Enrollment Management Plan 2013-2015 - · PDF fileWDT Enrollment Management Plan 2013-2015 Page 4 Institutional Mission, Vision, and Strategic Priorities Mission Western Dakota Tech

Enrollment Management Plan 2013-2015

November 2012

WDT Enrollment Management Plan 2013-2015 Page 2

Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 3

Institutional Mission, Vision, and Strategic Priorities ................................................................................... 4

Mission ...................................................................................................................................................... 4

Vision ......................................................................................................................................................... 4

Strategic Priorities ..................................................................................................................................... 4

Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 5

Institutional Statement on Enrollment Management .................................................................................. 7

Reasons to embark on enrollment management ..................................................................................... 7

Planning Assumptions ................................................................................................................................... 8

External Population .................................................................................................................................. 8

Employment .......................................................................................................................................... 8

High School drop-out and graduation rates ......................................................................................... 8

Competition from proprietary and four-year schools .......................................................................... 8

Internal Campus growth ........................................................................................................................... 8

Organizational Structure for Enrollment Management ................................................................................ 9

Goals and Objectives ................................................................................................................................... 10

Enrollment Action Plans .............................................................................................................................. 11

Pathway: Admissions Outreach and Recruitment ................................................................................. 11

Pathway: Student Success and Academic Advising ............................................................................... 13

Pathway: Postsecondary Transitions ..................................................................................................... 14

Pathway: Retention ................................................................................................................................ 15

Pathway: Financial Aid ........................................................................................................................... 16

Pathway: Career Services ....................................................................................................................... 19

Fall Semester Enrollment Numbers ............................................................................................................ 21


Introduction The vision for enrollment management at WDT is an integrated effort that will continue to advance WDT in its mission of serving students and our community. Rather than relying on top-down management to ensure the success of enrollment management strategies, we know that the ultimate success of our enrollment efforts rests in the hands and minds of every member of the WDT community. The 2012-2016 Enrollment Management Plan provides vision, leadership, and strategic direction to WDT’s enrollment efforts. The plan provides strong, creative, and energetic strategic leadership in order to design and implement a comprehensive program of services and activities. The Enrollment Management Team will provide oversight for the achievement of the goals and objectives in the plan and will make recommendations to WDT administration. The team, with the support of administration, will measure periodic and ongoing progress of enrollment goals relating to specific target dates to ensure that the objectives produce measurable results and that they are communicated to the campus community. WDT administration, based on available budget, will be responsible for ensuring that resources are allocated effectively to achieve the objectives in this plan. WDT plays a critical role in providing access to education. WDT is a creator of opportunity, a collaborative partner, and an institution of choice for technical education in the western South Dakota region. Enrollment planning will assist WDT as it prepares for the future by creating strategies for recruitment, retention, and graduation that adapt to a changing environment. The enrollment plan is built on a basic assumption—WDT will continue to focus its efforts on preparing a skilled workforce for the western South Dakota region. However, the number of enrolled students determines WDT’s budget levels, teaching loads, staffing, and infrastructure needs. Therefore, careful attention to enrollment goals and policies is vital as WDT strives to create and exceed benchmarks of excellence and quality in educational programs and student services. The campus-wide enrollment management efforts described in this document are being designed and implemented to enhance and evaluate enrollment variables. The plan is meant to be a dynamic document that can inform and direct WDT’s enrollment strategies. The plan will require the talents and energy of everyone on campus. We need to work together diligently and creatively to take up WDT’s enrollment management challenges and create an environment that best serves the needs of students, our community, faculty, and staff.


Institutional Mission, Vision, and Strategic Priorities

Mission Western Dakota Tech is a public institution of higher learning that embraces quality programs, expert faculty and staff, and a commitment to academic excellence to teach the knowledge, skills, and behaviors students need to be successful.

Vision Western Dakota Tech will be a leader in career and technical education that creates student, institutional, and community success through its practices, policies, and activities. WDT will embrace all students and provide the education they need to be successful. WDT will build a campus culture that inspires faculty and staff to reach their potential and ensures the future of the institution. WDT will build partnerships and undertake projects that strengthen the institution and the communities it serves. Finally, WDT will be a model for postsecondary education in our region and nation.

Strategic Priorities Student Success

WDT creates student success by embracing students and their diversity and meeting their needs in and

out of the classroom.

Institutional Success

WDT creates institutional success by establishing systems that ensure a vibrant and enduring institution

that can meet its mission.

