Enrollment Management Plan
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This document provides a summary of the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program's recruitment efforts and enrollment management plan from 2006-2007 and goals for 2007-2012. Key findings from 2006-2007 data analysis show an increase in new students and prospects learning about the program from the internet and word-of-mouth. The plan outlines ongoing strategies around marketing, partnership development, and accessibility to increase enrollment by 15% annually through initiatives like promoting the university's online programs and optimizing the program's website. Progress and goals are measured using data from an ATE recruiting database to evaluate tactics and inform budget planning.
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Enrollment Management Plan
- 1. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Working Document LOCAL STATE/REGIONAL NATIONAL Advanced Technological Education BGSU College of Technology Sherri Orwick Ogden Recruiter and Representative October 12, 2007
- 2. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 2 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY..................................................................................................................................................................4 SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS..................................................................................................................................................................................5 2006-2007 RECRUITMENT EVALUATION........................................................................................................................................6 STRATEGIC GOALS/ACCOMPLISHMENTS/STATUS.....................................................................................................................................................6 2007/2008 – 2011/2012 ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN........................................................................................................9 ONGOING/NEW STRATEGIC GOALS.................................................................................................................................................................10 STRATEGIES ............................................................................................................................................................................................11 Overview.........................................................................................................................................................................................11 Priority Strategies............................................................................................................................................................................11 Marketing........................................................................................................................................................................................13 Partner/Prospect Development .....................................................................................................................................................14 Accessibility Development ..............................................................................................................................................................15 MEASUREMENTS......................................................................................................................................................................................16 FIVE-YEAR PLAN AND ESTIMATED COSTS..........................................................................................................................................................18 APPENDIX A................................................................................................................................................................................25 ADVANCED TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION (ATE) .................................................................................................................................................25 Description.....................................................................................................................................................................................25 Ideal Candidate...............................................................................................................................................................................25 IDEAL CANDIDATE.....................................................................................................................................................................................25 Students and Graduates..................................................................................................................................................................26 STUDENTS AND GRADUATES..........................................................................................................................................................................26 Selling Points...................................................................................................................................................................................26 SELLING POINTS.......................................................................................................................................................................................26 Vision Statement.............................................................................................................................................................................26 VISION STATEMENT...................................................................................................................................................................................26 Mission Statement..........................................................................................................................................................................26 MISSION STATEMENT.................................................................................................................................................................................26 APPENDIX B................................................................................................................................................................................27 DATA ANALYSIS.......................................................................................................................................................................................27 Prospects.........................................................................................................................................................................................27 Leads...............................................................................................................................................................................................27 LEADS...................................................................................................................................................................................................27 Lead Source - How Prospects Learn about ATE...............................................................................................................................28 LEAD SOURCE - HOW PROSPECTS LEARN ABOUT ATE...........................................................................................................................................28 How Prospects Contact ATE............................................................................................................................................................30 HOW PROSPECTS CONTACT ATE...................................................................................................................................................................30 Students..........................................................................................................................................................................................31 New ATE Students...........................................................................................................................................................................31 NEW ATE STUDENTS................................................................................................................................................................................31 How Students Learn about ATE.......................................................................................................................................................32 HOW STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT ATE...............................................................................................................................................................32 .........................................................................................................................................................................................................34 ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................34 New Students/New Leads...............................................................................................................................................................35
- 3. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 3 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document NEW STUDENTS/NEW LEADS.......................................................................................................................................................................35 APPENDIX C – STUDENT/PROSPECT FEEDBACK............................................................................................................................36 APPENDIX D – WEBSITE USABILITY ANALYSIS REPORT.................................................................................................................38
- 4. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 4 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Executive Summary The Advanced Technological Education program in BGSU’s College of Technology is a Bachelor Degree completion program that teaches students to integrate technological concepts into their applied or technical trades and careers. The program is specifically designed for individuals that have begun their careers but require further education to advance. The courses are designed for adult learners and a majority of ATE’s students are transfer students – or previous BGSU students – that attend classes part-time because of full-time work and family schedules. The structure of ATE is in complete alignment with the University System of Ohio’s charge to increase enrollment by attracting more transfer and adult students and increasing the number of Ohioans in higher education. In addition, ATE is proposing an initiative to provide multiple technological bachelor degree completion options which is unique in the State of Ohio. ATE tracks student and prospect information in a database for analysis. In 2006 and 2007, ATE had 114 new students. There was a 37% increase in new students from 2006 (49) to 2007 (65). These numbers include new transfer students, existing BGSU students that transferred to ATE, students that re- admitted and transferred to ATE, and students preparing for ATE. ATE met its goal of 35-40 new students with 35 for Fall 2007 which represents a 40% increase over Spring 2007 (25). ATE’s enrollment goal is to increase enrollment by an average of 15% each year for the next five years raising the number of new students to 115 in 2012. This projection is based on the existence of a pre- ATE status as well as acceptance of technical and non-technical applied cognates. ATE recruiting is based on the belief that customer service is of upmost importance. ATE assists individuals in answering all their questions so they can determine if ATE is the program that best suits their needs. ATE believes recruitment is customer-service based and employs a recruiter that is assigned the following responsibilities: Partner/Prospect Development, Marketing, and Accessibility Development. This document provides a summary of 2007 accomplishments and a recruitment and enrollment management plan through 2012. A definition of ATE and supporting data analysis is included in the appendices. Note: The enrollment management plan lists goals for promoting ONLINE.BGSU.EDU as a whole as well as the ATE program. ATE has incorporated this in past recruitment and feels this is important for all online programs to do the same. It is ATE’s belief that all BGSU online programs should work together to establish BGSU as a leader in innovative technological education techniques.
- 5. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 5 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Significant Findings ATE analyzed data from their recruiting database from 2006 and 2007. Below is a list of the more significant findings. • ATE generated 453 new leads in 2006 and 2007. Though the number of new leads dropped in 2007, the percentage of applicants increased and the number of dead leads decreased. This would indicate that the ATE recruiting efforts in 2007 were focused more on the target market in 2007 resulting in a smaller pool of better-suited students. • Both the number of leads and the number of students generated from the internet both increased significantly from 2006 to 2007. • The number of prospects and the number of students learning about ATE from a Friend or Family member increased from 2006 to 2007. This indicates that prospects and students are talking more about ATE and creating “word of mouth” advertising. • The number of prospects and students using internet searches to learn about the ATE program increased dramatically from 2006 to 2007. This emphasizes the importance of effective search optimization tools. • In 2007, 54% of prospects used the Request for Information form on ATE’s website. This data indicates the website and request form put into place in 2005 are proving to be effective and usable tools for prospects to learn about ATE and to request more information. • 32% of current prospects in 2006 and 2007 applied to the ATE program and 25% enrolled. • An average, 67% of the new leads generated during 2006 and 2007 applied that same semester they inquired. • In 2007, there was a 37% increase over 2006 in new ATE students – from 49 in 2006 to 65 in 2007. This accounts for a total of 114 new ATE and Pre-ATE students in 2006 and 2007. • On average, 85% of all applicants during the two-year period enrolled in courses. • Of the enrolled students, the number that dropped classes decreased from 13% in 2006 to 3% in 2007.
