OATdb Archive

2008 - 2009

Admissions, Undergraduate

Goal
Enrollment
Contribute to overall enrollment growth

Objective
Enrollment
To increase enrollment

Indicator
Enrollment
If enrollment is at least a 3% overall increase

Criterion
Enrollment
Overall enrollment increase/decrease will be measured with emphasis on Freshman and Transfer students

Finding
Enrollment
Although total complete enrollment data will not be available until the 12th class day report, current data is as follows:
Beginning Freshman enrollment is -1.8%
Transfer enrollment is +5.4%
Total enrollment is +.71%

Finding
Yield
Although the final data will not be available until the 12th class day report is finalized in late Septemeber, current data indicates that there will be a decrease in yield rate. This decrease can be attributed to may things, most of which we can link directly to the economy.

Criterion
Yield
Increase yield rate a minimum of 2%

Indicator
Yield
An increase in the yield rate of beginning freshmen

Action
Enrollment
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions and the Division of Enrollment Management have done a number of things in an attempt to increase enrollment. These action items include waiving the application fee for a period of one month and during this time taking our Mobile Go Center to area high schools and community colleges for application and financial aid days, creating and increasing scholarship funding for beginning freshmen and transfer students, agressively recruiting freshmen, transfer, former, and current students that had not been advised or enrolled via several email and calling campaigns, and markeing to students via radio ads, mall ads, and billboards.

Action
Yield
Although the final data will not be available until the 12th class day report in late September, current data indicates that the yield rate will decrease. We have recently implemented a more agressive communication plan with prospective students and have increased the amount of scholarship money offered. Furthermore, we have included the scholarship process in the financial aid process for timeliness and packaging purposes. Furthermore, the Financial Aid department has implemented a new product ( Sunguard Banner) to improve the process and timeliness of awards.

Objective
Yield
Increase the yield rate of accepted to enrolled freshmen

Indicator
Yield
An increase in the yield rate of beginning freshmen

Action
Yield
Although the final data will not be available until the 12th class day report in late September, current data indicates that the yield rate will decrease. We have recently implemented a more agressive communication plan with prospective students and have increased the amount of scholarship money offered. Furthermore, we have included the scholarship process in the financial aid process for timeliness and packaging purposes. Furthermore, the Financial Aid department has implemented a new product ( Sunguard Banner) to improve the process and timeliness of awards.

Action
Enrollment
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions and the Division of Enrollment Management have done a number of things in an attempt to increase enrollment. These action items include waiving the application fee for a period of one month and during this time taking our Mobile Go Center to area high schools and community colleges for application and financial aid days, creating and increasing scholarship funding for beginning freshmen and transfer students, agressively recruiting freshmen, transfer, former, and current students that had not been advised or enrolled via several email and calling campaigns, and markeing to students via radio ads, mall ads, and billboards.

Goal
Technology
Demonstrate continuous improvement in program and system enhancement

Objective
Technology
Refine and implement Document Imaging System to be used for workflow and create an electronic file cabinet to improve efficiency and reduce paper usage

Indicator
Technology
A reduction in time to locate, review and share documents with other departments

Criterion
Technology
Ability to easily share applications such as High School and College transcripts and test scores electronically with other departments, particularly Financial Aid, Registrar, Academic Advising, Honors/Scholarships.

Finding
Technology
The system operated for a time period with the new database but began to crash again consistently. That problem has been corrected and we are now waiting on new hardware while using borrowed hardware. New update: The new hardware has been received and installed and we are scanning again. We had a two week delay as a result of having to relocate our scanning operation. This delay was lengthened because we had to have additional computer lines ran.

Action
Technology
New database is installed, a work oder has been placed again to review the crashing problem with student profiles and are waiting on new hardware to arrive from vendor to be installed. New Action: Everything is operating as initially intended now. Due to the volume of scanning that is required by our departments, paired with the setbacks that we have experienced, we are currently working on a backlog of scanning. We have placed backed scanning on hold and are cuurently working on Spring 2010 documents and will begin scanning Fall 2010 documents as they are received.

