1. PRACTICAL COLLABORATION Fine-tuning Your Graduate Admissions Process
PRESENTERS
Janet Shandley and Sena Andah
SEATTLE UNIVERSITY & SAINT JOSEPH’S UNIVERSITY

2. PRACTICAL COLLABORATION Fine-tuning Your Graduate Admissions Process
AGENDA
Introductions
Context
Challenges
Strategies
Outcomes
HIGHLIGHTS
Defining “practical collaboration”
Engaging non-admissions staff in the process
Assessing the processing needs of academic departments
Conducting an admissions review process
V. Preparing Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
Discussing “best practices”

3. Saint Joseph’s University OVERVIEW
 Modified, centralized recruiting and processing
 Decentralized admissions process
53 graduate study areas; 2,770 graduate students
 Staff of 4 professionals & 3-6 student workers per semester

4. Seattle University OVERVIEW
 Centralized processing
 Decentralized recruiting
27 graduate programs
Over 1880 graduate students
Staff of 4 professionals & shared positions
Enrollment Services Operations

5. PRACTICAL COLLABORATION What Is Practical Collaboration?
Invested parties working together to achieve specific university goals
in an intentional, respectful and mutually-accountable
manner.

6. PRACTICAL COLLABORATION CHALLENGES
 UNVERSITY STRATEGIC PLANNING
 KEY “PLAYERS” & NEEDS
 DOCUMENTATION & PRIOR PRACTICE
 EXCEPTIONS & ACCOMMODATIONS
 ACCOUNTABILITY
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7. PRACTICAL COLLABORATION STRATEGIES
DEVELOP AN ASSESSMENT TOOL
 Sponsorship
 Audience
 Data Collection
MINING EXPERTISE
 Front line people
 Data processors
 Counselors & advisors
DISCUSSION &
COMPROMISE
 Informed discussions
 Common goals
 De-mystify process
 Identify training needs
SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENTS
 Documents from template
 Individual program meetings

8. PRACTICAL COLLABORATION Review Sample 1

9. PRACTICAL COLLABORATION Review Sample 2

10. PRACTICAL COLLABORATION SLA Sample 1

11. PRACTICAL COLLABORATION SLA Sample 2

12. PRACTICAL COLLABORATION OUTCOMES
CLARIFY ROLES
REVIEW TIMELINES & GOALS
CONFIRM REPORTING NEEDS
EXAMINE PROCESSING
COMMIT TO COMMUNICATION

13. PRACTICAL COLLABORATION OUTCOMES
ADMISSIONS REVIEW REPORT
 Distribution
 Recommendations
SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENTS
 Annual Review
 Training Resource

14. PRACTICAL COLLABORATION BEST PRACTICES
REFERENCE
AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO GRADUATE ADMISSIONS
Council of Graduate Schools & NAGAP
DISCUSSION
Is it possible to establish a best practices standard?

15. PRACTICAL COLLABORATION CONTACT US
JANET SHANDLEY
Director of Graduate Admission
Seattle University /
SENA ANDAH
Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions
Saint Joseph’s University /