1. North Central State College Consulting Report Clayton Smith, Ed.D. AACRAO Senior Consultant February 15, 2008

2. Consultation Summary AACRAO Senior Consultant Clayton Smith conducted a consulting visit to North Central State College (NCSC) on February 15, 2008 to facilitate an enrollment planning summit. 2

3. Summit Goals Validation of things we do well Focus and develop action plan for two or three emerging enrollment development strategies Re-energize action plans for collaboration as a high performance team -February 7, 2008 email from Betty Wells, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, NCSC 3

4. Summit Participants Dr. Therese Bushner, Interim Vice President for Learning Ms. Sheila Campbell, Data Support, Institutional Research Mr. Terry Coleman, Dean, Business & Education Ms. Nikia Fletcher, Director, Admissions & Enrollment Services Mr. Jim Hull, Dean, Health & Public Services Ms. Annette Griffon, Recruiter/Admissions Counselor Ms. Stephanie Hall, Recruiter/Admissions Counselor Mr. Mark Hupp, Webmaster Ms. Gina Kamwithi, Director, Community Education Mr. Tom Kluding, Director, Tech Prep Ms. Teri Kofod, Early Childhood faculty member Ms. Peg Moir, Vice President, Learning Support & Retention 4

5. Summit Participants (Continued) Mr. Mark Monnes, Registrar & Student Records Ms. Teri Myers, Graphic Designer Mr. Tom Prendergast, Director, Institutional Research & Grants Mr. Bruce Sliney, Assistant Vice President, Learning Mr. Keith Stoner, Director, Marketing & Creative Services Mr. Randy Storms, Acting Dean, Engineering Technologies & Workforce Development Ms. Deanna Strauss, Coordinator, Tech Prep Transition Ms. Bev Walker, Director, Retention Services/Student Success Center Ms. Betty Wells, Vice President, Institutional Advancement 5

6. Agenda Introductions Overview of Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) and enrollment planning Discussion of things NCSC is doing well Moving toward a definition of enrollment development Institutional niche discussion and exercise Next steps Adjournment 6

7. Strategic Enrollment Management SEM is a comprehensive process designed to help an institution achieve and maintain optimum enrollment, where optimum is defined within the academic context of the institution. Adapted from Dolence, SEM Primer Strategic enrollment management is a concept and process that enables the fulfillment of institutional mission and students’ educational goals. Strategic enrollment management is a concept and process that enables the fulfillment of institutional mission and students’ educational goals. Bob Bontrager 7

8. Purposes of SEM Creating a data-rich environment to inform decisions and evaluate strategies Creating a data-rich environment to inform decisions and evaluate strategies Improving process, organizational and financial efficiency and outcomes Improving process, organizational and financial efficiency and outcomes Strengthening communications and collaboration among departments across the campus to support the enrollment program Strengthening communications and collaboration among departments across the campus to support the enrollment program 8

9. Particularly for Community Colleges... Enabling the institution to clarify its focus on competing missions Envisioning enrollment planning in spite of - and because of - the “open door” Optimizing vaunted flexibility in program development and delivery through better linkages with other campus efforts and services. 9

10. What SEM is Not A quick fix Solely an organizational structure An enhanced admission and marketing operation A financial drain on the institutional budget Net Revenue! An administrative function separate from the academic mission of the institution 10

11. Institutional Mission and Enrollment Goals Are Determined By: 11 Programs offered Historical status Niche Weaknesses Strengths Range of influence Aspirational status Current competitive status

12. Determine your niche, focus on it, and deliver on it as well as you possibly can... 12

13. Community Colleges: Think creatively about those niches The obvious... The obvious... Low tuition Low tuition Convenient location Convenient location Small classes Small classes No teaching assistants No teaching assistants Open admission Open admission Wide age range Wide age range Special relations with local communities, businesses and industries, other universities Special relations with local communities, businesses and industries, other universities 13

14. Sometimes the not-so-obvious niches make the difference: Distinctive programs: e-commerce; Ford Training Center; biotechnology; study abroad ; North Seattle CC Integrated Studies, bachelor’s degree; university center (their excellence casts a glow over all programs) Distinctive programs: e-commerce; Ford Training Center; biotechnology; study abroad ; North Seattle CC Integrated Studies, bachelor’s degree; university center (their excellence casts a glow over all programs) Shared experiences: all students have an advisor or a portfolio; website chat rooms; unique orientation; unique degree requirement; Green River CC international student housing Shared experiences: all students have an advisor or a portfolio; website chat rooms; unique orientation; unique degree requirement; Green River CC international student housing Geographic reach: do you have a nationally-marketable program? EvCC Medical Transcription online program Geographic reach: do you have a nationally-marketable program? EvCC Medical Transcription online program Special populations: Honors, Bridge, Women in Science, Bellevue CC Associate in Essential Studies… Special populations: Honors, Bridge, Women in Science, Bellevue CC Associate in Essential Studies… 14

