Global Navigation

• SJSU HOME
• MySJSU
• NEWS
• EVENTS
• DIRECTORY
• SEARCH
•  

Breadcrumb Navigation

SJSU Comprehensive Enrollment Management Plan

Introduction

 

Enrollment management covers a range of functions to provide access to collegiate study and to facilitate admission and progress to graduation. In part, the California Master Plan along with the CSU defines access (i.e., specifies admissions requirements for freshmen, transfer, graduate/post baccalaureate and international students). The California Master Plan for Education provides for admission to the California State University (CSU) for all eligible applicants. Eligible applicants include first-time freshmen from the top-third of California high school graduates and transfers from California community colleges to enroll in a CSU.

However, due to high demand (i.e., impaction) some campuses are authorized to have higher standards (supplementary admission criteria) for specific majors and/or all students. Students who are CSU-eligible but who do not meet an impacted campus’ supplemental admission criteria may be denied admission to that specific campus. If so, they are encouraged to apply to a campus that is still accepting applications. Further, campuses may use local admission guarantee policies for students who graduate or transfer from high schools and colleges that are historically served by a CSU campus in that region.

Tracking Enrollment

Headcount and full-time equivalent students (FTES) are two measures used within the CSU to summarize student enrollment. Headcount enrollment refers to the number of students participating in academic programs whereas FTES is used as a measure of instructional units associated with a given headcount enrollment. The CSU sets enrollment targets for its 23 campuses in terms of FTES and has a system-wide accountability process to analyze educational effectiveness in meeting the state’s educational objectives. The CSU accountability process requires reporting outcomes on a regular, cyclical basis. To understand how students persist to degree, annual retention and graduation rates are used.

Enrollment Management at SJSU

Context for Comprehensive Enrollment Management (CEM) Goals

Historically, SJSU has focused enrollment management activity around meeting FTES targets set for SJSU by the CSU Chancellor's office in consultation with the President. The process entails having the Provost identify (following consultation with Deans) enrollment targets at the College level that will result in the University meeting its overall FTES target. From the College level, Deans often set enrollment targets for the departments in their college. In all cases, decisions have been driven by available resources (e.g. physical, human, technology), student demand, regional demand, and changes in disciplines and industry. This has served to make the process a dynamic one as can be seen in the table below.

College	00/01 FTES		01/02 FTES		02/03 FTES		03/04 FTES		04/05 FTES		05/06 FTES
	Assigned	Actual	Assigned	Actual	Assigned	Actual	Assigned	Actual	Assigned	Actual	Assigned	Actual
App. Sci & Arts	2568	2335.73	2535	2362.58	2462	2453.18	2520	2591.07	2604	2998.03	3175
Business	2638	2713.97	3000	2838.50	3250	2948.30	3265	2928	3093	3003.02	3193
Education	1463	1486.82	1525	1509.77	1700	1708.80	1780	1729.53	1768	1609.77	1645
Engineering	1933	1927.68	2025	2076.33	2210	2281.99	2300	2257.57	2258	2198.03	2321
GS&R (Library Sci)	138	148.13	175	171.60	250	207.50	280	189.66	279	**	**
Humanities & Arts	4061	3853.68	4078	4113.23	4349	4388.02	4390	4168.40	4271	4140.60	4440
Science	3638	3356.23	3605	3675.95	3849	3728.87	3792	3403.53	3526	3261.13	3301
Social Science	2892	2772.4	2925	2891.53	3085	3281.35	3250	3288.63	3295	3303.63	3505
Social Work	526	483.1	535	479.17	505	528.17	515	512.10	510	544.23	546
Other	55	67.70	173	81.30	60	87.26	100	59.63	61	63.54	70
University Total	19912	19125.15	20576	20200.87	21720	21613.45	22192	21145.97	21655	21122.00	22196

** Library and Information Science moved to College of Applied Sciences and Arts

 

While this process was responsive to internal and external changes at the department level, there were no university level goals guiding decision making with respect to program and student mix. The comprehensive enrollment management plan, developed within the strategic planning process overall, provides a framework that can be used to guide recruitment efforts as well as align resources with university goals. In addition, the 2010 Goals clearly express the important relationship between retention, graduation and enrollment management.

Current Status of Enrollment Management

At SJSU, enrollment management planning, as envisioned in the CEM, involves determining the long-term shape (i.e., size, composition) and nature (i.e., type of degree programs) of the University as well as improving student learning and daily operations. The real question for SJSU is how to balance issues related to access, quality, retention and graduation as we serve our mission.

