STRATEGIC ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT TASK FORCE
PROJECT STATUS UPDATE
September 25, 2008
CHARGE TO THE TASK FORCE:
To develop a plan and
recommendations for action that will direct ECU’s efforts in enrollment
management and student success, identifying strategic initiatives that ensure
ECU’s reputation as a university of choice.
Recommendations must be consistent with ECU Tomorrow, UNC Tomorrow, the
Engaged University Carnegie Classification, SACS accreditation and the
expectations of a graduate research university.
PROCESS:
An inter-disciplinary task
force representing a broad range of university constituencies was formed spring
’08. Subcommittees have addressed key
strategic enrollment management (SEM) topics.
It is important to note that SEM is a complex and iterative process
requiring flexibility, balancing competing interests, squarely facing difficult
tradeoffs and making tough decisions.
The goal is to make appropriate enrollment management decisions for our
university through informed thought and action rather than inaction.
A focused and strategic
approach to enrollment, retention, and graduation is clearly necessary. It is notable that the Fall 2008 census date
enrollment of 27,703 students exceeds ECU’s projected Fall 08 enrollment of
26,651 by 1,052 and that the incoming freshmen class of 4,516 exceeds our projected
Fall 2012 freshmen enrollment of 4,510.
In Fall 2007, ECU submitted a projected
enrollment for Fall 2017 of 36,018 to UNC General Administration.
The ECU community anticipates
that our student population will continue to grow and the university remains
committed to serving the citizens of the state. Annually, ECU’s enrollment will vary both in
overall size and profile (i.e., freshmen, undergraduate, graduate, distance
education only). The task force,
concerned about managing our growth and increasing the success rate of students
admitted to programs, is focusing its work on recommending and implementing
policies, strategies, and processes that will shape the size and academic
readiness of incoming classes; support student success particularly as measured
by retention and graduation; and provide optimal living and learning
environments. These measures will
influence the overall enrollment pattern and composition of incoming or
graduation classes.
CRITICAL ISSUES:
The SEM process has identified
the most critical enrollment management issues facing our institution and
specific recommendations with both short and long term execution horizons are
being developed to address them. The
critical issues are inter-related and recommendations must be implemented with
full understanding of the impact one will have on another.
·
Defining our
Access
·
Improving
Retention and Graduation – To address
improving the quality of students through strengthening the requirements for
admission to the university; enhancing student counseling, advising, mentoring,
intervention and the student support infrastructure; improving integration with
community colleges and UNC system; increasing scholarships and honors programs;
increasing academic retention standards; revising policies such as course
repetition, suspension and off-campus course transfers.
·
Determining
Effective Academic Mix - To address
evaluation and re-evaluation of the breadth and depth of programs and degrees;
introduction of income/expense analysis of programs; classification of existing
and new graduate programs by resource intensity; enhancement of distance
education programs.
·
Providing Optimal
Infrastructure – To address necessary resources
including space needs (teaching, research, faculty and administrative offices,
housing); organizational structures; new positions; new programs; expanded
technology support.
RECOMMENDATION
IMPLEMENTATION:
Timeline for implementation
for recommendations will vary. The
recommendations will be identified as immediate (prior to Fall
2009), short-term (12-24 months) and long-term (more than 24 months). The timeline for recommendation will be
based on immediacy (e.g. Fall 09 admission
requirements have already been adopted), consultation with appropriate groups,
and funding or infrastructure required to implement a given
recommendation. The implications of
implementing a recommendation or delaying or deferring the recommendation will
also be included the Task Force’s final report.
NEXT STEPS:
The Task Force will finalize
the preliminary recommendations in mid-October.
The proposed plan will be vetted with Executive Council,