- 6. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 6 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document 2006-2007 Recruitment Evaluation Strategic Goals/Accomplishments/Status The 2005-2006 fiscal year performance appraisal for the ATE recruiter established recruitment goals for the 2006-2007 fiscal year. This summary lists those goals and provides a status for each as of August 20, 2007. 1. Continue to exhibit commitment to the work and continue to set and reach recruiting goals as well as operational goals of the ATE program. Status: ATE reached a goal of 35 new individual ATE students for Fall 2007. ATE’s enrollment increased 37% from 2006 to 2007. 2. Continue to work with key BGSU offices and individuals to advance the cause of online programs generally and ATE in particular, and expand this collaboration with additional partner institutions, with particular emphasis on the newly-implemented partner institution-specific student check list for transferable course credits to the ATE program. Status: • ONLINE.BGSU.EDU. ATE is active in promoting ATE as well as ONLINE.BGSU.EDU – meaning all online programs BGSU offers. The ATE recruiter contacted all online program representatives and asked for brochures and other materials to distribute at recruiting activities. • Online United. The recruiter has been able to successfully create relationships with BGSU Departments such as IDEAL, BLS, Marketing and Communications, other BGSU online program representatives. • Course Equivalencies. Transfer equivalency forms were created for 20 community colleges in the State of Ohio. The forms listed courses applicable to the ATE degree that transfer from the community college to BGSU. They were to be used as a tool for community college advisors. They were distributed to two colleges for a usability study. Results are pending. • Radio Campaign. A small “test” radio campaign to promote ONLINE.BGSU.EDU ran during the summer of 2006. The campaign did not appear to generate identifiable results. • Radio/TV/Print/Online. A 3-phase marketing campaign proposed by marketing and communications to promote ONLINE.BGSU.EDU was initiated. This campaign, called “Learning without Limits” includes TV, Radio, Newspaper and Online Banners. It began in March 2007, ran again in July 2007 and is scheduled to run again later Fall 2007. The university is paying for half of the campaign. BLS, IDEAL and ATE are splitting the
- 7. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 7 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document remaining half. As of this date, the March 2007 and July 2007 advertisements have not produced identifiable results for ATE. Enrollment is up for Fall 2007; however, it cannot be directly attributed to the advertisements. • Search Optimization. ATE worked with IDEAL in optimizing tags used for online searches that would direct prospects to BGSU for online programs. The number of prospects that contacted ATE due to online searches increased from 1% in 2006 to 10% in 2007. The number of new ATE students resulting from internet searches increased from 0% in 2006 to 11% in 2007. • Website/Request for Information. ATE worked with IDEAL and Continuing Education and was able to have a link to Distance Education placed on BGSU’s home page. In addition, in 2005 the ATE recruiter re-designed ATE’s website. The re-design included the addition of a Request for Information form. The number of prospects learning about ATE from BGSU’s website increased from 17% in 2006 to 27% in 2007. The number of prospects that contacted ATE using the request for information increased from 38% in 2006 to 54% in 2007. The number of new students that referenced BGSU’s website increased from 11% in 2006 to 18% in 2007. • Website Usability Study. Because 52 % of all prospects and 42% of all new ATE students used the internet to learn more about ATE, the recruiter conducted a Website Usability study to determine areas of improvement in ATE’s website. The results are included in this document under Attachment D. 3. Continue to assimilate and apply new knowledge and procedures in new ways to improve the recruitment processes as well as relationships with other institutions. Status: The recruiter attended podcasting workshops, researched vodcast software options, updated the ATE recruiting database to Office 2007, and worked with the Ohio Learning Network as a Track Chair for the Ohio Digital Commons for Education conference for Learning, Libraries and Technology. 4. Continue reporting on recruiting and partnering activities and new directions, and continue to develop the “ATE Student database,” including more historical information and enhancement of other types of information as well as making it more useful for researching and summarizing data. Status: The recruiter provides various statistical reports based on prospect and student information tracked in ATE’s recruiting database. In addition, the recruiter has begun to add class information and existing student data to monitor retention. This information is tracked in order to capture data on all students in the process of transferring or preparing to transfer to ATE as well as all current students.
- 8. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 8 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document 5. Steps toward a budget for ATE recruiting office are anticipated in the second y ear, depending somewhat on development of budget policies and process under the newly appointed Dean of the College of Technology. Status: A budget for ATE recruitment is still in progress. The Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan are intended to assist ATE faculty and staff in creating a budget for the upcoming year(s). 6. Continue to present the ATE program and BGSU in a positive, professional manner in all venues of contact, including phone, visits to institutions, attendance at state and local events and in other venues, and enhance these presentations in as many ways as possible during the year. Status: • The ATE recruiter has received positive feedback from various prospects for assisting them in determining if ATE is the program best suited for their needs, positive comments from students for helping them through the application/enrollment/registration process, and positive comments regarding the ATE program as a whole. Attachment C provides a sampling of these comments. • The ATE recruiter joined the Ohio Learning Network and participated in the Ohio State Fair vendor show. ATE was able to distribute information and speak with numerous individuals making this a productive recruiting tool resulting in one new ATE student. • The ATE recruiter joined BGSU Continuing Education and participated in the Wood County Fair. Though not as popular as the Ohio State Fair show, it too resulted in one new ATE student. • The ATE recruiter worked with Continuing Education and developed a logo for ONLINE.BGSU.EDU. Promotional Items were created bearing this logo – including shirts, notepads, pens, and hand sanitizers. The shirts are given to individuals that refer someone to ATE, ATE faculty, and ATE supporters. The pens and notepads are used for recruiting visits and fairs and were distributed at the Ohio Digital Commons for Education – Learning, Libraries and Technology conference. The hand sanitizers were distributed at the Ohio State and Wood County fairs. 7. Assess the need for continuing/additional student workers. Also initiate a program for “On- site Recruiters” who perform recruiting activities at their institutions on a minimal time basis to keep an ATE presence and referral channel for prospective ATE students at partner schools. Status: ATE hired a student work for Summer and Fall 2006. During the summer, the student worker assisted with the equivalency forms and basic secretarial functions. The
- 9. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 9 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document student hired for Fall 2006 was experienced with Microsoft Access and was to assist managing the recruiting database. Unfortunately, this student never reported to work. An on-site recruiter was considered for Sinclair Community College. This individual was beginning the ATE program while also taking courses at Sinclair. Unfortunately, the legalities of how to pay the recruiter were not resolved in time and the individual became unavailable. 8. Organize, solidify and further develop current constituencies as described above and identify and begin development of additional constituencies. The goal for relationships of ATE with Ohio 2-year colleges is to have good working relationships of some kind with close to if not all such institutions. Status: • The ATE recruiter continues to establish and enhance existing relationships with community colleges throughout the state. Colleges that actively communicated with ATE this year are: James A. Rhodes, North Central, Northwest, Central Ohio Technical, Jefferson, Lorain, Owens, Belmont, Lakeland, Marion Technical, Sinclair, Stark State, and Tri-C. • In coordination with IDEAL, the ATE recruiter is working on 2+2 agreements with Owens Community College for three online associate degree programs. • Postcard mailings were sent to Firelands graduates and previous BGSU students close to receiving their associate degrees. • A postcard was designed and mailed to 15,000 community college graduates promoting the transfer incentives offered for Fall 2007. • The recruiter attended career and education fairs at the following corporations: GM, Toledo Machining, Jeep, Whirlpool, Cooper Tire 2007/2008 – 2011/2012 Enrollment Management Plan In order to create a 5-year recruitment plan, ATE has modified the goals from the 2006-2007 fiscal year to reflect the three recruiting responsibility categories: Marketing, Partner/Prospect Development, and Accessibility Development. The enrollment management plan describes the ATE recruitment goals for the 5-year period, lists the strategies that will be used to reach those goals, identifies performance measurements, and estimates a five-year plan, and estimated costs.
