With the introduction of new standards for electronic records and transcripts and other changes within higher education, a perfect storm is forming that challenges the 30 years of electronic data exchange (EDX) work. This article outlines the threat to the work and uses recent data to explore the landscape around the past, present, and future. In…

In order to help assist all students, with or without disabilities, SUNY Corning Community College (CCC), located in the Southern Tier of New York, chose to purchase a new software embedded directly into its LMS platform, Blackboard, called Blackboard Ally. This software is designed to automatically calculate the compliance of a document, video,…

On March 13, 2020, the coronavirus pandemic was declared a national emergency. Late that afternoon, Montgomery County Community College staff received notice to leave at the close of the day and prepare to be out for two weeks. This was the case for many around the country. This article highlights how Montco's enrollment management department…

The unique nature of 2020 had the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) focusing on creating more benchmarking changes in practice and policy in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and less on its surveys or other projects. However, they also engaged with the American Council on Education (ACE) in a large…

Enrollment Management offices serve a vital role in the recruitment and retention of students. Despite the rapid evolution of the field, little research exists exploring the competencies needed for success. A job advertisement analysis identified a number of similar competencies needed across enrollment management, as well as competencies unique…

Challenges confronting higher education have led to outcomes-driven approaches such as performance-based funding, forced greater emphasis on student persistence and completion, and spurred campus-wide student success efforts. In examining ways to achieve integrated student success efforts across campus, this article explores issues related to…

Pandemics have been, by their very nature, disruptive and have produced long-lasting change. The current pandemic is no exception to creating chaos and disruption, and higher education is not immune to its disruption. The virus has shed a spotlight on many of higher education's inefficiencies and antiquated educational delivery paradigms, but it…

The literature on college choice is extensive and navigating it for purposes of review is complicated by the dual meaning given to the word choice. To clarify, in this article, the phrase "college choice" refers to the concept defined by Don Hossler and Karen Gallagher in their seminal 1987 article entitled "Studying Student College…

As institutions grapple with the challenges of keeping students from contracting COVID-19, classroom scheduling and space analysis have become central to assigning courses to physical classrooms. One question institutional leaders ask is whether some courses create a higher risk of exposure based on the number of students who are directly or…

In this article, Staci Phelan interviews the following enrollment management team members from Idaho State University: James Martin, Director of Financial; Debbie Green, Director of Scholarships; Nicole Joseph, Director of Admissions; and Brooke Barber, Director of New Student Orientation. The following questions are addressed in this interview:…

Research over the last decade has pointed to a soft skills gap between employers' expectations and students' workforce preparedness after they graduate (Stewart, et al. 2016; Hart Research Associates 2015). While public opinion often criticizes colleges and universities for failing to prepare graduates, there is also a disconnect between employers…

This study investigated the relationship between institutional graduation rates of students with Pell grants and institutional/financial aid characteristics. Study findings suggest that increasing the proportion of Pell recipients was related to a decrease in Pell student graduation rates, while increasing institutional grants was associated with…

The importance of information is seldom centered in modern college access, college disparities, and college-going discussions. This article situates information and how it shapes college pursuits and intensifies inequities, particularly for minoritized groups. Specifically, the author unpacks two components from the Iloh Model of College-Going…

Emerging regulations require higher education financial aid staff to handle many tasks. Complying with these regulations and participating in mandated compliance audits are complex processes that require numerous departments to work in concert. This article discusses what steps colleges and universities can take to improve their compliance audits.…

This article highlights a two-year institution's efforts to deliver personalized guidance and direction to students, providing essential support resources in hope of facilitating meaningful connections that will lead to increased enrollment, persistence, retention, and three-year graduation rates. The project includes efforts by student services…