2014-2019 Strategic Enrollment Plan Executive Summary

 

The Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Plan represents UW-Parkside's commitment to achieving optimal enrollment through the development and implementation of comprehensive, institution-wide strategic recruiting and retention practices focused on student success and grounded in a thorough analysis of data and enrollment management best practices. The principles of SEM planning1are:

  • No enrollment effort is successful without quality academic programs
  • Recruitment and retention is an ongoing, multi-year process with strong access to research and data
  • Majority of enrollments come from regional student markets
  • The most successful recruitment programs clearly differentiate the student experience from competitor's programs
  • The most successful retention programs clearly address students' needs and regularly engage students in academic and non-academic programs
     

The number of incoming students, in all categories – new freshmen, transfers, international and graduates- have been flat or decreasing over the last eight years. This, in combination with low retention and graduation rates, has made the development of a strategic enrollment plan critical to the overall success of the campus and its future.

A team consisting of representatives from Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Enrollment Management, Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Graduate Parkside, and Athletics developed this 5-year SEM Plan by identifying three Strategic Directions to drive all recruitment, retention and graduation efforts:

Strategic Direction 1:
Utilizing strategic marketing and communication, position UW-Parkside for 2020 by offering affordable, responsive, academic programs to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student body.

Strategic Direction 2:
Enhance the student experience through academic support, engagement, and a vibrant student life.

Strategic Direction 3:
Achieving effectiveness and efficiency in recruitment and retention by creating clear pathways and optimizing resources.

The plan clearly identifies the challenges and opportunities faced by the campus and outlines for each strategic direction a set of strategies, tactics, and measurable goals and outcomes designed to achieve optimal enrollment at the University. Through the institution-wide commitment to recruitment and student success, the University will achieve its SEM Plan goals of:

  • Increasing student enrollment from 4617 to 5400 by Fall 2019
     
  • Increasing first-time, full-time retention to 75% by Fall 2019

The long-term goal of the University is to grow student enrollment from 4617 to 5619 by 2023 with 1000 of those students living in our residence halls and at least 500 of those students participating in on-line academic programs. In addition, we will strive for an 80% retention rate and 25% four year graduation rate by Fall 2023.

As strategic enrollment is a fluid and dynamic process, this institution recognizes that the plan will need to be continually revised and updated to recognize the changing nature of the institution and the environment.   As such, the metrics and outcomes will be revised on an annual basis.  In addition, the Division of Enrollment Management will publish an  updated Strategic Enrollment Implementation plan every 90 days.

The complete 2014-15 Strategic Enrollment Plan and other supporting documents is available on the Enrollment Management sharepoint site.

 


 

[1] Adapted from Goff, J. (2011). SEM Core Concepts. Presentation at AACRAO SEM Conference, San Diego, CA, November 2011

 

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