- 10. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 10 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Ongoing/New Strategic Goals • Increase the number new leads 15% each year for the next 5 years. • Increase enrollment 15% each year for the next 5 years. 2006/2007 Avg 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Enrollment per Year (Spring, Summer, Fall) 57 66 75 87 100 115 Avg # of Students per Semester 19 22 25 29 33 38 New Leads per Year 227 260 300 344 396 456 Avg # of Leads per Semester 75.5 87 100 115 132 152 • Target marketing and recruitment efforts to those well suited for the ATE program to increase the percentage of new leads that enroll. • Work with BGSU on streamlining admissions and enrollment procedures and to emphasize online program policies. • Expand recruitment on local, regional and national levels. • Work with BGSU departments and personnel to obtain full funding for TV/Print/Newspaper/Online Marketing campaigns launched through BGSU’s Marketing and Communications Department. • Work with BGSU departments and personnel to have ONLINE.BGSU.EDU included as part of BGSU’s on-campus marketing campaign. • Promote ONLINE.BGSU.EDU as a whole and continue to work with BLS, IDEAL, and other online programs. • Develop ATE as the premier online program for adults in the State of Ohio. • Establish 2+2 programs with two-year degree institutions that have online programs that are well-suited for transfer to ATE. • Use the latest technology in ATE classes to attract and retain upcoming students in the program. • Obtain approval and hire a full-time administration position allowing a recruiter to attend recruiting events full time.
- 11. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 11 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document • Maintain high quality customer service to prospects and students. • Integrate additional completion options to expand the target market. Strategies Overview In order to obtain the specified goals, specific recruitment strategies will be used. Marketing Web Tools o Search Optimization o Education Websites o ATE Website Upgrade o Community College Websites o Guest Shell Student Survey Radio and Television Mailings Promotional Materials Community College Newspapers Partner/Prospect Development Community College Relationships Corporation Relationships Ohio Learning Network Prospects Accessibility Development Admissions Process Program Services Administration Priority Strategies The data analysis shows that web presence is of high priority. Over half of ATE’s new leads learn about the program on the web and there has been a significant increase in the number of individuals finding ATE by using a search engine or going to BGSU’s website. However, a prospect must already know about BGSU to discover ATE from BGSU’s website. Therefore, it is a priority for ATE to increase its visibility in search results using search engine optimization techniques. Another priority will be to update the ATE information on the Community College transfer web pages.
- 12. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 12 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Recruiting for 2008 will center largely around the Transfer Excellence Incentive and the Regional Community College Transfer Incentive. The Transfer Excellence Incentive offers individuals $2,500 if they have an associate degree. The Regional Community College Transfer Incentive provides individuals that transfer directly from Northwest, Terra and Owens Community colleges $1,500. These incentives are not renewable, but they are a great motivation for adults to start back to college now as opposed to later. ATE will promote these incentives in all recruiting and marketing efforts targeted for Spring, Summer and Fall 2008. Because ATE is online, recruiting and marketing is not limited to the Northwest Ohio region. Therefore, the strategies chosen are three-tiered; addressing local, regional/state and national levels. National Level State/Regional Level Local Level Search Optimization Promotional Materials Radio/TV/Print Campaigns Education Websites Community Colleges State/Regional Level Strategies ATE Website Upgrade Corporations National Level Strategies Guest Shell Ohio Learning Network Student Survey National Level Strategies Mailings National Level. Prospects will be aware of BGSU’s reputation. Therefore, in addition to ATE information, ONLINE.BGSU.EDU and scholarship offerings, it is important to include in this level of marketing BGSU’s accreditation information for both on-campus and online programs to distinguish itself from online degree mill institutions. State/Regional/Local Levels. At these levels, prospects will most likely have heard of BGSU but may not be aware it offers online programs and courses. For these strategies, the emphasis needs to be ONLINE.BGSU.EDU as well as reputation and current scholarship offerings.
- 13. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 13 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Marketing Web Tools Search Optimization. The data indicates that more prospects are finding the ATE program using the internet. The number of new students locating ATE using internet searches jumped from 0% in 2006 to 11% in 2007. As more and more prospects use search engines to find educational programs, it is important that ATE be included in the top 10 results. The goal for the first half of 2008 will be to consult with university personnel to determine the most cost effective way to implement search optimization and create a proposal for approval. Once in place, ATE will look for other cost effective optimization options and plan implementation over the next 5 years. Education Websites. ATE has a presence on OLN.org and does receive inquiries from this website. However, there are many other websites that promote educational online programs; i.e., eLearns.com, Universities.com, Get Educated.com, just to name a few. Promoting on these websites takes research, approvals and money. ATE plans to investigate the various websites offered and work with appropriate BGSU personnel to determine the most credible and profitable sites. The budget and return on investment will determine implementation; however, it is ATE’s desire to roll out at least two educational websites or more per year for the next 5 years. ATE Website Design. In 2008, ATE plans to implement the suggestions indicated in the Website Usability Study conducted in 2007 which is Attachment D of this document. Guest Shell. Develop the ATE guest shell so prospects can get an idea of what an online class looks like and ATE can schedule and promote online informational sessions. Student Survey. Consult with ATE faculty to determine pertinent ATE student demographics. Contact Institutional Research for assistance in creating and implementing a survey. Analyze results for use in targeting recruiting efforts. Radio/TV/Print/Online. Work with IDEAL, BLS and Marketing and Communications to analyze the success of previous TV/Print/Radio/Online campaigns and develop a future plan that will produce identifiable results for ATE. Mailings Community Colleges. Obtain additional and update existing mailing lists of Community College graduates both inside and outside of the State of Ohio. Send Transfer Incentive and/or ATE informational postcards to graduates. BGSU Employees. Obtain approval to send an ATE or ONLINE.BGSU.EDU informational flyer and/or postcard to all BGSU administrative and classified staff.
