Milestone 3

HEA 610 Milestone Three Guidelines and Rubric An effective enrollment plan cannot be successful without considering the product offering, customer success, and financial implications. The product (courses) and customers (students) are what drives an enrollment plan. The courses and programs offered by an institution define what the institution values and how it responds to market demand. In most institutions, the product mix is a factor of the institution’s brand, the economic opportunities, and the forces that influence student enrollment decisions. Nothing is without cost. If a program or major is discontinued, that will affect the faculty and staff associated with that program. If majors are added, then new resources must be committed to support them. In both cases, the product mix requires that the institution can respond to student demand. Keep in mind that sometimes programs are kept, even with small enrollments, in order to ensure a diverse and robust general education offering, or to meet accreditation or other regulatory requirements. None of these decisions should be made lightly and all will require compelling evidence to support them one way or another. For this milestone, you will submit a robust projected outcomes analysis that considers the product mix, customer demands, and financial implications of those decisions. The institution will be committing significant resources to the enrollment plan, so these decisions must be made with the best possible evidence of value and return on investment. The projected outcomes provide the framework by which the institution will measure progress toward achieving its goals. Some elements for the outcomes can include key performance indicators (KPIs) or specific and measurable metrics that indicate achievement of a business goal. You should consider the costs for each step of the recruitment process and weigh them against the potential revenue. Generally speaking, the institution’s revenue goals are maximized with graduates, not student starts. Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

I. Recommend programmatic changes in program offerings necessitated by indicators from your enrollment marketplace analysis and your strategic enrollment management plan. Consider the following programmatic issues you could address, in addition to other issues germane to your institution:

 What program graduates are a current career placement challenge?

 Which program placements are projected as promising in the near future (based upon feedback and projections from advisory boards, employment agencies, career services, market analysis, etc.)?

 Given the market and strategic analysis, if it should come to pass, which programs are logical candidates to be discontinued? Which programs that are not currently offered are viable candidates for inclusion or addition?

II. Analyze the impact on student achievement. Recommend policies and procedures to improve student persistence and retention, in relation to the

institution’s mission and goals. Explain how these policies and procedures address the issues identified in the strategic enrollment plan. Describe how they will impact the quality of student life and student achievement. Consider the following programmatic issues you could address, in addition to other issues germane to your institution:

 What effect should the implementation of your plan have on your institution’s enrollment management effort?

 How will the quality of student life be impacted by the success of your plan?

 To what degree will first-year student persistence and student retention be affected as a result of your plan?

III. Defend the financial implications of the plan in relation to your institution’s strategic plan. Note that it is not necessary to create a budget or know the

exact dollar amount the plan would cost. Rather, you should discuss the types of costs and revenues in general based on the KPIs, and defend them as necessary costs and benefits of plan implementation. Consider the following in your defense, in addition to other relevant information that will enhance your position:

 Defend the types of costs that should accompany the strategic enrollment outreach initiatives and why these costs are necessary in relation to the institution’s mission and strategic plan. Explain how the program changes will impact expenditures. Identify what resources might be required. Consider the factors that would predict any unintended costs that might accrue. Identify any mitigating factors, such as accreditation criteria or state regulations that merit consideration.

 Defend the types of revenue that should accompany the strategic enrollment outreach initiatives in relation to the institution’s mission and strategic plan. Identify how these changes will positively impact retention, attrition, and persistence. Be aware of any potential revenue streams that might result.

Guidelines for Submission: This assignment should be a four- to seven-page (not including title page and references) Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, and compliance with APA style.

Critical Elements Proficient (100%) Needs Improvement (75%) Not Evident (0%) Value

Programmatic Changes Recommends changes in program offerings necessitated by indicators from the enrollment marketplace analysis

Recommends changes in program offerings that are not necessitated by indicators from enrollment marketplace analysis, or that are cursory or inaccurate

Does not recommend changes in program offerings

20

Student Achievement Recommends policies and procedures to improve student persistence and retention explaining them in relation to the institution’s mission and goals

Recommends policies and procedures to improve student persistence and retention that do not address the institution’s mission and goals, or are cursory or inaccurate

Does not recommend policies and procedures to improve student persistence and retention

20

Financial Implications: Costs

Defends the types of costs that should accompany the marketplace outreach initiatives and why they are necessary in relation to the institution’s strategic plan

Discusses the types of costs that should accompany the marketplace outreach initiatives, but does not defend them as necessary or does not relate them to the institution’s strategic plan, or discussion is cursory or inaccurate

Does not discuss the types of costs that should accompany the marketplace outreach initiatives

20

Financial Implications: Revenue

Defends the types of revenue that should accompany the outreach initiatives in relation to the institution’s strategic plan

Discusses the types of revenue that should accompany the outreach initiatives but does not relate them to the institution’s strategic plan, or discussion is cursory or inaccurate

Does not discuss the types of revenue that should accompany the outreach initiatives

20

Articulation of Response Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, or syntax

Submission has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, or syntax that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas

Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, or syntax that prevent understanding of ideas

20

Earned Total 100%