The effects of initiatives taken by 43 private liberal arts colleges in order to maintain enrollment were assessed in 1983 as part of a 10-year study. Research objectives were to identify: institutions where officials engaged in early planning (1978 or before) to moderate enrollment decline; key strategies employed; key operating ratios resulting from these strategies; outcomes of the strategies; and correlates of success among the operating ratios employed. Operating ratios referred to the ratios of students to personnel and programs (e.g., students to counselors, students to programs). Presidents of the colleges responded to key questions about their plans and rated the emphasis they were placing on 22 commonly used enrollment initiatives. Enrollment indexes were developed for each institution using 1978 as a base year and 1983 as the end-of-period year. For the most part, the colleges planned to offer more programs, more internships, and more high demand programs (e.g., business, computer science, health science). They also planned to strengthen various student services, and to reach out more effectively to older students, returning students, and minority students. High ratios of students to programs and students to career planning and placement officers emerged as significant correlates of success in enrollment maintenance. (SW)