- 14. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 14 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Corporations. Research corporations with training programs and IT departments. Create mailing list and implement postcard mailings. Community College Instructors. Obtain lists of community college instructors that do not have bachelor degrees and provide an estimate to purchase the list. If approved, send postcards to mailing list. Vocational Schools. Obtain lists of vocational school teachers in Ohio that do not have bachelor degrees and provide an estimate to purchase the list. If approved, send new postcards to mailing list. Promotional Materials Brochure, Poster, Mailer. Obtain approval for a new brochure, poster and mailer that are in alignment with the University’s “Learning without Limits” ONLINE.BGSU.EDU campaign. Other promotional materials. Purchase promotional items such as pens, notepads, shirts, etc., for distribution at recruiting visits and events. Community College Newspapers. Advertise ATE, ONLINE.BGSU.EDU and scholarship offerings in community college newspapers throughout the State of Ohio. Partner/Prospect Development Community Colleges Continue relationships with existing partners by meeting with advisors, administrators and students. Attend career and transfer fairs. Establish relationships with remaining non-partner Ohio Community Colleges. Develop criteria for selecting out-of-state community colleges to target and identify 20 that fit the criteria and initiate partner development. Identify community colleges that have online or classroom programs that transfer well into the ATE program and initiate 2+2 agreements as well as update or create articulation agreements. Corporations Identify corporations that conduct their own training programs and have in-house IT departments.
- 15. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 15 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Conduct visits and presentations and meet with key personnel. Ohio Learning Network Continue to work with Ohio Learning Network to develop relationships with individuals involved with technology in education. In 2008, the ATE Recruiter will be Chair of the Program Committee for the Ohio Digital Commons for Education conference. This allows the recruiter to stay informed of the latest developments in learning and technology, as well as network with Ohio community college and university personnel. Prospects Follow up with existing and new prospects and update the ATE recruiting database. Create unofficial completion estimates for prospects upon request. Create podcast to send to prospects in response to inquiries included with a text back up. Update all current ATE information to websites so information is more easily obtained by prospects. Assist prospects in determining if ATE suits their needs. Assist prospects preparing to enroll in ATE. Accessibility Development Admissions/Enrollment Guide students through the process Create/edit application and registration instructions. Assist students in applying, submitting transcripts and registering. Work with the College of Technology Program Services office, admissions, and other offices and departments as necessary to insure students have a positive admissions and registration experience. Community. Add students to the ATE online community and remove students no longer in ATE.
- 16. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 16 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Coordination with Program Services. Monitor and review list of new ATE students with Program Services. Monitor pre-ATE students each semester. Administration Database Development/Management. Update database design as necessary to accommodate information requirements. Maintain prospect and student information. Run statistical reports and create/update Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan. Student Support. Provide continued support as requested to students after classes have begun. Document Creation. Create promotional documents; i.e., flyers, information sheets, unofficial completion estimates. Office Equipment. Printer/Fax installation/set up, PC Maintenance Miscellaneous. Obtain catalogs, create PDF forms, contact existing students to attend certain functions, printer specifications and purchase, verify associate degrees for existing students, notify students of cancelled classes, organize marketing meetings, update ATE Textbooks on bookstore website Coordinate Recruiting Schedule. Car rental/hotel reservations, track expenses, coordinate appointments/travel Budgeting and Planning. Obtain estimates for desired strategies and create budgets accordingly Measurements In order to assess the effectiveness each strategy, the following measurements will be used: Did the strategy result in new leads? Did the strategy result in new ATE students? Did the strategy increase awareness of ATE and ONLINE.BGSU.EDU?
- 17. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 17 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Did the strategy produce a good return on the investment? Retention – are students staying in the program? If not, are the reasons recruitment issues? If the strategy does not directly produce leads, students or increase awareness, was it an effective tool in creating interest in the ATE program? • This matrix will be used to compare measurement results:
- 18. Five-Year Plan and Estimated Costs Strategy 2007/2008 2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 Search Optimization - Identify Options and - Evaluate, measure, - Evaluate, measure, - Evaluate, measure, - Evaluate, measure, Costs for one or more adjust. adjust. adjust. adjust. search engines. - Obtain Approval and - Investigate - Investigate - Investigate - Investigate Implement additional options, additional options, additional options, additional options, obtain approval, obtain approval, obtain approval, obtain approval, implement. implement. implement. implement. Educational Websites - Identify the two - Evaluate and - Evaluate and - Evaluate and - Evaluate and most desirable determine return on determine return on determine return on determine return on websites for ATE investment investment investment investment target market. New New Increase Create Cos Strategy Leads Students Make adjustments - Obtain costs and - Awareness Interest t - Make adjustments Income adjustments - Make Profit ROI - Make adjustments as Search Optimization approval as necessary as necessary as necessary necessary Educational Websites - Design - add additional sites - add additional sites - add additional sites - add additional sites ATE Website Design advertisement as appropriate as appropriate as appropriate as appropriate Guest Shell Student Survey - Implement Radio/TV/Print ATE Website Design - Implement changes - Evaluate and make - Evaluate and make - Evaluate and make - Evaluate and make Mailings indicated in usability necessary changes necessary changes necessary changes necessary changes Promotional Materials study. Community College Newspaper Guest Shell - Design and - Schedule - Make adjustments - Make adjustments - Make adjustments as Advertisements implement informational sessions as necessary as necessary necessary Partner/Prospect Development and advertise Accessibility Development Miscellaneous Recruiter Salary - Evaluate usability - Evaluate usability - Evaluate usability - Evaluate usability Future Administration Position and effectiveness and effectiveness and effectiveness and effectiveness
- 19. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 19 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Student Survey - Work with Faculty to - Implement Survey determine desired results. - Work with - Analyze results Institutional Research - Incorporate findings to develop questions in recruitment and marketing plans Radio/TV/Print - Work to BGSU - Work to BGSU - Work to BGSU - Work to BGSU - Work to BGSU Marketing and Marketing and Marketing and Marketing and Marketing and Communications Communications Communications Communications Communications - Evaluate ROI for - Evaluate ROI on - Evaluate ROI on - Evaluate ROI on - Evaluate ROI on 2007 campaign previous campaigns previous campaigns previous campaigns previous campaigns - Based on results and - Based on results and - Based on results and - Based on results and - Based on results and budgets, continue budgets, continue budgets, continue budgets, continue budgets, continue campaigns as deemed campaigns as deemed campaigns as deemed campaigns as deemed campaigns as deemed appropriate. appropriate. appropriate. appropriate. appropriate.
