ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN
AY 2007-2008 to AY 2012-2013
The goals and strategic directions set forth in the Enrollment Management Plan for The University of Texas at Brownsville in
Partnership with Texas Southmost College (UTB/TSC) focus on the growth in enrollment and increase in retention needed to close the
gaps in participation and ensure student success.
Since the establishment of the University in 1991, the master plans created for the campus have been based on economic, population,
and educational data that reflect a fast-growing region with a serious educational deficit. An educational deficit defined for our
purposes as a region where on average people attend college at half the rate as anywhere else in the State of Texas. Growing the
University to 20,000 would address this deficit. All growth in majors, degree programs, faculty, services, and scholarships are
components of a plan that guide our work toward this goal.
The Enrollment Management Plan is organized according to the five institutional goals: (1) provide accessible, affordable postsecondary education by eliminating inter-institutional barriers; (2) promote excellence in teaching and learning; (3) enhance student
success; (4) advance academic and economic development for our region; and (5) expand knowledge through research.
UTB/TSC serves a student population with a majority of first-generation and lower income level college students. In fiscal year 20062007, almost three quarters of baccalaureate graduates were first-generation students. In addition, more than 90% of UTB/TSC
students reside in Cameron County, in which the largest city is Brownsville. According to the Census Bureau’s 2006 American
Community Survey, Brownsville was named the most impoverished city in the nation. Therefore not surprisingly, 40% of part-time
students and 59% of full-time students receive Pell. Most UTB/TSC students work as well as attend school, resulting in a large
percentage of students (62%) attending college on a part-time basis. Furthermore, as an open access institution, a majority of
UTB/TSC first-time freshmen students were required to enroll in developmental courses in fiscal year 06-07. Consistent with state
goals, the University is working closely with school districts to help decrease that percentage and increase the percentage of collegeready students.
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The university has recently revised its Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy. Beginning in the 2007-2008 academic year,
students are required to earn a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and a cumulative completion rate of 70% to remain in good standing. If at the
end of a semester, a student's cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 and/or a student's cumulative completion rate falls below 70 percent, the
student is placed on probation. While on probation, the student is limited to 12 hours of course work and must meet appropriate
intervention requirements. Students who earn at least a 2.0 GPA and 70 percent completion for the course work that semester can
continue on probation or return to good standing if their cumulative GPA is 2.0 and their cumulative completion rate is 70 percent.
Students who earn below a 2.0 GPA and 70 percent completion that semester are suspended and must wait until the end of the next
long semester to return. The longer term enrollment impact of this revised policy is just surfacing. However, early indications are that
it will cause an initial reduction in undergraduate campus enrollment, in undergraduate distance education enrollment, and in dual
enrollment.
Concurrent with the revision of the SAP policy, all scholarship programs and financial aid requirements were revised to be in concert
with the new SAP policy. This strategy was intended to simplify and clarify student expectations and to encourage and promote
students to make more timely progress toward graduation.
Early indications are that the revised SAP policy is already having impact. In the fall of 2007, the percentage of credit hours
completed increased from 80% to 82% and the number of credit hours withdrawn from by students decreased by almost half from 9%
to 5%. However, because students retained more classes, there was a slight increase in failing grades from 11% to 12% of all hours
taken. Going into the spring semester, early indications are that the number of students on probation increased from 15 to 20% and the
number on suspension increased from 2.3 to 6.5%. It appears then that revising SAP and the criteria for receiving scholarship and
financial aid will result in guiding more of our students toward more thoughtful planning about their degree plans and providing them
incentives for reaching their degree goals in a more timely fashion.
Despite the daunting challenges faced by many of our students, many student success indicators continue to climb at UTB/TSC.
Students are graduating in record numbers at the associate, baccalaureate and graduate level; passing external certification exams well
into the 90th percentiles; and increasing their participation in service learning. This success has occurred as a result of a concerted
campus-wide effort dedicated to providing high quality higher education to the region. Faculty from across the world dedicate
themselves to the mission of the university and to increasing knowledge that affects the region as well as adds to their specific
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disciplines. As another measure of quality, the University recently obtained prestigious national accreditations in its Early Childcare
Education program and in its music program.