Community Success

WDT creates community success by partnering with business, industry, and others to benefit students,

the community, and WDT.


Executive Summary The challenges WDT faces in the next five to ten years include plans for growth, budget constraints and uncertainties, a shifting campus culture, limited campus space for some programs, keeping pace with new technology, and increased competition. During five of the past six years, WDT’s enrollment and full-time equivalent enrollment increased quickly and dramatically. In the Fall of 2004, WDT enrolled 904 students. In Fall 2010, WDT enrolled 1,077 students, a 19.1 percent increase. That growth strained WDT’s faculty and staff and lab and classroom resources. The growth came at a time when funding support from the state of South Dakota decreased by more than 10 percent. That dichotomy—serious budget reductions at a time of record enrollments—impacted WDT’s ability to keep pace with the demand for its services. That issue must serve as an important part of the backdrop for any meaningful enrollment management plan. Then, in the fall of 2011, enrollment and full-time equivalent enrollment decreased by 10 percent. While the fall enrollment was one of the five largest in the history of the institution, the decrease could not have come at a worse time. Decreased enrollment at a time of reductions in state allocations created serious budget restraints during the 2011-2012 academic year. That combination—enrollment growth and retraction, budget reductions, and lack of a clear enrollment management plan—have created a sense of scrambling across campus as faculty and staff find ad-hoc ways to serve students and the community. This enrollment management plan is designed—in part—to help WDT organize its enrollment management efforts to remain a priority as issues arise. In the simplest possible terms, a technical Institute’s total enrollment is a function of three things:

1. The number of students recruited 2. The number of students enrolled 3. The number of enrolled students retained

All three combine to determine the number of students enrolled at any given time. Each of these items are impacted by everything that happens on campus—the admissions and marketing efforts, quality of academic programs and curriculum rigor, services offered, quality of faculty and staff, finances, campus culture, customer service, and the cleanliness of buildings and grounds. This is too important not to repeat—everything that happens on campus impacts enrollment. That means enrollment management is the job of each and every person who works at Western Dakota Tech. Issues of enrollment, retention, and graduation rates matter. Viewing enrollment numbers through the lens of the WDT budget brings their importance into focus. In the 2011-2012 academic year, WDT collected and applied to the WDT budget $145 per credit hour in tuition and fees. (WDT collected and passed on to the state of South Dakota an additional $23 per credit hour.) WDT received in state allocations of $3,046 per student. In the 2012-2013 academic year, WDT will be collecting $3,183 per student. WDT has implemented a new student information system that will ease the collecting and reporting of data. This will enable better use of the data in planning and decision-making which has become a priority for administration. We expect this to bring about positive results that will contribute to the achievement of our enrollment goals and increase our institutional effectiveness.


The focus of the 2012-2016 Enrollment Management Plan takes into consideration WDT’s strengths and challenges. Overall, the plan is a guide to increase enrollment over the next five years, to enroll a larger number of Native American students, to increase dual enrollment opportunities for high school students and the number of dual enrollment students, to make the financial aid process as efficient and effective as possible, and to improve retention rates. As indicated in the action strategies in this plan, WDT will use many sources and methods to help achieve enrollment goals. They include institutional research, information from students about their experiences, and South Dakota MyLife. WDT has an excellent opportunity to target those areas where we desire and expect growth as well as areas in which we can achieve meaningful results. The goals of this plan are:

Increase FTE enrollment by 1 percent over the previous year

Increase Native American student enrollment to 15 percent by Fall 2016

Increase full-time enrollment of non-traditional secondary completers

Increase enrollment of traditional aged students

Improve retention rates

Improve financial aid effectiveness Evaluation is essential to any enrollment management plan and process. The WDT enrollment management plan is no exception. Evaluations will be quantitative and/or qualitative, including the use of surveys, program reviews, or other opportunities to better understand student needs and priorities and the success of enrollment management activities. WDT administration, Information Services, Financial Aid, and the Enrollment Management Team will provide an effective evaluation model designed to keep the plan on track.


Institutional Statement on Enrollment Management Western Dakota Tech views enrollment management as an institution-wide and comprehensive process designed to provide student success. The purpose of the Enrollment Management plan is to increase enrollment, improve the quality and diversity of the student body, create new program initiatives, and improve retention and graduation rates. WDT’s ultimate measure of success is determined by the retention and success of our students in achieving their educational goals.

