Exploration of Faculty and Administrators' Perception of Enrollment Management Components at a Historically Black College and University

Abstract

Enrollment management structures, models, and activities have been embraced by many colleges and universities as an institutional practice. Some institutions, however, experience challenges to implementation because of a lack of human and financial resources, campus understanding and awareness. For minority serving institutions, particularly a number of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), this is the case. Shifts in student populations, policy, internal and external challenges exist. These challenges are evident at the HBCU (called Truth University in this document) where the current study was conducted. First, leadership at the HBCU questioned whether the financial investment was worth onboarding enrollment management. Second, there has been unstable leadership which impeded the critical decision making process necessary to support enrollment management. Finally, there was a question of whether enrollment management practices were an affordable and feasible option at Truth University with low enrollment numbers and constant staff turnover. This study examined faculty and administrators’ perceptions of enrollment management practices at this Historically Black College and University on the East Coast. Purposeful sampling of a cross section of 124 faculty and administrators employed at the institution with direct and indirect influence on enrollment management was used. Data were collected on the various enrollment components including: marketing, recruitment, academic advising, career services, academic support, institutional research, orientation, and financial aid, retention, and student services. Survey questions sought responses to the existence, effectiveness and the importance of 54 individual enrollment management components at the institution. Additional data were collected on two additional questions regarding the perceived existing enrollment management structure at the institution and the perceived enrollment management structure most important to effective enrollment management implementation at the institution. With only a few exceptions, faculty and administrators exhibited an overall lack of awareness of enrollment management practices at Truth University. To the extent that they are aware of what practices exist at Truth, they generally feel that the activities are not effective. However, the respondents acknowledge the importance of enrollment components. Interestingly, there were few differences between the faculty and the administrators in these perceptions. The implications of these results for Truth University were discussed in light of these findings.