UTB/TSC is committed to fostering a culture of evidence, in which we will analyze data on student performance and on the delivery
of our programs in order to ensure that institutional decision making is evidence based. For over a decade, the University has benefited
from a committee on Institutional Effectiveness and has most recently invested in the Blackboard Outcomes System as an additional
means of analyzing data on student performance in order to make informed decisions based on evidence.
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A. Enrollment Targets: Five-year enrollment projections
Enrollment Projections
Total Enrollment
On-Campus
Distance Education
Dual Enrollment
Fall 2007
17,352
10,436
957
5,959
Fall 2012
20,000
11,800
1,100
7,100
With the impacts of SAP an uncertainty, the financial effects of SAP are the university’s immediate priority and it is difficult
to provide baseline data to build financial projections. Once we have identified the full impacts of SAP, we will be in a better
position to evaluate which strategies generate positive gains to the university and which strategies will be prioritized for
funding in future budget processes. We anticipate building a comprehensive financial management plan as an ongoing process
to accompany this plan.
Enrollment efforts and targeted enrollment growth will require additional resources in many areas of the university. To
achieve enrollment growth, marketing expenditures are needed to expand the message of opportunity to our future students.
With the achievement of enrollment growth, the university will need increases in faculty positions and staff positions and will
need to have the resources to achieve efficiencies in the operations. The identified elements for potential implementation have
been quantified, and we have estimated that the faculty lines will need to increase by 28 positions to support the enrollment
growth in both the undergraduate and graduate programs. The increase in faculty positions will cost approximately $2,219,000
by 2013. Total quantified costs including increases in faculty positions, staff positions, marketing expenditures, and
incremental costs for the dual enrollment program will need an additional $5.0 million by 2013. In addition, the need to
provide for a new on-campus housing facility has been identified which will cost $20.0 million for the construction cost which
will be dependent on the financial viability of the housing proformas.
The expenditures identified in this plan fall within projected estimates of state appropriations and tuition & fee increases from
the enrollment target of 2013. However, the focus of the upcoming budget process will be to address the impacts of SAP and
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the current operations of the university. All funding needed for items within the enrollment management plan will compete
directly for funding in the budget process with all the other needs and priorities of the university.
B. Enrollment Strategies
Institutional Goal 1: To provide accessible, affordable post-secondary education
Strategic Direction 1.1: Improve accessibility
Performance Indicator
Increase Undergraduate Enrollment
Increase campus enrollment by 4.4%
Evaluation – Impact – Review
Cycle
Additional
Resources Needed
Enrollment numbers
Distance Education –
$67,600
(one Instructional
Designer)
Increase distance education by 3.7% including BAT/BAAS
offerings by 5% each year
BAT/BAAS –
$52,000 (one
Outreach
Coordinator)
Dual Enrollment –
$117,000 (three dual
support staff
members)
Manage dual enrollment at 3.7% each year
$104,000 (one
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Director for Dual
Enrollment)
$132,000 for dual
faculty
$60,000 for dual
maintenance &
operations
$40,000 dual travel
Supporting Strategies
Develop recruiting and marketing strategies to attract students Outreach activities
from beyond our service area
Increase the number of declared majors in STEMS and Health Declared majors report
Sciences by 5% each year
$46,800 (one Student
Development