Reasons to embark on enrollment management Western Dakota Tech’s Enrollment Management Team identified the following reasons for creating and implementing an enrollment management plan.

Gives direction

Creates baseline expectations

Helps us manage capacities

Shows that we have used evidence to drive decisions

Helps us be more efficient in the services we offer

Creates a common focus across campus

Required by accreditation

Shapes overall budget

Guides partnerships

Targets individual program enrollment

More efficient use of marketing dollars

Guides activities so we meet employer needs

Can shape what student body looks like

Optimizes use of facility and future campus site plans

Helps us develop a plan to meet student needs

Aligns and guides staffing plan


Planning Assumptions

External Population

South Dakota's population increase of 7.9% from 2000 to 2010 was driven primarily by growth in the state's two metropolitan areas of Sioux Falls and Rapid City, in communities along interstate highways, and in counties with Indian reservations.

Employment

South Dakota’s unemployment rate is 4.4% (July 2012). The National unemployment rate is 8.3% (Bureau of Labor Statistics, July 2012).

High School drop-out and graduation rates

In South Dakota, 21 percent of high school students drop out (Boostup.org). While that puts the state below the national average of 28 percent, a closer look shows that minority students in South Dakota drop out at much higher rates.

o American Indian: 68 percent o Black: 22 percent

Competition from proprietary and four-year schools

WDT has seen increased competition from private and public colleges offering technical degrees.

National American University

University Center Rapid City

Oglala Lakota College

Black Hills State University

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Private and public colleges are competing with WDT for a limited number of clinical sites

Internal Campus growth

Campus growth within the next five years includes the building of a One-Stop Shop, increased lab space, a community/campus library, and other campus enhancements. Other building projects such as student housing are in the discussion phase.

WDT will continue to cultivate relationships with business and industry partners.

WDT will expand academic programs and delivery systems that respond to the needs of our students and community partners.

WDT will increase programming with area K-12 school districts to introduce students to postsecondary education and WDT.

WDT will expand recruitment efforts to more targeted populations.

WDT will continue to seek expanded and new articulation agreements that will allow students to transfer their WDT credits to further their education.

WDT is in the beginning stages of implementing JICS, a portal that will give students easier access to services and allow them to self-serve. Students will be able to access this portal beginning at the applicant stage through graduation.

WDT is exploring growth opportunities in the Dual Enrollment Program.


Organizational Structure for Enrollment Management WDT administration has charged the WDT Enrollment Management Team with developing and implementing a comprehensive approach to integrating programs, practices, policies, and planning related to achieving the optimal recruitment, retention, and graduation of students. This involves continually evaluating and upgrading the institution’s marketing, recruitment, and early outreach and student retention efforts.

WDT Leadership Team

Mark Wilson, President

Admissions and Outreach/Recruitment

Jill Elder, Lead

Student Success & Academic Advising

Melanie Garstenshlager, Lead

Postsecondary Transition

Londa Richter, Lead

Retention

Kelly O'Brien , Lead

Financial Aid

Starla Russell, Lead

Career Placement

Curt Lauinger, Lead

All Faculty and Staff

Institutional Research

Enrollment Management Plan

Brad Henrich, Chair


Goals and Objectives The Enrollment Management Team was charged with reviewing and making recommendations regarding the Enrollment Management plan. The plan was revised in Fall 2012. The campus community has been engaged in a discussions regarding increasing enrollment. Enrollment Goals and Objectives for 2012-2016

Increase new student enrollment by 1% over the previous year. o A new student is considered someone who has never attended WDT. o In order to reach the new student enrollment goal, we need to consider increasing

capacities and new program offerings.

Increase Native American student headcount to 14 percent by Fall 2015 o In order to reach an increase Native American population, WDT must consider on-

campus housing. Having on-campus housing as an option will reduce transportation issues to and from campus.

o Increase outreach, recruiting, and high school visits to those high schools that have high populations of Native American Students.

o Partner with tribal colleges in coordinating programs and efforts.

Increase Dual Enrollment opportunities to high school students by more program/class offerings. (Please refer to the Dual Enrollment Document for specific information.)

Facilitate relationships between WDT faculty and CTE instructors at area high schools.

Integrate retention planning and the use of institutional research as a part of the enrollment management program.


Enrollment Action Plans

Pathway: Admissions Outreach and Recruitment

Action Item Responsible Office Others Involved Target

Implementation

Expected

Outcomes

Grow the success

of Flight Night and

other event

programs.