- 20. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 20 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Mailings - Update lists and mail - Update lists and mail - Update lists and mail - Update lists and mail - Update lists and mail transfer incentive transfer incentive transfer incentive transfer incentive transfer incentive postcards to postcards to postcards to postcards to postcards to community college community college community college community college community college graduates for Spring graduates for Spring graduates for Spring graduates for Spring graduates for Spring and Fall 2008 and Fall 2008 and Fall 2008 and Fall 2008 and Fall 2008 - Identify - Identify - Identify - Identify - Identify corporations with IT corporations with IT corporations with IT corporations with IT corporations with IT and/or training and/or training and/or training and/or training and/or training departments and send departments and send departments and send departments and send departments and send postcard mailing for postcard mailing for postcard mailing for postcard mailing for postcard mailing for Summer Summer Summer Summer Summer - Obtain lists of - Send mailing to lists - Update or obtain - Update or obtain - Update or obtain community college of community college new lists of new lists of new lists of community and vocational school and vocational school community college community college college and vocational instructors without instructors for and vocational school and vocational school school instructors bachelor degrees and Summer instructors without instructors without without bachelor send mailing for bachelor degrees and bachelor degrees and degrees and send Summer send mailing for send mailing for mailing for Summer Summer Summer - Work with - Work with - Work with appropriate BGSU appropriate BGSU appropriate BGSU departments for departments for departments for approval to send ATE approval to send ATE approval to send ATE flyer to BGSU classified flyer to BGSU classified flyer to BGSU classified and administrative and administrative and administrative staff staff staff
- 21. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 21 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Promotional Materials Obtain budget - Obtain budget - Obtain budget - Obtain budget - Obtain budget approval and work approval to print and/ approval to print and/ approval to print and/ approval to print and/ with BGSU Marketing or order promotional or order promotional or order promotional or order promotional and Communications materials as deemed materials as deemed materials as deemed materials as deemed to design and create necessary. necessary. necessary. necessary. new brochure, poster, mailer and promotional materials Community College - Obtain estimates - Evaluate, measure - Evaluate, measure - Evaluate, measure - Evaluate, measure Newspaper and approval to design and adjust. Add Ohio and adjust. and adjust. and adjust. Advertisements and implement an ATE Community Colleges advertisements in not included in Ohio Community previous year. Colleges - Identify and add - Run ads in all Ohio - Run ads in all Ohio - Run ads in all Ohio community colleges Community Colleges. Community Colleges. Community Colleges. outside of the State of Identify and add Identify and add Identify and add Ohio community colleges community colleges community colleges outside of the State of outside of the State of outside of the State of Ohio Ohio Ohio Partner/Prospect - Identify most - Identify most - Identify most - Identify most - Identify most Development desirable Community desirable Community desirable Community desirable Community desirable Community Colleges based on Colleges based on Colleges based on Colleges based on Colleges based on recruiting data and recruiting data and recruiting data and recruiting data and recruiting data and schedule schedule schedule schedule schedule visits/presentations visits/presentations visits/presentations visits/presentations visits/presentations
- 22. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 22 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document - Identify most - Identify most - Identify most - Identify most - Identify most desirable Corporations desirable Corporations desirable Corporations desirable Corporations desirable Corporations and schedule and schedule and schedule and schedule and schedule visits/presentations visits/presentations visits/presentations visits/presentations visits/presentations - Program Chair for - Program Chair for - Program Chair for - Program Chair for - Program Chair for the Ohio Learning the Ohio Learning the Ohio Learning the Ohio Learning the Ohio Learning Network ODCE Network ODCE Network ODCE Network ODCE Network ODCE Conference Conference Conference Conference Conference - Continue assisting - Continue assisting - Continue assisting - Continue assisting - Continue assisting prospects and update prospects and update prospects and update prospects and update prospects and update electronic ATE electronic ATE electronic ATE electronic ATE electronic ATE information as information as information as information as information as deemed appropriate. deemed appropriate. deemed appropriate. deemed appropriate. deemed appropriate.
- 23. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 23 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Accessibility Development - Identify admissions/ - Identify admissions/ - Identify admissions/ - Identify admissions/ - Identify admissions/ enrollment issues and enrollment issues and enrollment issues and enrollment issues and enrollment issues and work with BGSU work with BGSU work with BGSU work with BGSU work with BGSU personnel to resolve personnel to resolve personnel to resolve personnel to resolve personnel to resolve - Work with other - Work with other - Work with other - Work with other - Work with other BGSU departments as BGSU departments as BGSU departments as BGSU departments as BGSU departments as required required required required required - Perform - Perform - Perform - Perform - Perform miscellaneous miscellaneous miscellaneous miscellaneous miscellaneous administrative administrative administrative administrative administrative functions that will functions that will functions that will functions that will functions that will enhance the level of enhance the level of enhance the level of enhance the level of enhance the level of service provided to service provided to service provided to service provided to service provided to prospects and prospects and prospects and prospects and prospects and students students students students students - Manage recruiting - Manage recruiting - Manage recruiting - Manage recruiting - Manage recruiting database and run database and run database and run database and run database and run statistical reports as statistical reports as statistical reports as statistical reports as statistical reports as required. required. required. required. required.