15. 15 The Concept of Optimum Enrollment Physical Capacity Undergrad/ Grad Residency Program Capacity Special Skills Academic Profiles Majors Ethnicity Institutional Mission

16. 16 Traditional Enrollment Perspective Recruitment/ Marketing Admission Orientation Co-curricular Support Academic Support Retention Financial Support Classroom Experience The Student Success Continuum Student’s College Career Attain Degree/Goal

17. 17 The SEM Perspective Recruitment/ Marketing Admission Orientation Co-curricular Support Academic Support Retention Financial Support Classroom Experience The Student Success Continuum Student’s College Career Attain Degree/Goal

18. 18 Programs offered Historical status Niche Weaknesses Strengths Range of influence Aspirational status Current competitive status

19. Promoting Institutional Success Strategic Planning 19 Programs offered Historical status Niche Weaknesses Strengths Range of influence Aspirational status Current competitive status

20. The SEM Plan- Components 1.Define relationship to the strategic plan 2.Produce an environmental scan 3.Collect data, data, data Enrollment: totals, demographics, trends, etc. Course offerings: capacity, scheduling, duplication, waitlists Retention Market surveys Financial aid and scholarships Budget: income streams, expenditures 20

21. The SEM Plan - Components 4.Identify key enrollment-related issues 5.Respond to those issues: Key leverage initiatives Very important initiatives Relatively simple initiatives 6.Set goals: enrollment targets, program mix, program delivery, income targets, services 21

22. The SEM Plan – Components 22 7.Suggest strategies Recruitment Marketing Program mix Policies and procedures Retention 8.Establish accountability Who does what and when?

23. The SEM Plan - Components 23 9.Include measurements/ key performance indicators (KPIs) Most goals should be measurable Know your baseline data, and measure against it Follow-up on assessment of the KPIs Update often – this is not a long range plan...it is a strategic plan. Be strategic! Ensure continuous communication with campus

24. What NCSC Is Doing Well Achieving the Dream Innovation orientation Intrusive academic advising High reputation health programs Strong transfer articulation with 4-year institutions Physical connection with Ohio State University’s branch campus in Mansfield Developing general education program 24

25. A Definition of Enrollment Development for NCSC Despite the overall 6% annual increase goal, NCSC does not have a clear understanding of what is meant by enrollment development It was mentioned that the College is expected to eventually reach an enrollment of 4,500; although it is not clear by when this goal can or should be reached The focus of the enrollment development effort lacks clarity with the following student groups identified: high school seniors, transfer students, adult learners, distance education students There appears to be concern about the percentage of enrollment which would be university parallel or applied 25

26. A Niche for NCSC Need to define competitive advantage Determine primary, secondary and tertiary student markets Focus on advantages with low income and female students Identify the profile of the successful NCSC student and put in motion strategies to recruit more of these students Currently, only focus on “reach out and down” students 26

27. Primary Next Steps Complete the following SEM Planning Steps: 1.The Plan to Plan 2.Institutional Framework 3.S.W.O.T. Analysis 4.Strategic Visions 5.Issue Identification & Response As part of the planning process, develop an institutional niche statement Then consider requesting an AACRAO Consulting evaluation of progress to date 27

28. Additional Next Steps Develop optimum enrollment targets for institution-wide, for each program and by student type prior to establishing enrollment goals, objectives and strategies Get buy-in campus wide in support of enrollment development, including faculty and senior administration Involve faculty in areas which will impact the quality of learning Ensure that level of support is consistent with enrollment targets (e.g., students of color) Online learning identified as an enrollment opportunity; however need to assess enrollment and financial systems currently in place that make online learning difficult to access 28

29. Additional Next Steps (continued) Make the connection between financial resources and enrollment management to ensure that enrollment goals are tied to return on investment Improve roadside signage to make the campus more visible to travelers Transition from a shotgun-reactionary culture to a strategic-deliberate culture 29

30. Respectfully Submitted, Clayton Smith, Ed.D. smithc@uwindsor.ca consulting.aacrao.org