Strategic Enrollment Management Committee to Help MU Officials Plan for Future

April 21st, 2017

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Today, University of Missouri Provost Garnett Stokes announced the creation of the Strategic Enrollment Management Committee that will advise MU officials on a comprehensive approach to enrollment planning. The committee is expected to shape Mizzou’s enrollment future at a critical time in institutional history and take a holistic approach to enrollment planning.

“The plan from this committee will be the first of many formal, strategic opportunities to advance our enrollment efforts,” said Pelema Morrice, vice provost for enrollment management and co-chair of the committee. “This committee will help the university create a detailed assessment and strategic plan that will provide us with a clear and achievable road map to meet short-, mid- and long-term goals.”

“When I interviewed Dr. Morrice, it was clear that we shared a vision that MU’s enrollment management could be broader and more comprehensive so that it builds not only strong first-year class, but also a strong student body,” Stokes said. “To do this, we will need to increase student retention and build alternative student pipelines into MU. The Strategic Enrollment Management Committee is being put in place to achieve this.”

During the current recruiting period, admissions recruiters continue to experience stronger interest from prospective students and parents inside the state of Missouri compared to prospective students and parents from outside the state. Additionally, student retention rates continue to be among the highest in recent years, which indicates that current students are thriving and having a vibrant experience that will provide them with the tools they need to be competitive in their chosen fields, Morrice said.

The new committee will review what is offered to prospective students and suggest strategies for strengthening MU’s ability to manage enrollment in the future. The committee is charged with developing institutional strategic efforts and policy initiatives related to enrollment efforts. Committee members will review the following:

• institutional market research
• institutional marketing and communications plans
• student recruitment plans
• student success planning
• student yield, retention and degree persistence
• student academic quality
• tuition and financial models

“We will develop strategies to maximize student recruitment and student success efforts, generate good market research, and strengthen our institutional infrastructure,” said Pat Okker, interim dean of the College of Arts and Science and co-chair of the committee. “The overarching goal is to ensure a thriving postsecondary ecosystem for future and current Tigers, as well as alumni. Additionally, this is an opportunity for us to evaluate the optimal class size for Mizzou, which is a subject that we have discussed informally for a long time.”

In addition to Morrice and Okker, members of the committee will include key campus stakeholders, including, but not limited to: four faculty members, two staff members and two students.

A series of subcommittees will report to the Strategic Enrollment Management Committee and focus on core content areas, including market research, student recruitment, marketing and communications, and student success. The subcommittees also will provide more opportunities for faculty, staff and students to be involved in the committee’s work.

“This committee will help us create our strategy for the future in the years to come,” Morrice said. “We continue to expect high-quality, but fewer, first-time college students for the next year or two. We expect this committee to complete its work over the next 12 to 18 months.”

More information on the committee can be found here: https://enrollment.missouri.edu/strategic-enrollment-management-committee/