- 24. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 24 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Estimated Budget Expenses Spent 2006/2007 2007/2008 2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 Search Optimization (this is an approximation as no formal estimates are available at this time) $ - $ 10,000.00 $ 20,000.00 $ 30,000.00 $ 40,000.00 $ 50,000.00 Educational Websites (2007/2008 figure is based on 2 sites with an avg of 6 leads per month at $40/lead for 12 months. $ - $ 5,760.00 $ 11,520.00 $ 23,040.00 $ 46,080.00 $ 92,160.00 ATE Website Design $ 1,000.00 $ 1,150.00 $ 1,322.50 $ 1,520.88 $ 1,749.01 Guest Shell (advertising) $ - $ 7,500.00 $ 8,625.00 $ 9,918.75 $ 11,406.56 $ 13,117.55 Student Survey $ - $ 1,500.00 $ - Radio/TV/Print $ 19,931.67 $ 30,000.00 $ 34,500.00 $ 39,675.00 $ 45,626.25 $ 52,470.19 Mailings (includes printing postcards) $ 4,742.00 $ 20,000.00 $ 23,000.00 $ 26,450.00 $ 30,417.50 $ 34,980.13 Promotional Materials (07/08 figure includes brochures, posters and give always) $ 4,032.71 $ 25,000.00 $ 28,750.00 $ 33,062.50 $ 38,021.88 $ 43,725.16 Community College Newspaper Advertisements $ - $ 15,000.00 $ 17,250.00 $ 19,837.50 $ 22,813.13 $ 26,235.09 Partner/Prospect Development $ 963.15 $ 2,500.00 $ 2,875.00 $ 3,306.25 $ 3,802.19 $ 4,372.52 Accessibility Development $ - $ 2,500.00 $ 2,875.00 $ 3,306.25 $ 3,802.19 $ 4,372.52 Miscellaneous $ - $ 5,000.00 $ 5,750.00 $ 6,612.50 $ 7,604.38 $ 8,745.03 Recruiter Salary $ 35,589.00 $ 36,657.00 $ 37,756.71 $ 38,889.41 $ 40,056.09 $ 41,257.78 Future Administration Position $ - $ 40,000.00 $ 41,200.00 $ 42,436.00 $ 43,709.08 $ 45,020.35 Totals $ 65,258.53 $ 202,417.00 $ 235,251.71 $ 277,856.66 $ 334,860.11 $ 418,205.31 Income (For this purpose, income is calculated on new students only and not total enrollment) Projected New Students 54 66 75 87 100 115 Avg # drop rate 2006/2007 of 7% (5) (5) (6) (7) (8) Projected New Students 15th Day 71 80 93 107 123 Avg # of credits per year 12 12 12 12 12 12 Cost per credit hour 444 444 444 444 444 444 Totals $ 287,712.00 $ 376,263.36 $ 399,600.00 $ 463,536.00 $ 532,800.00 $ 612,720.00 Recruiting Profit $ 222,453.47 $ 173,846.36 $ 164,348.29 $ 185,679.34 $ 197,939.89 $ 194,514.69 Note: Salaries (other than the recruiter and administration position) and office expenses are not included in this estimate
- 25. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 25 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Appendix A Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Description The ATE online degree completion program offers a Bachelor of Science in Technology degree for adult students who want to improve their career opportunities. Students must have previously obtained an applied Associate’s Degree from an accredited institution and have been employed full time for 12 consecutive months. Students must meet all requirements of the University and the College of Technology. All major classes are offered online using the Internet and the BGSU Blackboard course management system. All College of Technology and BG Perspective courses required to complete the program are also offered online. The Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program builds on credit that students have accumulated from a two-year Associate’s Degree in an applied or technical discipline. If a prospect does not have an associate degree, ATE will work with that individual to obtain one through Firelands or another community college. ATE teaches students how to integrate technological theories and concepts into that discipline. The program consists of nine web-based courses which are specially designed for working adult learners. Students can choose courses of study in training and development or information studies. When completed, students receive a Bachelor of Science in Technology degree. The ATE program is a unique option for individuals that require a bachelor degree to further their careers as the program is not geared to just one discipline. Anyone in an applied area can be eligible. Ideal Candidate The perfect ATE candidate is an individual who has received an associate’s degree in some type of applied or technical area and has been in the work force for at least a year. Most ATE students work full time and need the convenience of online. They most likely would not take classes if they had to attend a traditional classroom.
- 26. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 26 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Students and Graduates It is difficult to determine the number of students in the program – as many take semesters off. However, we believe there are approximately 140 students in the program at this time. For the Fall 2007 semester, ATE has 50 Full Time Equivalencies. There have been 157 graduates from the ATE program since 2000. Selling Points o Attend class when it’s convenient. o Transfer courses from any accredited institution. o Complete the program in approximately 2 ½ to 3 years taking just 2 classes a semester (depending on transfer credits). o Out of state residents do not have to pay out of state tuition o Fully accredited – BGSU has accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools to offer full degree programs online. o Bachelor of Science in Technology – just like the degree students receive when attending on- campus classes. o Individuals that do not have an associate’s degree have options through BGSU’s Firelands Campus. Vision Statement The ATE program will be recognized by prospective students and college advisors as a leader in the delivery of top quality online instruction for adult students. It will be the program of choice in Ohio for completion of a Bachelor of Science degree built on students’ applied studies from two-year programs. Prestige and student success in Ohio will result in similar recognition anywhere online delivery is available to students. Mission Statement The ATE program will contribute to the success of the College of Technology and Bowling Green State University, through the development and application of innovate strategies, techniques and principles of adult learning as they are used in online environments. To fulfill the growth expectations of the university, the ATE program will continue its aggressive recruiting strategy. The ATE program will establish agreements with 2-year institutions in and beyond Ohio to enhance its connections with potential students, to contribute to understanding of online learning and teaching, and to enhance the richness of the educational experience for online students. To accomplishing these goals, ATE will work collaboratively with colleagues in the College of Technology, and in academic programs across the University. It will also work closely with the BGSU Office of Distance Learning, and Continuing and Extended Education. Through an active Advisory Board, the ATE program will seek to ensure that its curriculum and faculty remain current, relevant and practical, as we endeavor to meet our responsibilities to our students, to the university and to our community.
- 27. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 27 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Appendix B Data Analysis In order to effectively define and evaluate the marketing strategies for the ATE program, it is important to analyze historical information for patterns and trends. This data can provide key insights into strategies that work and strategies that fail. The ATE recruiter developed a database in Microsoft Access to capture prospect and student data. For this enrollment management plan, the following data from Spring, Summer and Fall 2006 and 2007 was compared and analyzed: Prospects a) Leads generated b) How prospects learn about ATE c) How prospects contact ATE Students d) New ATE Students e) How students hear about ATE f) How many new students were new leads Prospects Leads A prospect or lead is defined as someone who requests more information about the ATE program. They are considered a new lead for the upcoming semester. For instance, those inquiring from May to August are considered new leads for Fall semester. When Fall semester passes and the prospect has not enrolled in the ATE program but expresses interest in possibly enrolling in the future, they are no longer considered a new lead but an active prospect. If a prospect is not eligible or expresses they are no longer interested in the program, they become a dead lead. ATE recruiting efforts generated 242 new leads in 2006 and 211 leads in 2007. Of the 242 new leads in 2006, 71 applied and 50 are dead leads. Of the 211 leads in 2007, 79 applied and 21 are dead leads.
