Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM)
October 8, 2009
RETAINING ONLINE STUDENTS: A
STUDENT AFFAIRS PERSPECTIVE
OVERVIEW
Best Practices – Online
Student Retention
Online Orientation
Communication and
Automation
Social networking
It sometimes feels like this!
RIO SALADO COLLEGE
One of Maricopa Community Colleges
Public, community college – open access
Focus on Learning, Innovating and Partnering
Three high enrollment areas
Online Learning
Dual Enrollment
Partnerships – business, government and community
RIO SALADO COLLEGE
Total 61, 500 credit and non-credit students annually Credit
Headcount
50,700 Credit
10, 500 non-credit
7700 ABE
•
•
Distance Learning:
36,000 online
•
16% increase
Dual Enrollment
•
6,000 students
RIO SALADO COLLEGE – ONLINE STUDENT
Diverse
Needs, goals, preparedness
The typical student
Female
Average Age 26
Working
Time Strapped
Savvy Online Consumer
Digital native
88% in AZ
NONTRADITIONAL UNDERGRADUATES
Delays enrollment
Attends part-time
Works full-time (35+ hours per week)
Financially independent
Has dependents other than spouse
Is a single parent
Does not have a high school diploma
Minimally nontraditional
Only one of the seven
Moderately nontraditional
Two or three of the seven
Highly nontraditional
Four or more
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) – nces.ed.gov
NONTRADITIONAL UNDERGRADUATES
Public, two year
Convenience
Participate in distance learning
Flexibility
Access
Attend a for-profit
ONLINE LEARNERS
Convenience
Flexibility
Sense of connection with the institution
Sense of connection with other learners in the institution
Online learning success tips
Help with technology
Beede, M., & Burnett, D. (1999) Planning for Student Services: Best Practices for the 21st Century.
Ann Arbor: Society for College and University Planning.
HOW WE DO IT!
Systems approach
Collaboration
Cross-functional teams
Integrated systems and processes
One source of data, electronic
Consistent information, common interfaces
Technology – enable not as solution
THE RIGHT MIX
Access to resources
Timely
Convenient
What they need when they need it!
Intentional communication
Personalized
Data driven
Connection with other students
On their terms
ACCESS TO RESOURCES
BEST PRACTICE PARADIGM
One size does not fit all
Multiple locations
Multiple delivery formats
Ease of access
Clear, concise and consistent message
MULTIPLE POINTS OF ACCESS
Registration Confirmation
Quick Start page
RioLearn Tutorial
RioLounge Online
Orientation
New to Rio Icon
Online workshops (time management, stress)
WIMBA
Snail mail (postcard)
Outreach contact
Inbound contact
Advisement
Counseling
Enrollment
Chat
Phone
Tools
QUICK START GUIDE
Step 1: Is my computer ready
Step 2: Find my mini syllabus
Step 3: Order your
Textbooks
Step 4: Obtain your username and Password
Step 5: Log into
RioLearn
RIOLEARN TUTORIAL http://multimedia.riosalado.edu/ISTrain/riolearnvid/StudentMenu/Stu dentMenu.html
ORIENTATION
ELECTRONIC STUDENT SYSTEM (ESF)
ESF STUDENT VIEW
INTENTIONAL COMMUNICATION
BEST PRACTICES PARADIGM
Get to know your student body
Identify what attracts students to your institution
Collect actionable data
Know the data that already exists (behavioral, demographic etc.)
Communication intentionally and in a timely manner
Personalize the communication – make sure it pertains to the student
CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT (CRM)
Is a business strategy and a technology solution
Focus on managing customer (student) relationship in:
Marketing
Recruitment
Communication
Services support
Retention and persistence
Benefit the organization by providing opportunities for automation
Places the customer in the “center of the universe”
CRM AT RIO SALADO COLLEGE
Launched Microsoft CRM in August 2007
Initial focus was on Recruitment
Purchase list
Align Phone Campaign with Marketing Efforts
Information Request Page, Incoming ACD Calls,
SiteMax Chat
High School Info Cards Entered
CRM AT RIO SALADO COLLEGE
Retention and Retention Efforts
Sequential Course Emails
Ashford University Process Improvement
New To RioLearn
Life Happens
Declare a Degree Campaign Trial
CRM WORKFLOWS
Using existing data to automate communication
Enrollment histories and demographics
Advisement records
Assignment & test scores
Participation in extracurricular activities (social networking)
OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS
Campaign
Ashford
CHD Phone Calls
CTE Info Request
Declare a Degree Campaign Trial
EDU Endorsements
ESP Progressive 7/1/07 - 6/30/08
Information Requests Follow Up
Life Happens
New to RioLearn
OC ACD- Info Request
Sequential Course Trial Campaign
Total
Contacted
50
310
19
295
155
14
3,288
503
41
19
70
4,764
Average Number to Contact
2
1
1
2
2
2
4
1
1
2
1
1
Number
Converted
Converted
Rate
14 28.00%
84 27.10%
2 10.53%
93 31.53%
23 14.84%
2 14.29%
384 11.68%
130 25.84%
14 34.15%
8 42.11%
35 50.00%
789 26%
RECRUITMENT OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS
Campaigns Total Contacted Average Number to Contact Number Converted Converted Rate
42 8880 1.16
835 10.83%
PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS
Behavioral Information
Seven characteristics
Surveys to gage enrollment patterns
Enrollment patterns
Participation in
Orientations
Engagement with emails
Participation in cocurricular activities
(RioLounge)
CONNECT WITH OTHER STUDENTS
BEST PRACTICES
Don’t be afraid of social media!
INCREASED PARTICIPATION
Average Riolounge
Accounts Created Per Day
Post SSO Pre-SSO
71.28
11.64
RIOLOUNGE @ GLANCE
4216 students have uploaded 1624 pictures , posted 539 notes , and set
300 goals for themselves so far this year
KEY FEATURES
Student Orientation to Online Learning
Required Reading
Get Ready to Start
Info About your Online Course
Know Where to Get Help
Discussion Boards
Form Study Groups
Meet new students
KEY FEATURES
Personal profile (Facebook or My Space)
Program/Course Groups created by faculty to engage students outside of RioLearn
Access to other Student Services
Ask A Librarian
Helpdesks
COOL FEATURES!
UFindIt Contest – Sponsored by
EducationDynamics.
Engages student to learn more about Rio and other subjects such as Fine Arts, Sports & Health,
Student Life, and Science & Technology
Student wins $300 Gift Card
RIOLOUNGE
RIO LOUNGE DEMO
WHAT WILL THE FUTURE BRING?
