This article describes efforts to improve retention and graduation rates at the University of Texas at San Antonio, a large Hispanic serving institution (HSI). One college within the university is focusing on increasing retention and graduation rates primarily by building relationships and capitalizing on university resources. In addition to…

Those who come in contact with students at the post-secondary level face a myriad of potential legal challenges in their interactions with students and others. All members of the academic community should be familiar with the more common legal issues and to plan accordingly to avoid future problems. This article explores FERPA in the classroom,…

Since its inception in Texas a baker's dozen years ago, educators look forward with every new legislative session to another round of discussion about the "top 10 percent rule," which guarantees admission to the state's public universities for these talented high school graduates. Originally passed as a way to increase enrollment of…

It might seem axiomatic that the character of a university's academic experience would be reflected in the character of its admissions processes. Unfortunately, it is not--at least, not in the world of continuing and adult education. Universities that offer rich academic programs, high-quality student/faculty relationships, and top-quality…

The author once was a student in a graduate seminar taught by the president of the university where he was a mid-level administrator. The course focused on what it takes to be the chief executive of a university. The university president was the only one of the ten presidents under whom the author served who embraced the role of a college…

One may be in a situation where he/she feels frustrated and confused by certain behaviors that make his/her life difficult. Fortunately, in their international bestseller, "Dealing with People You Can't Stand: How to Bring Out the Best in People at Their Worst," Dr. Rick Brinksman and Dr. Rick Kirschner provide a strategy for dealing with ten of…

When it's annual review time, are you frustrated or overwhelmed by the task of remembering an employee's performance throughout the year? Do you ever feel that if you took notes on each task set within the year, it would be easier for you to summarize the evaluation? There is a way to make everyone's life a little easier when giving or receiving…

Admissions committee members often speak of "it" as an important consideration during the admissions process; however, empirical evidence documenting the efficacy of "it" as a basis for admission is scarce. The purpose of this research was to test the validity of student-institution it as a significant predictor of college success--specifically,…

Given the current economics of public higher education, enrollment management plays an increasingly significant role in institutional strategy. This qualitative case study explores three leading public universities to understand the dynamics at work. Each institution's relationship with the state, desire for a private enrollment model, and growing…

Enrollment management is an institutional function that has enjoyed burgeoning attention since the 1970s. The primary function of enrollment management is to control the size and composition of students within an institution. As the number of higher education institutions increased and as the number of high school graduates stagnated--particularly…

The first article in this two-part series focused on the need for enrollment management conceptual and organizational models to focus more intentionally and purposefully on efforts related to improving student learning, success, and persistence. Time and again, SEM is viewed from a conventional lens comprising marketing, recruitment and …

Early alert strategies are an increasingly common way to address students' ongoing needs for greater academic and social engagement by enabling a positive campus environment and appropriate academic support; Kuh et al. find these to be necessary engagement conditions. Young and Fry show the benefits of student metacognition, or awareness of…

Where do students find out about courses they might take? Potentially, from just about anywhere: friends, bulletin boards, department Web sites, advisors, e-mails, or flyers posted in the halls. Of course, some of these sources are more trustworthy than others. Where should students go to get reliable information that can help them make wise…

Many factors affect an institution's ability to provide campus visitors a high-quality experience: traffic, parking deterrents, street people, navigation mazes, concrete facades, and political agendas, among others. These challenges can be particularly significant for large public, metro, or suburban institutions. Changes as simple as the…

Road runner. File jockey. Advisor. Public speaker. Recruiter. At any given time, an admissions counselor fits one, some, or all of these descriptors. While all of these descriptors indicate an important function within a college or university, none reflects the increasingly complex nature of the role of an admissions counselor in strategic…