- 28. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 28 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Though the number of new leads dropped in 2007, the percentage of applicants increased and the number of dead leads decreased. This would indicate that the ATE recruiting efforts in 2007 were focused more on the target market in 2007 resulting in a smaller pool of better- suited students. Lead Source - How Prospects Learn about ATE When a prospect contacts ATE, they are asked how they learned about the ATE program. Sometimes the only contact info ATE has is an email address and not all prospects respond to the request for lead source information. Therefore, every semester there is a percentage of leads that do not have lead source information. ATE groups the sources of their leads in the following categories: o Web Tools – BGSU Website, OLN Website, Community College Websites, Internet Search and miscellaneous other websites. o Community College – Visits, Transfer Fairs, Advisors, Brochures/Flyers o BGSU Departments – Adult Learning, Admissions, Program Services, BGSU Staff Employees, Faculty Members o Friend or Family – a prospects friend or family member told them about ATE. o Mailings – postcard or email mailings to various lists including CC graduates and previous BGSU students o Students – current or previous BGSU students o Corporations – resulted from a Career or Education fair at a corporation or a corporation visit. o Advertising – Radio, TV or Newspaper advertisements o Miscellaneous – Ohio State Fair, Wood County Fair, Publications, Catalogs, etc. Of the 453 leads since in 2006 and 2007, 158 (35%) are missing referral information. Of the remaining 295 leads, the lead sources are as follows:
- 29. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 29 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Web Tools 39% Community College 19% BGSU Departments 13% Friend or Family 10% Mailing 8% Students 6% Corporations 3% Advertising 1% Miscellaneous 1% A comparison of 2006 and 2007 is as follows: Since Web Tools generate the most leads, it is important to analyze the different sources included in this category:
- 30. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 30 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document The number of leads from the internet jumped from 26% in 2006 to 52% in 2007. Over half of the leads generated in 2007 indicated they learned about ATE on the internet. The Friend or Family Member category also increased in 2007 from 6% to 14%. This indicates that individuals are talking more about ATE and creating “word of mouth” advertising. All other lead sources decreased in 2007. This would account for the large increase in web lead sources. Of the web tools, the BGSU website seems to generate the most leads. The number of individuals using internet searches to find the ATE program increased dramatically from 5% in 2006 to 19% in 2007. How Prospects Contact ATE It is important to note how prospects contact ATE to ensure we are reaching the target market. If a majority of prospects are contacting us online utilizing email or websites, then we are recruiting the correct students for an online program. There are 4 ways ATE prospects can contact ATE: phone, email, website request form, or visit the office.
- 31. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 31 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document In 2006, 41% emailed ATE, 38% used the website request form, 15% called ATE’s 800 number and 6% visited us on campus. In 2007, the number of individuals that emailed ATE dropped from 41% to 32% and the number of prospects that used the website request for information form jumped from 38% to 54%. The number of individuals that called dropped slightly by 1% and the number that visited dropped from 6% to 1%. This data indicates that the website and request form put into place in 2005 are proving to be effective and usable tools for prospects to learn about ATE and request more information. Students New ATE Students Each semester, ATE tracks the number of new ATE students that enter the program or begin preparing to enter the program. The types of students included in the numbers below are readmissions to ATE, readmissions to BGSU that transfer to ATE, students that are preparing for ATE (pre-ATE), and new transfer students.
- 32. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 32 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document In 2006 there were 71 prospects that applied to ATE and there were 75 applicants in 2007 for a total of 146 applicants. Of the total applicants, 79% enrolled in classes in 2005 and 92% in 2007. Of the enrolled students, 13% dropped classes within the first 2 weeks in 2005 and 3% dropped in 2007. In 2007, there was a 37% increase in new ATE students – from 49 in 2006 to 65 in 2007. This accounts for a total of 114 new ATE and Pre-ATE students in 2006 and 2007. On average, 86% of prospects that applied during the two year period enrolled in classes. Of the 453 prospects over the 2-year period, 32% applied and 25% enrolled in classes. How Students Learn about ATE ATE tracks the lead sources that generate the most students. As with prospects, the web appears to be the place most students learn about ATE.
- 33. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 33 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Web Tools 33% BGSU Departments 21% Community College 19% Students 9% Mailing 7% Friend or Family 6% Corporations 4% Miscellaneous 2%
- 34. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 34 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document A comparison of lead sources for 2006 and 2007 is as follows: Since most students learned about ATE using the web, it’s important to analyze the lead sources included in this category. Below indicates a breakdown of the percentage of new ATE students for the Web Tools category: Almost half of the new students learned about ATE from a website. As consistent with the prospects, the only other lead source that increased from 2006 to 2007 was the Friends and Family category indicating “word of mouth” is becoming a more effective
- 35. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 35 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document marketing tool. All other lead sources generated fewer students which accounts for the increase in students generated from internet lead sources. The internet search lead source jumped from zero to 11% in 2007. The BGSU Website is where most students go to retrieve information about the ATE program. New Students/New Leads ATE tracks how many of the new students each semester are prospects that inquired about the ATE program that semester – meaning they are a new lead as opposed to a current prospect. This is important to more accurately project future enrollment. Of the 49 new students in 2005, 37 (76%) were new leads during the semester they were a new student. In 2007, 39 (58%) were new leads.
- 36. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 36 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Appendix C – Student/Prospect Feedback Sherri thank you!!! The $1250 credit has hit my account. Lets see.... once again the job gets done immediately after you get involved :-) Have a wonderful weekend & I'll follow up with you next week if I dont hear from you regarding the advisor. Thanks again :-) Thanks for following up on our conversation. They need to give you a promotion and raise based on your attitude and customer service!!! "What has been unique about the ATE program and what has greatly enhanced my learning experience at Bowling Green State University has been the integration of learning and real world experience. That being able to take what I am learning and apply it to a real world situation in which I am currently involved or have experienced in my life, enabled me to essentially learn by association. This also achieved greater retention value and the ability to apply to future situations to not include only my career work but also other areas in that require learning. . . It is difficult with the breadth of knowledge the University or any academia has to offer to fine tune a program that will encompass all of the learners needs while associating the learning to real life situations. I was fortunate in the ATE program that most of what I learned I was able to relate to my current and past work. It is hard for me to fathom how difficult it would be for ATE students that have never been in a real world situation, a real world situation I should say that applied to the learning that is required in the program. . .I have over the course of the past three years developed advanced communication skills through the magnitude of writing and associating the work to real life situations. Through working in groups I have learned and became proficient at delegating work, leading and communicating with others to resolve problems and/or issues. I have proficiently used independent thinking and problem solving shown in accomplishing many in- depth course assignments that required research and development. I have developed courseware for several classes to include most recently an instructional design that would be utilized to train 900 employees at over 200 site locations worldwide on a new company software application. I constructed many strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analyses that have not only produced insight in organizational change and company prospects but also in turn gave me insight to how these situations impact other people and businesses. The ATE program learning outcomes have given me the tools and the background to be effective and influential in the technological field that I currently work in and plan to remain throughout the remainder of my career."