As part of the SJSU strategic planning process, the following goals were set for enrollment management.

By 2010 SJSU will have:

2.1 Developed and implemented a comprehensive enrollment management plan that sets an annual enrollment growth target in consultation with the CSU (currently set at 2.3% per annum). Incorporated in that plan are recommended targets for:

• Enrollment distribution between undergraduate and graduate students;
• Enrollment distribution between general fund and self-support programs;
• Enrollment distribution between residential and non-residential students;
• Enrollment distribution between classroom-based and distance-learning instruction;
• Recruitment of specific majors and high-achieving students; and
• Recruitment of high school graduates from entire service area and beyond including
  state, national and international areas.

2.2 Enhanced advising programs to increase retention and reduce time to graduation for all students.

2.3 Obtained measurable improvement in recruitment and retention rates thereby increasing graduation rates by five percentage points.

Strategy

Our strategy is to implement strong practices to facilitate admission and achievement of the baccalaureate/graduate degree at SJSU. We use capacity and performance information to set targets, assess outcomes and plan actions for improvement. The primary indicators related to effective enrollment management are summarized in the chart below.

Enrollment Management Functions

	Academic Program Management		Recruitment	Enrollment	Administration/Communication		Academic Experience
Role	Determine Shape & Nature of University		Increase # of applications to SJSU	Enroll new & continuing students	Provide support services		Provide advising services (faculty connections, curricular and co-curricular activities & events) and tools (degree roadmaps, degree audits)
Outome	Academic Program design and a set of enrollment targets including at the program level		Meet overall and progrram level targets related to admissions and improved service quality				Meet overall and program level targets related to retention, progress to degree and graduation

Through these EM functions, more fully described below, SJSU expects to achieve the Goals in are 2.0 identified above. To accomplish these goals, SJSU intends to implement actions to improve academic program planning; campus monitoring and reporting for undergraduate, credential, and graduate programs; quality in operations; student support services; and advising.

Academic Program Management - The Provost, in consultation with Deans, reviews a wide array of information (e.g. program planning documentation, department and college curriculum committee recommendations; senate curriculum and research recommendations) in the determination of the range of programs to offer and targets set for the number and level (e.g. graduate/undergraduate) of students served. Key variables considered in the decision-making process include capacity and performance. Capacity relates to available resources including personnel (the distribution and expertise of faculty and staff), as well as physical (classrooms, labs), technology, and fiscal (adequate finances to support the delivery of instruction and infrastructure) resources. Performance relates to assessing student learning, the quality of instruction, and retention and graduation. Improved academic program management is expected to enhance efficiency in program design and the processes employed to monitor and disseminate information related to undergraduate, credential, and graduate programs.

Recruitment - Influence the decision of prospective students to apply to SJSU and influence key decision-makers (e.g., counselors in high schools, community colleges) to encourage application to SJSU. Targeted recruitment efforts are intended to increase the number and type of applications to SJSU particularly for programs targeted for growth.

Enrollment - Influence the decision of newly admitted applicants to enroll (particularly in targeted programs) and all continuing students to re-enroll (persist) at SJSU.  Improved quality in operations will be central to strengthening not only the enrollment component of the EM plan but also the recruitment and administrative functions.

Administration/Communication - Process applications and inquiries related to admission, registration, graduation, transcripts, financial aid and housing in a responsive and timely manner with accurate and complete communications. Conduct daily operations to meet enrollment targets related to number and type of applications, admissions, registration (enrollment) and delivery of support services.

Academic Experience - Coordinate curricular and co-curricular programs and activites (with special attention on advising) to support students in choosing a major, selecting courses, attaining their degree, and transitioning to their chosen career. Improvements designed to enhance the students' academic experience will play a key role in keeping students on an efficient pathway to their degree objective.

 

Implementation Plan

This implementation plan is designed to attain the SJSU Goals 2010 related to enrollment management. Our actions are intended to enhance performance reporting, target recruitment activities, and explore best practices in advising and support services. Over the long term, our actions are intended to evolve the current Program Planning process to more effectively support Academic Program Management, improve the quality of services (admissions, enrollment and support) and implement more effective advising practices to facilitate graduation.

Note: Items in red below are in progress or under development.

