Weathering the Enrollment StormPart 1

Averett UniversityDanville, VA

Presenter: Stacy Gato, Vice President for Enrollment Management

Agenda

I. Higher Education Today

II. Overview of Averett University1. Location2. Quick Facts3. Honors

III. Where and How to Begin1. Leadership2. Responsibility3. Meetings4. Team Collaboration

IV. Working Smarter Not Harder1. What are you and your school already doing?2. What data do you collect?3. What data do you use?

Higher Education Today

“The outlook for four-year US colleges and universities

in 2015 remains negative, as is it is for community

colleges that issue revenue bonds, says Moody's

Investors Service. Among the four-year colleges, a

major pressure will be slow growth in tuition revenue,

while declining enrollment is driving the negative

outlook among community colleges.”

Global Credit Research - 01 Dec 2014

Higher Education Today

Overview of Averett University

Danville, VA

6

Quick Facts

Averett University Honors

Traditional Undergraduate Endorsements

1. In their recently released report, U.S. News and World Report recognized Averett University as a top tier regional college that moved up in the rankings to 23 from 27.

2. Averett University was rated as one of the eleven best colleges in Virginia by Colleges of Distinction.

3. For the first time, The Princeton Review ranked Averett University as one of the “Best in the Southeast” in The Princeton Review's "2014 Best Colleges: Region by Region." 

4. The website StateUniversity.com has ranked Averett University #3 in Virginia for campus safety.

5. Affordablecollegesonline.org (AC Online) has identified the Virginia colleges and universities with the greatest lifetime return on investment – ranking Averett as 23 rd out of 28 public and private institutions in Virginia. According to AC Online, graduates from these schools enjoy the largest earnings gap between non-degree holders over 30 years, and earn more on average than graduates from other Virginia schools.

8

Where, and How, to Begin?

9

… and starts with the leadership.

• It starts with leadership at the top – the President.

“Nothing is more important than recruitment and retention with our students at the center of all decisions.”

~Tiffany Franks, President

• It must be embraced throughout the Leadership Team.

“It’s not really about playing in each other’s sandboxes. Aren’t we all in the same box but maybe in different corners?”

~Aaron Howell, Vice President for Business and Finance

It takes a University…

10

Vice President for Enrollment Management is responsible for:

• Creating strategies in partnership with all service and academic areas to increase enrollment by focusing specifically on admissions and retention for all Averett University students.

• It is also crucial that this position and associated strategies remain flexible and nimble to lead and adapt to new information immediately.

It takes a University, but who is responsible?

11

o Developing collaborative marketing plan with partner

o Identifying/monitoring success of prospective student communications from inquiry to matriculation

o Initiate data review/action plans by collaborating with service and academic areas to determine any at risk behaviors that require interventional retention activities for continuing students.

Basic Enrollment Functions

12

• Meetings that already take place

o Early Alert

o Risk Management

o Academic Policies (Academic probation, dismissal)

o Academic Advising

o Admissions

o Student Affairs/Housing and Residential Life

o Ad hoc meetings with the Registrars Office and the

Financial Services Team

Meetings that Change a Culture

13

Team Collaboration

Enrollment Management Committee Charter 

Purpose

 

The committee purpose is to create a best practice enrollment management environment

and serve as an advisory body to coordinate and guide ongoing progress in enrolling and

retaining students. This includes review of student experience, analysis of student

outcomes, management of student expectations, and establish opportunities and

communications consistent with allocated resources in support of the mission, vision,

values and strategic plan of Averett University by championing:

1. Enrollment review and analysis of trends and actions

2. Retention goals and plans for interventional activities

3. Data-driven decision-making processes and action plans for enrollment and retention 

Traditional Student Retention

Student Centered

Working Smarter Not Harder

Working Smarter Not Harder

What are you and/or your school already doing?

Working Smarter Not Harder

What data are you collecting?What data do you use?

HINT for Future Success: Deficiency vs. Appreciative

Applications Admits Admit Visits Deposits

2009 1667 849 230 89

2010 1786 909 341 73

2011 2195 1162 404 138

2012 2365 1270 426 154

2013 2363 1412 500 188

2014 1859 1054 298 155

2015 2246 1317 450 183

Compared to 2014 Up 17.3% Up 20% Up 34% Up 15.4%

Compared to 2013 Down 5% Down 6.8% Down 10% Up 2.7%

As of March 27, 2015

Traditional Student Recruitment 7-year Comparison n As of 3/27/2015

Traditional Student Recruitment Today

Traditional Student Recruitment Goal: 330

2012 2013 2014 20150

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

806 802 763 751

1386 1098 1060 1098

6757 51 48

22 7

Traditional UG Traditional GR* GPS IDEAL

2012 2013 2014 201516001800200022002400

22591957 1896 1904

Total HeadcountOfficial Spring Snapshot as of January 23, 2015*”Traditional GR” not tracked separately until 2014. In years prior the numbers were included in “Traditional”

2015 Spring Enrollment Headcount and 4-yr Comparison

Tracking Students

Spring 2009 Spring 2010 Spring 2011 Spring 2012 Spring 2013 Spring2014

Spring 2015

Eligible to Return 722 730 775 800 843 831 824

Returned in Spring 638 646 695 728 729 712 719

% Retained 88% 88% 90% 91% 86% 86% 87%

All Fall Traditional Undergraduate Students Retention Fall to Spring

Freshmen Retention Fall to Spring Semester

Spring 2009 Spring 2010 Spring 2011 Spring 2012 Spring 2013 Spring2014

Spring 2015

Eligible to Return 232 222 264 254 257 240 213

Returned in Spring 183 186 222 221 205 168 187

% Retained 79% 84% 84% 87% 80% 70% 88%

Official Spring Snapshot as of January 23, 2015

Six Year Fall to Spring Persistence 2009 - 2015

Thank you!Please Attend Part 2!

Stacy GatoVice President for Enrollment Managementsgato@Averett.edu(434) 791-7110