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PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT IMPLEMENTATION TEAM (EMIT)
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT HILO

Background: Over the past decade, the University of Hawaii at Hilo has consistently increased its enrollment by nearly 40% from 2,587 in Fall 1997 to 3,608 in Fall 2007. UH Hilo intends to become a comprehensive University with a target enrollment of 5,000. The University has struggled to maintain a level of infrastructure – including human resources support, facility expansion, and budget augmentation – to keep pace with this rate of growth. Also, there is a lack of consensus among major campus constituencies about the value of this growth in student enrollment as well the manner in which that growth should take place. Further, in its report from a March 2008 Special Visit Review, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) team recommended among other things that “the campus create an Enrollment Committee composed of appropriate faculty, staff, students, and administration to develop a growth plan for the campus. The campus team should work with the system to clarify the value of recruiting students from outside the state of Hawai`i.”

Justification: Strategic enrollment management (SEM) is • “A comprehensive process designed to help an institution achieve and maintain the optimum recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of students where ‘optimum’ is defined within the academic context of the institution. As such, SEM is an institution-wide process that embraces virtually every aspect of an institution’s function and culture.” (Dolence) • “An integrated institutional approach to establishing and cultivating relationships with students from their first contact as a prospect through the completion of their educational goal. Within the academic context, SEM looks forward and is strategic in nature. It also looks outward - blurring departmental and divisional boundaries to provide seamless services and educational opportunities to students.” (Black) • “[Focused on] the systematic evaluation of an institution’s competitive market position across multiple academic programs and market segments, the development of a research-based definition of the desired or preferred strategic market position relative to key competitors, and then marshalling and managing institutional plans, priorities, processes and resources to either strategically strengthen or shift that market position in pursuit of the institution’s optimal enrollment, academic, and financial profile.” (Kalsbeek) • “A dynamical systems process that integrates often disparate functions having to do with recruiting, funding, tracking, retaining, and replacing students as they move toward, within, and away from an educational institution.” (Maguire) • “An institution's program to shape the type and size of its student body in accordance with its educational mission and fiscal requirements. SEM centers on the integration and improvement of traditional student services, such as recruitment, admissions, financial aid, registration, orientation, academic support, and retention. It is informed by demographic and institutional research, and advanced by media messages and public relations. Ideally, SEM embraces all departments and functions in a comprehensive framework to best serve the student and hence the institution.” (American Association of Collegiate Registrars & Admissions Officers)
Purpose: To provide a regular communication forum for those University units and individuals who fulfill an active, integral role in helping UH Hilo achieve its enrollment management targets to 1) identify a cogent, coordinated macro-plan for how UH Hilo will purposefully manage its student enrollment in the coming years; 2) consider and incorporate model practices with demonstrated success from other institutions of similar demographics, mission and strategic goals; 3) exchange relevant information and data in a timely manner, including fiscal impact of enrollment decisions/trends; 4) coordinate recruitment and outreach efforts to maximize efficiency/effectiveness and minimize duplication of efforts; 5) ensure that all initiatives implemented are consistent with the institution-wide enrollment management plan, with the University’s mission, with University branding goals, and with UH System strategic outcomes; 6) determine and launch strategies that increase retention and persistence as a means to meet enrollment targets; and 7) link student enrollment targets with the achievement of a sustainable future for the University in terms of human, fiscal and facility resources.

Recommendations for a complete University strategic enrollment plan or significant changes to it will be reviewed and acted on by the Chancellor’s Staff prior to implementation. Routine implementation of a strategic enrollment plan within the scope of authority of Team members is expected to occur so as to ensure the Team is able to function in a time-efficient and responsive manner. Work groups will be appointed on an ad hoc basis as needed to devote focused attention/analysis to problems/issues identified by EMIT.

Proposed Membership:
Leadership and coordination of the Enrollment Management Implementation Team will be alternated on an annual basis between the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. One Vice Chancellor will chair each year and be responsible for convening the group and providing reports/notes as needed; the other Vice Chancellor will serve as co-chair in the year s/he is not serving as chair. Both are expected to play an integral and significant role in providing guidance and facilitation for EMIT.

Members will be comprised of one individual with decision-making authority (preferably the Dean/Director) from the following campus constituencies: • Advising Center • Chancellor’s Office • College of Agricultural, Forestry & Natural Resource Management • College of Arts & Sciences • College of Business & Economics • College of Hawaiian Language • College of Pharmacy • College of Continuing Education and Community Service • UH Hilo Faculty Congress • Kipuka Native Hawaiian Student Center • Office of Admissions • Office of Administrative Affairs • Office of Financial Aid Services • Office of Institutional Research • Office of University Relations/Marketing • UHH Student Association (plus one alternate) • University Housing

At times, ad hoc work groups may be appointed on a short-term basis to devote focused, in-depth attention to specific concerns, issues or items for action identified during Implementation Team discussions. Ad hoc work groups may also comprise of individuals not members of the Implementation Team as needed or as appropriate.

Revised 7/6/08
Finalized 7/14/08
Updated 8/29/08

Approved by Chancellor’s Staff on Monday, July 14, 2008