Admissions Enrollment

Management;

Faculty

Ongoing 65% of Flight Night

attendees will

apply for

admission.

Increase

awareness of WDT

to prospective

students

Grow the number

of Native

American students

Admissions Special Services

Coordinator

Postsecondary

Career

Coordinator

Ongoing Grow Native

American

population to 14%

for Fall 2015 by

recruiting more on

the reservation

Host Student

Open House

Admissions Enrollment

Management;

Faculty

Fall 2012 Increase to 2 days

instead of 1 day

Expand High

School

Relationships

Admissions Postsecondary

Career

Coordinator

Ongoing Facilitate a

minimum of 30

High School

classroom

presentations to

increase

enrollment


Explore student

housing options

Administration Enrollment

Management;

Foundation

Ongoing Increase

enrollment - TBD

Develop program

capacities

Academic Deans Enrollment

Management

Ongoing Increase

enrollment by 1%

per year

Create marketing

plan that targets

traditional

students and

Native American

students

Marketing Enrollment

Management

Postsecondary

Career

Coordinator

Ongoing Increase

enrollment to 14%

by Fall 2015


Pathway: Student Success and Academic Advising


Implementation

Expected

Outcomes

Academic advising

with students to

ensure proper

course

registrations

Special Services

Coordinator

Enrollment

Management

Spring 2013 Decreased course

drops by 5%

Individual advising

with students to

ensure correct

program

placement

Special Services

Coordinator

Enrollment

Management

Spring 2013 Decreased change

of majors by 5%

Implement early

warning system

that monitors and

tracks student

academic progress

and attendance

Special Services

Coordinator

Enrollment

Management

October 2012 Increase retention

of at-risk students

by 1%

Coordinate the

registration and

advising process

and provide

instructor training

Special Services

Coordinator

Enrollment

Management

Instructors

Spring 2013 Increase retention

to 72%


Pathway: Postsecondary Transitions


Implementation

Expected

Outcomes

Increase Dual Enrollment Offerings

Postsecondary Career Coordinator

Admissions Academic Deans Enrollment Management

Ongoing Increase students enrolling in dual enrollment courses by 10% per year

Administer College Access Challenge Grant


Admissions Enrollment Management

Ongoing Increase under- served and under- represented student enrollment by 1% per year

Utilize SDMyLife to identify students with an interest in program areas at WDT


n/a Ongoing Identify 20 students per year via SDMyLife to invite to participate in a career camp

Coordinate Partnership Rapid City/Career Launch Classes


Academic Programs

Ongoing Maintain program area offerings of Career Launch classes and increase offerings based on high school student interest areas

Conduct Career Exploration Camps


Academic Programs

Ongoing Increase student

attendance to fill

maximum

capacities per

camp


Pathway: Retention


Implementation

Expected

Outcomes

Identify under-

prepared

students and

assist them via

remediation,

tutoring, and

advising

Academic Services Enrollment

Management

Instructors


for at-risk students

by 1%

Be proactive in

mid-term advising

Academic Advisors Enrollment

Management

Spring 2013 Ensure 80% of

students enroll

during the proper

registration period

Provide the

Academic Dean

with feedback on

student exit

information

Special Services

Coordinator

Enrollment

Management

Application

Support Specialist

Spring 2013 Resolve on-going

issues to increase

retention to 72%

Provide student

workshops to help

improve academic

success of

students

Enrollment

Management

Academic Services

Instructors Spring 2013 Increase retention

to 72%

Provide assistance

to at-risk students

through the

Lending Library

and SGA

Emergency Fund

Special Services

Coordinator

Enrollment

Management

SGA/Student

Activities


of at-risk students

by 1%


Pathway: Financial Aid


Implementation

Expected

Outcomes

Prepare and

market an “It’s

Possible”

estimated aid

awards for

prospective

students

Financial Aid Marketing

Enrollment

Management

March 2013 Increase aid and

scholarship receipt

for new students

by 3% from 2012-

13

Develop & target

distribution of

Scholarship

Portfolio for

prospective

students


Enrollment

Management

WDT Foundation

January 2013 Promote available

“recruitment

scholarships” to

increase average

overall aid

package of new

students by 2%

Research and

provide training to

aid personnel on

JICS functionality

to streamline

communication

notices

Financial Aid

Information Tech March 2013 Complement PF

communications

with the myWDT

student portal to

increase efficiency

of aid application

processing and

disbursement in

order to meet 80%

disbursement rate

for Fall 2013

Distribute monthly

FAFSA completion

reminders and

completion

assistance options

to returning

students during

peak processing


Information Tech

March 2013

Improve retention

rates to 72%


Research and

implement Title IV

and best practices

on SAP notices

and student

advising

Financial Aid Academic Deans

Faculty

FA Committee

August 2013

Increase

awareness of

affect dropped,

withdrawn, and

failed courses has

on a student’s

continued aid

eligibility and

institutional

operations;

