通过跨部门合作推动高等教育招生

EVERY DEPARTMENT PLAYS A ROLE IN ENROLLMENT Throughout higher education, enrollment represents a major source of revenue. Unfortunately, in 2020 and 2021, institutionssaw steep enrollment declines. By fall 2022, undergraduate enrollment across the U.S. had decreased by 4.2% since the startof the COVID-10 pandemic. FACTORS OF THE ENROLLMENT DOWNTURN The factors contributing to enrollment decline are wide-ranging. As the pandemic unfolded, public perceptions around thecost, value, and feasibility of four-year degrees have dimmed. Many students who dropped out in the last two years — eitherbecause of economic difficulties, health challenges, or inequitable educational experiences — may never return. Disruptionsto international enrollment continue to plague institutions. College-age populations are decreasing in many geographicareas, forcing institutions to compete for a shrinking applicant pool. With so many factors at play, the burden of addressingthe enrollment drop cannot be placed on one department alone. SOLUTIONS LIE OUTSIDE OF INSTITUTIONAL SILOS As strategic enrollment management principles have taken root across campuses, many institutions understand the importantrole that each department plays in contributing to enrollment. While some have developed successful integrated servicemodels (such as one-stop service centers), many college and university departments continue to evaluate and addressenrollment challenges in isolation. This slows innovative, responsive solutions to the immediate crisis. Institutions do not need to restructure departments or reconfigure costly physical spaces to benefit from increased cross-collaboration. By leveraging the unique strengths of each department and increasing cross-department communication,institutions can holistically maximize enrollment performance. DRIVE ENROLLMENT BY LEVERAGING EACH DEPARTMENT’S STRENGTHS By coordinating an institution-wide enrollment strategy, higher education leaders canleverage the unique attributes of each department to boost enrollment. ENROLLMENT SERVICES Optimize the Enrollment Funnel COLLABORATION TIP Establish a consistent forum (suchas quarterly meetings) for keyadmissions, recruitment, registrar,financial aid, and marketing staffto share enrollment targets,challenges, insights, and solutions. Enrollment, admissions, and recruiting offices are under more pressure than ever before tocontribute to their institutions’ financial health. Competition for a limited pool of applicants means enrollment offices need to upgradethe strategies they use to nurture applicants and convert them into matriculants. To drawstudents to their institutions, admissions leaders are casting a wider prospective studentnet, with more than three-quarters of admissions professionals at four-year institutionsincreasing recruitment efforts to out-of-state and historically underserved students. When facilitated effectively, thesemeetings can reduce operationalsilos, help staff understand howtheir work is connected, andprovide a space for fresh ideasand creative problem solvingto emerge. In addition to expanding recruiting targets, institutions should assess inefficiencies acrossthe enrollment process to strengthen any areas of weakness and maximize the number ofstudents that apply to and enroll at the institution. TAKE ACTION: HIGH-IMPACT INITIATIVES TO OPTIMIZE ENROLLMENT •Analyze the Enrollment Funnel:Conduct a comprehensive analysisof the entire enrollment funnel to assess overall funnel health, identifytraits of the students most likely to progress through the funnel, andaddress pain points or barriers that students experience during theenrollment process. Get insights on whatmatters to prospectivestudents. Read the2022National ProspectiveStudent Survey. •Expand Recruiting Targets:Use geographic and sociodemographicdata to identify new pockets of potential students. •Measure Drivers of Institution Choice:Survey matriculating andnon-matriculating students to identify factors that influenced theirenrollment decision. ACADEMIC AFFAIRS Offer In-Demand Academic Programs COLLABORATION TIP Institutions aim to drive enrollment figures by providing compelling academic programsand multiple course formats that appeal to a wide range of students and offer promisingemployment prospects. Partner with the marketingdepartment on an annual basis toidentify and articulate (or update)the value proposition for eachacademic program area. Valuepropositions succinctly summarizea program’s unique features andthe tangible benefits students willreceive from it. Academic Affairs departments can help maximize enrollment by ensuring they offer in-demand programs that reflect the interests and preferences of their target prospectivestudent pool, and by ensuring degree and certificate programs align with healthyemployment prospects post-graduation. These statements can be usedby marketing, recruitment, andenrollment staff as a frameworkto create authentic promotion