Specialists)
$41,600 (one
Transfer Advisor)
$46,800 (one Student
Development
Specialist)
$25,000 for
marketing
Increase enrollment in teacher education programs by 5%
each year
Improve vertical alignment of curriculum with P-16 partners
Number of enrolled students
$25,000 for
marketing
N/A
Increase on-campus dual enrollment
a. Support Math/Science Academy
b. Support summer bridge program
c. Explore implementing Early College High School
Dual Program Review
Increase the number of transfer students by 2% each year
Transfer student reports
Increase the number of students visiting the campus by 5%
each year
Office of New Student Relations
numbers
Number of college-ready students
Enrollment numbers
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Develop a GED Bridge Program
Enrollment numbers
Transfer to UTB/TSC numbers
Increase Graduate Enrollment
Increase overall graduate enrollment by 25%
Enrollment numbers
Supporting Strategies
Target existing graduate programs for growth and align
resources including scholarships
Enrollment numbers in targeted
programs
Develop at least 1 new graduate certificate from existing
graduate programs each year
Develop at least 1 new graduate degree in proposed areas
including Communication, Computer Science, Environmental
Science, Criminal Justice, and Psychology
Number of certificates created
Number of graduate degrees
created
Create graduate program cohorts with school districts
Enrollment numbers created
Number of cohorts
Educate undergraduates at every level regarding graduate
education
Enrollment in cohorts
Enrollment numbers for UTB/TSC
graduating seniors
Develop additional online graduate courses
Number of online graduate courses
Increase graduate students recruited from outside the region
Enrollment in online graduate
courses
Enrollment numbers from outside
the region
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N/A
$10,000 for
recruitment
$120,000 for
scholarships
Faculty (see below)
Faculty (see below)
Faculty (see below)
$3,000 for recruiting,
materials, and open
houses
N/A
$10,000 for
recruiting, materials
and travel,
scholarships and
graduate
assistantships
Increase Faculty Lines
Support undergraduate and graduate enrollment growth
Number of new faculty
$2,218,580
(total of 28 faculty
lines over five-year
period)
Strategic Direction 1.2: Maintain affordability
Performance Indicator
Expand current scholarship initiative by 5% each year
Maintain a tuition review process that ensures sensitivity to
the market
Expand Scorpion Scholars program
Expand student employment initiative program
Evaluation – Impact – Review
Additional
Cycle
Resources Needed
Annual review of scholarship report $2,150,000 (funded
by external funds)
Tuition and Fee reports
N/A
Number of students participating in
current programs
Student participation adjusted by
10-20% and adjust to wage
increases.
$1,060,000 for
scholarships
$208,000 for staff
and operations
$50,000
Strategic Direction 1.3: Improve efficiency
Performance Indicator
Evaluation – Impact – Review
Cycle
Improve efficiency and effectiveness of enrollment planning
workgroups
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Additional
Resources Needed
$30,000 one-time
fee for consultant
review
$100,000 one-time
cost for technology
improvements and
enhancements
$98,800 (two
financial aid
officers)
$5,000
Improve efficiency and effectiveness in Financial Aid
Student Satisfaction Surveys
NESSE results
Offer on-line orientation for non-traditional students and halfday campus orientation
Attendance and student evaluation.
Create pre-Orientation online to offer information regarding
testing, financial aid, registration, career exploration and
payment options for new students
Student evaluations, improve % of
students who have been advised,
registered and tested prior to
orientation by 30%.
$5,000
Develop on-line orientation registration and payment
Student evaluations of orientation.
$2,500
Redesign on-campus orientation to be more engaging, focus
on academic expectations and support services
Student evaluations of orientation.