Function	Actions	Milestones
	Efficiency in Academic Program Design (SJSU Goal 2.1)
Academic Program Management	Phased implementation to Academic Program Management (includes Program Planning, GE Review and Learning Outcomes Assessment). Reduce required units in programs leading to the baccalaureate degree to 120 units where appropriate.	- List of Degree Programs Undergoing 120 Unit Review - Report to Chancellor’s Office “Facilitating Graduation” - Revised Program Planning Guidelines - Required Data Elements, Senate Policy - Learning Outcomes Summary Report - Undergraduate & Graduate Degree Programs - Learning Outcomes Summary Report - GE
	Set enrollment distribution targets (using current profile as baseline and fiscal impact analyses) to achieve CSU assigned FTES target in terms of: % Undergraduate vs Graduate Students % Regular vs Special Session % Residential vs Non-Residential Students % Classroom Instruction vs Distance Learning vs Hybrid Model % Native vs Transfer (LDT & UDT) % Freshmen Needing Remediation % CA Resident (local, state) vs Non-Residential (US, Foreign) % Special Admits	Current Profile 2003–2010 demographics % FTES enrollment distribution retention & graduation rates Fiscal Impact Study
	Campus Monitoring & Feedback of Undergraduate, Graduate & Credential Programs (SJSU Goal 2.3)
	Develop and use scorecards for monitoring performance related to retention and graduation	Provost's Dashboard
	Develop and use scorecards for monitoring, reporting and improving performance related to admissions and graduation in order to improve retention, progress to degree and graduation rates	Provost's Dashboard
	Provide appropriate funding and support to facilitate graduation	- Budgetary Process - RPB Allocations - Financial Reporting
	Quality in Operations - Admissions, Enrollment, Administration/Communication (SJSU Goal 2.3)
Recruitment	Targeted recruitment for specific majors, high-achieving students and graduate students	Recruitment Plan
	Targeted recruitment of high school graduates from service area and beyond	Recruitment Plan
Enrollment	Improve enrollment rate of newly admitted undergraduate and graduate students	Provost's Dashboard
	Improve enrollment and retention rate of continuing undergraduate and graduate students	Provost's Dashboard
Administration	Improve registration practices (best practices study)	Discussion Guide & Campus Visits
	Improve support services delivery	- Specify Standards of Service - Provide Service Training
	Improve timeliness and frequency of communications with students regarding admission and enrollment	Communication Plan & Report
	Supporting Students in Choosing an Efficient Pathway to the Baccalaureate (Goal 2.2)
Academic Experience	Emphasis on graduation in orientation and First Year Experience (FYE) programs for freshmen and transfer students. Expand FYE to cover all freshmen and transfer students	Senate Policies governing MUSE
	Strengthened support for GE for Lower-Division Students	Revised GE Guidelines
	Strengthened support for Life/Career Goal clarification for Lower-Division Students	Draft FYE Goals
	Prominent association of career outcomes with undergraduate and graduate degree majors in catalogs & other student informational materials & resources	Career Counseling - services, publications, website
	Emphasis on early choice of degree major supported by learning communities, and development of personal study plan	- Advising - Learning Communities (Humanities Honors Program, Housing?) - Peer Mentoring
	Tools to Keep Students on Efficient Pathways to the Baccalaureate, Credential & Masters Degree (Goal 2.2)
	Wide promulgation of roadmaps to undergraduate/graduate degree	Roadmaps Published
	Alignment of Undergraduate & Graduate Degree Program Class Schedules to Roadmaps	Program Planning
	Individual Student Study Plans mapped to degree	CMS Capability?
	Use of Cumulated Individual Student Study Plans in planning Class Schedules	CMS Capability?
	Adoption of Strategies for Student Success	- Academic Success Center - Writing Center - Peer Mentoring - Tutoring - Plan for co-curricular activities - Incentives to increase student-faculty contact
	Enforce policies that limit or discourage drops, withdrawals, and grades of incomplete	- Policy & Reports of granted exceptions for drops & withdrawals - Senate discussion - policy to discourage incompletes
	Strong Advising Strategies and Practices (Goal 2.2)
	Provide rich CMS information and communications environment for Major Advising	- Degree Audits - MySJSU - Individual Student Study Plans
	Strengthen Advising – timely, mandatory upon declaring or changing a major	- Best Practices Study - Planning efforts beetwen UPC EM panel, advising providers, and Senate coordinated - Advising Holds
	Frequent use of degree audits	CMS Tracking
	Degree audits in a declared major not later than 70 semester units	- Automated Degree Audits for Students with 60-80 units via MySJSU - Advising Holds (Major Declaration Policy)
	Mandatory advising as student approaches/ exceeds minimum units required for degree	Advising Holds for Students with 90-100 units (New Policy)
	Mandatory advising for graduate students before they register for third semester	Advising Holds (New Policy)