts. Insure an advocate for each major.

MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS  Create a committee to propose and develop new curricula.  Improve program costing process. Do not use development money in the evaluation of institutional funding.  Create recruitment materials that involve multiple media types (e.g., electronic and print). Print catalog and schedule book for those who prefer this.

MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS  Encourage summer enrollment by printing a combined Winter/Summer schedule book.  Implement living/learning models.  Provide summer incentives for commuter students. Give them dual enrollment rate. Also, give dual enrollment rate for fast-track students in summer (approximately 30%).

MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS  When re-evaluating academic majors and creating new academic majors, review not only cost but also consider their total effect on the University’s image.  Change the current University residence hall requirement to one year versus the current two years.

MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS  Create and publish annual and long- term enrollment goals with specific targets identified (programs, transfers, freshmen). Appropriate growth must be identified.  Build more flexibility into class scheduling. Include weekend offerings, after 5:00 p.m. classes, and different local locations.

MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS  Hire more minority faculty and staff in order to create a university-wide image that is reflective of society.  Re-establish permanent recruiting position and linkage in the metro- Detroit area for minority student recruitment. Develop the Grand Rapids/Holland area for Latino recruitment.

SMALL WINS  Scholarship money from President enabling us to be more competitive.  Improve internal communications about the University.  Construct and publish 10 commandments of recruitment, enabling everyone to assist.  Utilize more fully the Career Guide.  Fully advertise free summer housing.

SMALL WINS  Change schedule book production to Winter/Summer and a Fall book to allow students to plan better.  Fund more billboards for advertising with an assessment plan.  Launch living/learning model with the Visual Design option. [Residential Life has model.]

SMALL WINS  Launch advertising plan for Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Canada.  Increase visibility of the appearance of the campus in communications.  Have a link from other community colleges or national organizations to the Ferris home page.  Community colleges should have link to our transfer guide.

SMALL WINS  Pre-curriculums should have link to four- year Ferris programs.  Develop a number of Kiosks to support recruitment. [Enrollment Services has model.]  Develop an Industrial Arts Education Baccalaureate degree. [College of Education & Human Services has model.]  Include recruitment as part of appropriate job descriptions.

SMALL WINS  Encourage all work groups to assist.  Feature the Distinguished Faculty members’ biographies throughout the year as part of the information to new students on the web.