$5,000
Institutional Goal 2: To provide excellence in teaching and learning
Performance Indicator
Develop and implement a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)
focused on establishing a culture of evidence for written
communication
Reduce all programs of study published in the 2008-2009
undergraduate catalog to 120 SCH or have an approved
justification (Appendix A)
Evaluation – Impact – Review
Cycle
Complete implementation by 2013
Programs of study at the end of the
curriculum cycle in February 2008
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Additional
Resources Needed
$150,000 for staffing
and professional
development
N/A
Reduce all teacher education programs of study to 125-126
SCH or have an approved justification (Appendix A)
Teacher education programs of
study at the end of the curriculum
cycle in February 2008
Annual publication of updated
review calendar
Prepare, review and update the program review calendar for
the next five years on a yearly basis
N/A
N/A
Institutional Goal 3: To enhance student success
Strategic Direction 3.1: Program all activities to enhance student success
Evaluation – Impact – Review
Cycle
Performance Indicator
Increase persistence to 75% and increase six-year graduation
rate to 53% by 2015
Improve support for students placed on probation, suspension,
and students returning to good standing
Undergraduate SAP rate of 85% by
2013
Complete implementation of Datatel Degree Audit and
supporting tools: E-advisor and Smart Reg
Fully operational software
Student Satisfaction Survey
Utilization rate
Develop Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) targeted
academic advising strategies
Improve orientation of students to campus life
Number of professional
development opportunities
Improved GPA, completion rate,
and persistence of students who
attend
Student Satisfaction Survey
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Additional
Resources Needed
N/A
N/A
$52,000 (one fulltime staff member)
Datatel Consulting
Services one-time
set-up fee of
$30,000
N/A
N/A
Increase early alert referrals by 5% each year
Expand availability of General Education courses by 5% each
year for each discipline
Faculty referrals, student responses
resulting in improved student
performance
Waitlist data results
N/A
N/A
Formalize the faculty mentoring process
N/A
Establish an advising plan focused on directing decided
majors to the major-specific advisors
$273,000 (6 new
academic advisors,
one for each
college/school)
N/A
Promote faculty and student engagement
Attrition rates
Engage students through participation in wellness and
recreation programs
NESSE results to be higher than the
national average
Monthly report documenting
N/A
participation by activity
Increase satisfaction rates of residential students by 5%, from
90% to 95%
Student Satisfaction Survey
N/A
Increase capacity of residential life by 110%. Construction of
new student housing would increase the current number of
beds from 320 to 720
Capacity reporting
$20 million for cost
of construction of
new facility plus
operational costs
Expand tutoring services and subject-area workshops
Student Satisfaction Survey
N/A
Overall GPA increase
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d. Strategic Direction 3.2: Program and build facilities to enhance student success
Performance Indicator
Evaluation – Impact – Review
Cycle
Additional
Resources Needed
Increase classroom capacity
Increase classroom capacity in new REK construction by 5
classrooms, capacity of 145
Spring 2009 availability
N/A
Increase classroom capacity in new Classroom Building by 10
classrooms, capacity of 850
Fall 2009 availability
N/A
Increase classroom capacity at ITECC facility by 8
classrooms, capacity of 620
Fall 2009 availability
N/A
Increase classroom capacity in new Science and Technology
Learning Center by 4 classrooms, capacity of 250
Spring 2011 availability
N/A
Review plans for each project
N/A
Inventory all existing faculty offices and maximize space
usage
Facility and inventory reports
N/A
Integrate faculty hiring goals with faculty office spaces
Respond to parking capacity needs
Review all new and renovated construction projects to ensure
that parking space availability is adequate
Results of faculty hiring goals
N/A
Plans for each project
N/A
Examine the feasibility of a shuttle transportation system
Proposals for shuttle transportation
N/A
Increase faculty office capacity
Review all new and renovated construction projects to ensure
adequate faculty offices
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Develop a master plan for parking
Plan and budget for parking master
plan
$30,000 for parking
master plan, onetime fee
Institutional Goal 4: To advance academic and economic development in the region
Strategic Direction 4.1: Develop programs to meet regional needs
Performance Indicator
Increase faculty for 1-year, 3-years, and 5-years based on
academic program reviews and preliminary authority
priorities
Prepare, review, and update a preliminary authority schedule
for degrees and programs on a yearly basis for the next five
years
Evaluation – Impact – Review
Cycle
Number of new faculty by
discipline based on enrollment and
institutional strategic direction
Annual program reviews based on
established schedule over a fiveyear period
Additional
Resources Needed
N/A
Evaluation – Impact – Review
Cycle
Assessment report on status of
goals and performance indicators;
Information used for planning and
budgeting
Information used for planning and
budgeting;
Information becomes part of
institutional effectiveness annual
report;
Additional
Resources Needed
N/A
N/A
C. Conduct ongoing assessment
Performance Indicator
Conduct an annual review and assessment of the enrollment
management plan will be completed by December 2008
Use results of the annual review and assessment of the
enrollment management plan to update the plan and provide
recommendations for change by January 2009
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N/A
Establish benchmarks and performance indicators
Alignment of benchmarks and performance indicators with
institution’s strategic goals
Annual review of benchmarks and
performance indicators as
applicable to enrollment
management and to the strategic
plan
Information becomes part of
institutional effectiveness annual
report; and annual evaluation of
strategic plan
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N/A
N/A
APPENDIX A
As of the 2006-2007 academic year, UTB/TSC offered 34 Bachelor’s Degrees with 63 degree program
options. To comply with the 120 SCH requirement, departments have been asked to evaluate their
programs in light of accreditations guidelines and in comparison to like programs in the state. Each
program of study is being reviewed course-by-course to determine if it meets the needs of the students.
