1. Business Model Canvas
1.1. Key Partners
1.1.1. Provost
1.1.2. outside partners, if contracting out for building facilities
1.1.3. enrollment staff
1.1.4. president
1.1.5. Housing Department
1.1.6. housing assignment staff
1.1.7. administrators and professors
1.2. Key Activities
1.2.1. Collaboration between multiple facets
1.2.2. authority to run the organization with the power of the provost
1.2.3. creation of new programs and organizations
1.2.4. creation of new buildings and housing facilities
1.2.5. hiring new professional staff to organize and coordinate activities and programs
1.2.6. coordinate with universities as to a plan of action/strategic plan to implement changes
1.2.7. garner feedback and interest in our actions from other universities
1.3. Key Resources
1.3.1. continued or increased enrollment and housing leases for revenue
1.3.2. increased on campus housing
1.3.3. staff that want to be involved and are dedicated to the cause
1.4. Value Proposition
1.4.1. Helping increase retention and graduation rates
1.4.2. revitalize and redefine enrollment procedures
1.4.3. performance
1.4.4. overall appearance and rating among other universities within the same field
1.5. Customer Relationship
1.5.1. The students expect to get a good education and experience
1.5.2. The University expects the students to stay until graduation
1.6. Customer Segments
1.6.1. Incoming Students
1.6.2. Universities and Colleges
1.6.3. Mid-year students already enrolled in college
1.7. Revenue Stream
1.7.1. tuition
1.7.2. classroom fees
1.7.3. federal grants
1.7.4. housing fees
1.8. Channels
1.8.1. Increase on-campus housing for upper class students
1.8.1.1. could make it connected to academics by tying preference numbers it into GPA standards
1.8.2. Create 3 year major tracks as an option for students, but not as the norm
1.8.3. Increase leadership, outreach, and student involvement programs and opportunities
1.8.4. Orientation Classes
1.8.5. Create and promote summer programs
1.8.6. Recruit the right people to come to your university
1.8.6.1. get people to come to the university that want to be here and are here for a purpose
1.8.7. Be selective in recruiting and encourage those who don't get accepted for the fall enter for spring and are contingent for the fall depending on summer grades
1.8.8. incorporate students into more on campus jobs that may usually be outsourced or offered to local community members outside of the university (dining, cleaning, etc.)
2. Enrollment and graduation rates may be on the rise, but it is not due to increased retention programs. If you compare two different years, graduation rates rise because you are shoving more people into the university and, by the average, more people will graduate.
3. Solutions:
3.1. Increase on-campus housing for upper class students
3.1.1. could make it connected to academics by tying preference numbers it into GPA standards
3.2. Create 3 year major tracks as an option for students, but not as the norm
3.3. Increase leadership, outreach, and student involvement programs and opportunities
3.4. Orientation Classes
3.5. Create and promote summer programs
3.6. Recruit the right people to come to your university
3.6.1. get people to come to the university that want to be here and are here for a purpose
3.7. Be selective in recruiting and encourage those who don't get accepted for the fall enter for spring and are contingent for the fall depending on summer grades
3.8. incorporate students into more on campus jobs that may usually be outsourced or offered to local community members outside of the university (dining, cleaning, etc.)
4. School focus more on increasing enrollment and graduation than retention
4.1. Problem: Retention VS. Enrollment + Graduation
5. Initial Responses
5.1. From colleagues
5.1.1. The numbers are diluted by failing and smal private universities
5.1.2. Retention is already being focus on at many universities because of the increased number of graduation rates
5.1.3. Increased retention rates would be good for the university system because it would directly increase graduation and indirectly increase enrollment
5.1.4. The 3 year graduate program will be too much for students because they can't even finish in 4 years.
5.2. From people outside higher ed.
5.2.1. Why are they spending public money on bolstering their private initiatives?
5.2.2. Creating initiatives to keep graduate students in 3 years inflates the job market
5.2.3. keeping students in school is great because now we will have more educated individuals entering the eorkforce
6. Researching similar issues around the country shows freshman to sophomore year attrition rates average 32% nationally (Raymundo, 2003).
7. "The major problem with the graduation rate as a measure is that it is usually a misleading indicator of an institution's capacity to retain its students" (Astin, 2004)
8. Belmont University has created a full-time professional position to “enhance the quality of the undergraduate experience, particularly as it pertains to sophomores" (“Jobs: director of,” 2011).
9. Potential outcomes
9.1. Increased interest in retention procedures and initiatives from universities across the country
9.2. Increased graduation rates due to the increased retention rates
9.3. Increased school rating because of the increased graduation rates
9.4. Increased enrollment due to increase alumni support (from increased graduations) and school ratings
9.5. Students will stay at one university to complete their degree because they enjoy the university
9.6. Increased summer programs to help the transition between high school and college
9.7. Increased revenue for the university through alumni support and increased enrollment and interaction
10. Data to support outcomes
10.1. Less years to retain
10.1.1. If students are in school for a shorter period of time, then less programs are required to retain them.
10.2. Decreases cost
10.2.1. "At non-elite colleges, especially privates, many students drop out because of cost. And a major factor in cost is time to degree, which increases significantly when a student changes majors" (Marty, 2008).
10.2.2. Transferring universities also increases time to degree
10.3. First-Year Experience Course
10.3.1. "Madonna University has seen its freshman-dropout rate decrease sharply since it started a similar course in 1990, says Sister Nancy Marie Jamroz, vice-president for student life. The university now requires all traditional-age freshmen to take an orientation course, called College 101, in their first or second semester" (Geraghty, 1996)
10.3.2. "A number of colleges now require freshmen to take a course that provides them with basic information about campus resources and gives them suggestions about ways to adapt to the college environment" (Geraghty, 1996).
10.4. Second-Year Experience Course
10.4.1. Creating a “Sophomore Year Experience” has started to take hold at many universities including Stanford, Belmont, Emory University, Fairfield University, Greenville College, Hiram College, Indiana Wesleyan, University Kennesaw, State University, Loyola College, Macalaster College, McPherson College, Moravian College, Northeastern State, University, and more...