Minutes of November 3, 1998 Meeting

The Enrollment Management Team met at 9:00 a.m.on Tuesday, November 3, 1998. Present for the meeting were Ruth Ann Balla, Sandra Close, Rebecca Duncan, Gordon Folger, Mary Johnson, Sue Kearney, Mary Kate Keith, Carol Kercheval and LaRose Spooner, Chair.

In opening remarks, LaRose Spooner commented on the very successful two-day workshop conducted by Datatel personnel on October 28-29, as the "kick-off" for the campus-wide information system. The minutes of the last meeting were then approved.

Sue Kearney presented a report on enrollment projections* requested by the Senior Management Team to assist in budgeting for 1999-2000. She explained that projections had been made with input from various offices and commented on several factors that will have an impact on enrollment outcomes for next year, including a large number of students expected to graduate prior to August 1999. Sue reminded the EMT that it will have a big responsibility for helping to insure that the projections are met. The EMT approved the projections, and they will be submitted to the SMT on November 4.

Sue Kearney led the group in further discussion of the report and recommendations submitted last spring by the multicultural recruitment work group. Several recommendations were made as additions or clarifying position statements; they will be added to the document in bold type to distinguish them from the original text. The EMT accepted and endorsed the report (containing 32 original recommendations) with the additional statements,* and it will be sent to those who will need to consider if and how the individual recommendations can be implemented. The Senior Management Team will also receive a copy of the amended report.

Gordon Folger and Rebecca Duncan presented the report and recommendations of the SWAT Team on Experiential Learning.* The EMT accepted and endorsed the recommendations, which included the following:

• The appointment of liaisons in all departments to receive and publicize requests for interns and coop students. (Referred to Dr. Page)
• The appointment of a committee to undertake a campus-wide discussion of experiential learning. (Referred to Dr. Page)
• An effort to showcase and promote experiential learning activities on campus as a recruiting tool. (Referred to Jeannie Morelock and Carol Kercheval)
• Serious consideration of creating a staff-level position to coordinate and promote experiential learning at Meredith. (Referred to Dr. Page)

The EMT members reviewed progress they have made thus far on the goals set for this year. Sue Kearney reported that the retention strategies work group has already held three meetings and has distributed a retention strategies inventory survey to the heads of all departments and programs throughout the campus. Mary Johnson indicated that the committee on summer programs has met and is reviewing opportunities for Summer 2000 that the College might want to encourage and recruit. The goal is to schedule activities that will help advance the mission of the College and assist with student recruitment. Mary also reported that the committee on customer service has received approximately 70 forms nominating staff members for the new staff awards. Early next semester it will be seeking suggestions for lunchtime discussion topics and suggesting that a permanent staff affairs committee be created. Sandra Close reported that transfer recruitment activities will include a transfer counselor luncheon in January and more visits to community colleges, both conducted cooperatively by the admissions and 23+ Program offices.

Ruth Ann Balla updated the EMT on developments in computer applications that affect enrollment issues. Electronic inquiry cards for all three admission programs (traditional, 23+ Program and graduate school) have been posted on the Meredith web site, and inquiries are coming in through this e-inquiry route. She is working to get the College to the point of receiving electronic signatures and credit card payments, which will facilitate the e-application process that is now available to traditional applicants. The 23+ Program application is still in the development stage. Ruth Ann also reported on the implementation cycle for Colleague, the Datatel software that will provide a campus-wide information system. The current schedule calls for General Ledger and Accounts Payable to go live in July 1999. The Student Information System will be implemented for the students entering in Fall 2000, which means that some parts of the program will need to go live in September 1999. A training room is being set up in the Noel House with 10 personal computers and resource materials. The new system will be a very important tool for serving students well, for matching capabilities that competing institutions enjoy, and for helping to ensure future enrollments.

Mary Kate Keith reported that alumnae are interested in expanding into the sophomore year the "freshmentoring" program created by Chrissie Bumgardner. Mary Kate, Gordon, Jeannie, and Ruth Ann are eagerly awaiting word on whether or not their creative idea proposal for alumnae networking software will be approved. Gordon Folger reported on the mock interview sessions that will be held the week of November 9-13, which will involve alumnae who are human resource professionals. Mary Johnson suggested that enrolled graduate students who are working in human resources might also be good trainers and mentors if such a program is offered again in the future.

Sue Kearney reported that the web site for the Enrollment Management Team is now on the Intranet and that it has been made available on both the faculty and staff sites. The web site, created by Sue and her assistant, Katie Nordine, includes the following pages: History and Purpose, Members, Highlights of Meetings, Minutes of Meetings, Attracting Students--Tips on Recruitment, Retaining Students--Retention Strategies, and Enrollment Update. Sue encouraged EMT members to submit any items and suggestions that they might have for the web site, and especially encouraged them to provide recruitment and retention tips that can be publicized for the benefit of the entire faculty and staff.

Due to a number of conflicts with the meeting scheduled for December 8th, there will be no EMT meeting at that time. The calendar for the spring semester was set. Meetings will be held at 9:30-11:00 a.m. on the following dates: January 12, February 16, March 16, April 20, and May 4.

Sandra Close reported that the 23+ Program staff is working very hard, especially in light of the resignation of the assistant director, to advise and pre-register students for the spring semester. LaRose Spooner reported that she will have a new assistant, Catheryne Allen, joining the staff on November 16th and that Brandi Orbin will be returning to the Marketing and Communications Staff on that day as well. There was a brief discussion about the volunteer process for the Special Olympics in Summer 1999, in which the Meredith campus will play a major role. It was agreed that information about the application process to be a volunteer should be posted on the Intranet.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 a.m.

Sue Kearney
Vice Chair

*Copy of document attached to official copy of minutes.

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For additional information, please contact
Sue Kearney, Vice Chair of Enrollment Management Team, at 760-2364
Page created by Katie Toro, Enrollment Planning and Institutional Research
Last modified: November 11, 1998