decrease overall

SAP terminations

by 2% from 12-13

year

Coordinate

scholarship award

decisions and

offers for new

students through

timelined

application,

selection and

awarding

deadlines


Scholarship

Committee

WDT Foundation

April 2013

Provide early

award decisions to

new students to

increase their

commitment to

attend WDT

Coordinate

financial aid

sessions for

“Enrollment Party”

or targeted FA

event

Financial Aid Enrollment

Management

Marketing

August 2013

Increase new

students’ aid

application

processing and

disbursement in

order to meet 80%

disbursement rate

for Fall 2013

Coordinate

financial aid

sessions for “Open

House” or

targeted FA event

Financial Aid Enrollment

Management

Marketing

August 2013 Meet 80%

disbursement rate

for Fall 2013


Coordinate

scholarship award

decisions and

offers for

returning students

through timelined

application,

selection and

awarding

deadlines


Scholarship

Committee

WDT Foundation

April 2013

Provide early

award decisions to

returning students

to increase their

commitment to

return to WDT

Prepare and

market tentative

aid awards for

students in the

applied

Admissions status

who are FAFSA

completers

Financial Aid Marketing March 2014 Increase

awareness of

possible aid

opportunities.

Increase aid and

scholarship receipt

for new students

by 3% from 2013-

14

Assist in the

development of

specific

recruitment and

enrollment

activities and

events for Native

American students

Financial Aid

Marketing

Enrollment

Management

Postsecondary

Career

Coordinator

Fall 2015

Increase Native

American student

enrollment to 14%

by Fall 2015

Explore the

development of a

Financial Literacy

Class

Financial Aid Curriculum &

Standards

Academic Deans

Faculty

March 2014 Increase financial

literacy among

students to

promote

successful

financial planning

and life-long

budgeting skills;

reduce WDT

student loan

default rate


Pathway: Career Services


Implementation

Expected

Outcomes

Conduct Fall Part-

Time & Spring Full-

Time Career Fairs

Career Services

Coordinator

Academic

Programs

Ongoing Consistently

connect students

with employers

from beginning of

school through

graduation with 25

Fall part-time

company

participants and

60 Spring full-time

participants

Share Part-Time,

Full-Time and

Work Study job

leads with

students and

alumni

Career Services

Coordinator

Academic

Programs

Ongoing Support students

with meaningful

part-time

employment

options while in

school and full-

time, degree

related

employment

options after

graduation by

posting 75 new

opportunities per

month via in-

person, online

and/or email

methods


Perform Annual

Graduate Survey

and Prepare

Annual Placement

Report

Career Services

Coordinator

Academic

Programs

Ongoing Locate and collect

data from over

90% of WDT

graduates -this

data will guide

academic

programs and

inform prospective

students’ career

choices

Employer Site

Visits

Career Services

Coordinator

Academic

Programs

Spring 2013 Foster strong

relationships

between regional

employers and

appropriate WDT

program -ensure

WDT continues to

meet the current

and emerging

needs to the

workforce by

meeting with 30

different regional

businesses per

year

Administer

Employer

Satisfaction Survey

Career Services

Coordinator

NA Spring 2013 Collect feedback

from 150 recent

employers and/or

advisory

committee

members

regarding the

preparation of

WDT graduates to

meet their needs

in the workplace


Fall Semester Enrollment Numbers

New Student Fall Semester Enrollment Numbers

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Fall 2006 Fall 2007 Fall 2008 Fall 2009 Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012

1034 1036

959

1152 1177

1045 1019

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Fall 2006 Fall 2007 Fall 2008 Fall 2009 Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012

494 489

443

551

455

400 422

Enrollment Management Plan 2013-2015 - · PDF fileWDT Enrollment Management Plan 2013-2015 Page 4 Institutional Mission, Vision, and Strategic Priorities Mission Western Dakota Tech

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