Departments are being asked to reduce programs of study to 120 SCH or to submit a thorough justification
as to why the program of study must exceed the 120 SCH. The following table outlines the semester credit
hours for each baccalaureate program of study offered. Programs that have already made the necessary
reductions are highlighted. Those highlighted in yellow have been reduced to 120 SCH; those highlighted
in blue have been reduced to 125-126, which is the approved range for teacher certification programs;
those highlighted in red are accompanied by an approved justification granting permission for those
programs to exceed 120 SCH.
All baccalaureate programs will be evaluated in light of accreditation guidelines and in comparison to like
programs in the state. Teacher education programs will be revised to 125-126 SCH. All other programs
will be revised to 120 SCH or will have an approved justification.
Bachelor Degree Programs
Four Year Programs of Study
Applied Business Technology
Art
Biology
Business
Accounting
Entrepreneurship
International Business
Management
Service Marketing Management
Chemistry
Communication
Computer Information Systems Technology
Computer Science
Criminal Justice
Correctional Administration
Online Criminology & Criminal Justice
Police Administration
Engineering Physics
Bioengineering
Computer Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Engineering
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2006-2007
SCH
124-126
126
124
2007-2008
SCH
120-122
120
120
2008-2009
SCH
128
120
125
125
125
125
124
120
125
124
120
120
120
120
124
124
120
125
126
126
126
126
126
126
120
128
128
128
128
128
128
128
128
120
120
Technology
Electronic
Manufacturing
Mechanical
English - Minor / No
Minor
Environmental
Sciences
Government
Health Services Technology
History
Interdisciplinary
BAAS
Kinesiology
Kinesiology – Exercise Science
Mathematics - Minor/ No Minor
Music
Guitar
Instrumental
Keyboard
Vocal
Nursing
Physics
Physics - Biophysics Specialization
Psychology
Sociology
Spanish - Minor/ No
minor
Technical Application/ Training
Workforce Leadership/ Supervision
Bachelor Programs – Teacher Certification
BAT (Bachelors of Applied Technology)
Computer Information Systems Technology EC-12
Health Services Technology - Teaching
Elementary Education – Grades Early Childhood through 4th
Grade
Early Childhood through 4th Grade Bilingual Generalist
Early Childhood through 4th Grade English as a Second
Language Generalist
Early Childhood through 4th Grade Generalist/EC-12 Special
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126
127
128
126
127
128
124
120
124
124
120
124
120
124
120
120
124
124
120
124
120
124
120
120
134
128
130
125
127-129
127-128
124
124
120
120
120
120
120
127-129
127-128
124
124
124
124
120
120
120
120
123
123
126
126
125
125
125
125
125
125
120
120
120
120
Education
Middle School – Grades 4th through 8th Grade
English-Language Arts Grades 4th through 8th
Mathematics Grades 4th through 8th
Science Grades 4th through 8th
High School – Grades 8th through 12th
English-Language Arts Grades 8th – 12th
History Grades 8th –
12th
History/Social Studies Grades 8 - 12
Mathematics Grades 8th – 12th
Science Grades 8th –
12th
Chemistry
Biology
Envir. Science
Physics
Spanish Grades 6th –
12th
Early Childhood through 12th Grade
Art – EC-12
Kinesiology – EC-12
Music
(Guitar)
(Instrumental)
(Keyboard)
(Vocal)
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124
126
124
124
126
124
129
126
126
138
126
126
126
126
126
126
129
126
138
124-132
126
126
136
132
131
126
126
126
126