- 37. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 37 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Dr. Bradford, I would like to take a small portion of your time to commend you for your skills conveyed in our classes together. This praise extends to all of the quality facilitators I had in the ATE program. I continuously imbibe new skills others pass on to me. I feel that one can't completely master any one task and therefore we need others that can provide help and input. I acquired a solid foundation from the course work and have been able to assimilate and apply much to my current career. From my experiences at BGSU, I have formulated two new goals, one to continue on to grad school, and two, to become a teacher/facilitator. The ATE program combined with my previous educational endeavors extremely well, so much so that I have looked into graduate programs that best complement my education and future employment opportunities. One such program I found is offered at the University of Colorado at Boulder. It's a Masters of Engineering degree in Engineering Management specifically called The Lockheed Martin Engineering Management Program. This school also happens to be in the area I plan on moving to within the next year or so. I have also looked into becoming a substitute teacher at least long enough to become the third generation of my family to teach in the school system I went through, Genoa. Conveying knowledge to the next generation is fundamental to facilitators. I prefer to work with adults as I currently do in my job, but to be better-rounded; I think the experience of working with younger students will be worthwhile. With that in mind, continuing my education or finding employment, these goals are well within my reach. Both of my goals share one thing in common--they require letters of recommendation from academic or professional sources. I hope when the time comes for letters of recommendation or reference, I can request one from you. I'm going to avidly pursue both of these goals after the holiday season. At that time I'll contact you with specifics and I am thanking you in advance. And again, thank you for sharing your wisdom and expertise at BGSU. I value it with the highest regard. Hi Amy - I would like to speak with you about my Associate's degree audit when you have time. I work full-time so it is not to easy for me to speak on the phone, but if you can let me know a good time to call you I can work that out. I attended BGSU from 1977 - 1981 and just started back with the on-line program. I am currently in my first course, Pop Culture 165. I would like to finish up my Associates degree initially and then will be going on for my Bachelor's, through the ATE program. I know my grade point needs to go up, but I also want to check on how many courses I have remaining to take. I will likely take the summer off and then start back up again in September. Sherri has been a huge help, I would not even be doing this if she had not been such a great coach and mentor. PS: You should know that the main reason I decided to attend this university was because of your personal touch. You would be surprised at all the negative feedback I received during my search for the right institution to study at. Thank you for your support and encouragement. Your personal touch is refreshing.
- 38. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 38 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document Appendix D – Website Usability Analysis Report BGSU ADVANCED TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION Sherri Orwick Ogden July 13, 2007
- 39. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 39 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document INTRODUCTION Bowling Green State University offers an online degree completion program that is designed for working adults who wish to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in Technology. The Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program consists of nine core courses that teach students how to integrate technological concepts into their working environments. Students can choose between two courses of study: Technology in Training and Development or Information Studies. All of the courses are online offering convenience and flexibility for working students. An applied associate degree is required for the program, as well as work experience. Prospects wishing to pursue a degree online will tend to look for information online. It is critical that the ATE website be enticing, informational and usable. Therefore, a usability test was conducted on the ATE website to determine if prospects and existing students are able to easily retrieve key information. In addition, the process in which prospects contact ATE personnel to receive additional information was also analyzed, as it is an integral component of the website and recruiting process. In order to encompass all components of the website and the information process, this usability analysis consists of the following sections: • Pre-analysis • Methodology • Results • Conclusions and Recommendations
- 40. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 40 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document PRE-ANALYSIS In order to develop productive test questions, it was important to determine relevant facts about the ATE program. For instance, what do prospects and students want and need to know? Who is the target audience? What types of tasks do they want to perform from the website? What are the objectives of the website and key points it should contain? What is the purpose of the website? Currently, the purpose of the site is to inform prospective students about the ATE program. A list of questions usually asked by prospects was compiled. Answers to the following frequently asked questions should be found easily and quickly: • How long will it take me to finish? • What is required to be eligible for the program? • Do I need an associate degree? • How much does it cost? • What can I do with an ATE degree? • What does ATE stand for? • What will I learn in the ATE program? • What courses will I be required to take? • Can I take courses elsewhere and transfer them to the ATE program? • Will my degree say “online?” • When do classes begin? • What if my employer pays my tuition? The four questions below were found to be questions asked not of prospects, but of those that have already applied. Therefore, it was discovered that the purpose of the website needs to expand to providing information to those that have just applied as well. • When will I know I’ve been accepted into the ATE program? • I’ve applied – what happens next? • I don’t think a course transferred correctly. What do I do? • What is a transfer evaluation vs. an official audit? Who is the audience? The website can be accessed by both prospects and current students. However, for the most part, the website is currently designed for future students. Is it not normally used as a tool
- 41. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 41 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document for students already in the program. However, for the purposes of the usability test, the future and current student audiences are defined. Future Students Users will be most likely between the ages of 25 and 60. Computer skills will vary from beginner to expert. Most will have some college experience. Connection speed will vary from dial up to high speed. Current Students Users will most likely be between the ages of 25 and 60. Computer skills will vary from beginner to expert. All will have some college experience. Connection speed will be high speed. What tasks need to be performed from the website? Students and prospects viewing the ATE website will need to have access to the following links: • Financial aid • Course Descriptions • All online courses available • Course Schedules • Online application • Tuition deferral program • Ability to request more information • Access to a sample online classroom • Video/Audio of ATE explanation Information and features that should be present: • Explanation of the enrollment process including time involved • Application instructions • Curriculum • Course Descriptions • Class Schedule • Faculty Information What are the measurable usability objectives? In order to create test questions that would provide meaningful information, it was important to define the following measurable objectives: • Were all of the users’ questions answered? • Was the user able to request more information easily? • Was the user able to quickly identify the correct links to answer their immediate questions? • Was the user able to easily print the information they wanted to save?
- 42. Recruitment Evaluation and Enrollment Management Plan Page 42 of 53 October 12, 2007 Working Document • Did the user have an emotional reaction to the site? Was the user excited about starting the ATE program or was he/she discouraged, confused or indifferent? What are the key points? The following key points are important components and should be included in the website: • Course Descriptions • Costs • Completion Time • Current Promotions • Accreditation METHODOLGY Participants Five testers were selected for this usability test. Three out of the five were female and all five were between the ages of 40 and 45 which is also the approximate average age of most ATE prospects. All use the internet and email to some degree for work and/or pleasure. Hours of usage vary from 10 hours to 40 plus hours per week. Test Questions The following information, directions and questions were provided to each participant. Usability Test Instructions and Questions I would like you to view a website for me and answer a few questions. The process will probably take approximately 15 minutes. • Please know that I am not testing you, I am testing the site. You can’t make any mistakes during the test. • I want you to be completely honest – you won’t hurt my feelings. The goal is to make the site better and easier to use. • As you think about each page and decide where to click, please do me a favor and include any thoughts you have in your answers so I can understand your thought processes during the test. Before you look at the website, I have a few questions for you, OK? 1. What is your occupation?