Goal
Yield
Improve communication with prospective students

Objective
Yield
Increase the yield rate of accepted to enrolled freshmen

Indicator
Yield
An increase in the yield rate of beginning freshmen

Action
Yield
Although the final data will not be available until the 12th class day report in late September, current data indicates that the yield rate will decrease. We have recently implemented a more agressive communication plan with prospective students and have increased the amount of scholarship money offered. Furthermore, we have included the scholarship process in the financial aid process for timeliness and packaging purposes. Furthermore, the Financial Aid department has implemented a new product ( Sunguard Banner) to improve the process and timeliness of awards.

Action
Enrollment
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions and the Division of Enrollment Management have done a number of things in an attempt to increase enrollment. These action items include waiving the application fee for a period of one month and during this time taking our Mobile Go Center to area high schools and community colleges for application and financial aid days, creating and increasing scholarship funding for beginning freshmen and transfer students, agressively recruiting freshmen, transfer, former, and current students that had not been advised or enrolled via several email and calling campaigns, and markeing to students via radio ads, mall ads, and billboards.

Goal
Marketing
Improve upon design and branding for SHSU

Objective
Marketing
Assist other departments within university in modeling their publications and electronic communications with a similar design concept

Indicator
Marketing
To create a consistent design concept with the Division of Enrollment Management

Criterion
Marketing
Recognizable uniform brochure designs and elctronic communications within the Division of Enrollment Management

Finding
Marketing
The Division of Enrollment Management consists of 7 departments, excluding the Office of Enrollment Management. Four of the departments have a consistent design concept throughout their brochures and electronic communications, three do not produce brochures.

Action
Marketing
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions along with other departments in the Division of Enrollment Management has contracted with the same Marketing/Design Company to develop design concepts for all of our marketing materials. This will ensure a consistent design throughout the entire division's marketing efforts. Additionally, SHSU has contracted with a company to completely update the University's website design. This design template will be used as a model for future email campaigns.


Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement

Plan for continuous improvement Enrollment Goal:

Although we have yet to reach our enrollment goals for the Fall 2009 semester, we are certain that we are significantly closer to that goal and are in much better shape as a result of the actions that have been taken to achieve those goals. Furthermore, we know that had we not moved forward with these aggressive, yet necessary projects, that we would be experiencing a significant enrollment decrease. After seeing the positive impact that we have had in just a few months, we have already began discussions and planning on how we can develop new and more timely marketing and communications to prospective students. This will enable us to be more proactive and have a much more significant impact on enrollment if we begin earlier, partcularly as the economy begins to stabilize.

Technology Goal:

Although we have yet to reach our goal of scanning and indexing documents as they are received, we do have everything in place to do so. Also, we have a clear plan in place to begin scanning/indexing and routing documents as they are received to the appropriate departments. This should improve tracking of documents and overall institutional effectiveness. As soon as we begin receiving applications, transcripts, and testscores for Fall 2010, we will begin this process for applicants for that semester. If possible, we will work backwards to bring prior semesters forward into this process.

Yield Goal:

The final data that will show what our actual yield is for Fall 2009 will not be available until late September, however we are quite certain that there will be a decrease in the yield rate. This can be attributed to many factors, most of which can be directly linked to the economy. Since we had a period of a little over one month in which we waived the application fee, we know that we received a number of applications for students that were searching for the best deal. Furthermore, we have had more students request fee waivers this year than in any previous year. Also, we know that students are applying to several schools and seeing which schools provide the best award package with a combination of scholarships and financial aid. Many schools were able to provide their awards earlier than we did which may have helped them decide and plan on another school before we were able to award them. Community Colleges are experiencing significant enrollment increases as a result of the economy.

Marketing Goal:

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions has accomplished the goal of creating a cohesive design concept in our publications throughout the Division of Enrollment Management. The University has contracted with a company to develop the University website to be used as a marketing/recruitment tool. Once the design concept is completed and implemented, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions will begin using this design concept and template for email campaigns to prospective students. This should enhance our branding efforts.