Department of Education to Present at the Annual Meeting

Representatives from the U.S. Department of Education will give a General Session presentation on Monday, April 2. Jeff Baker, Director of the Policy Liaison and Implementation Staff for Federal Student Aid, advises senior FSA management on statutory, regulatory, and policy matters related to the Title IV Federal student aid programs. David Bergeron, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning and Innovation for the Office of Postsecondary Education, is responsible for the program budget for the federal postsecondary education programs as well as legislative, regulatory, and other policies affecting the Department’s postsecondary education programs including federal student aid. Their “Department of Education Federal Update” will present up-to-date information on a number of Department of Education activities and initiatives.

Registration and Hotel Reservations

There is less than a month before the early bird registration deadline for the Annual Meeting. Register before February 17 and save $100 off of your fee! You may also reserve your room in the AACRAO room block at our host hotels: the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown or the Courtyard Philadelphia Downtown. You may book your room online or by calling (800) 266- 9432.

Important Note About Hotels: We encourage you to reserve your room through AACRAO’s housing block, which reduces housing penalties for the association and helps us keep meeting expenses low for you. In addition, we advise you to be aware of any unsolicited e-mails from third-party agents regarding hotel rooms for the Annual Meeting. Please be aware that such companies are NOT affiliated with AACRAO and that we discourage you from making your room reservations through such organizations. So please reserve your room through the AACRAO room block to receive the best rates and to ensure the security of your transaction.

Annual Meeting Registration Brochure Available for Download

Download the AACRAO Annual Meeting Registration Brochure and view our broad range of sessions and workshops, as well as hotel, travel, and registration information in one, easily downloadable format! Additional information on the meeting is available online.

Mummers to Perform at the Opening Reception

The Mummers are a Philadelphia tradition. Each New Year’s day, the Mummers Parade features 10,000 people performing on one of the city’s main streets. The lavish costumes and lively music and performances are highlights of the day. AACRAO is pleased to announce that the Uptown String Band will be performing during the Opening Reception at the Annual Meeting. Come to the exhibit hall on Sunday, April 1 and see the Mummers in person. It’s sure to be an experience to remember! Learn more about the Mummers.

For additional information or questions, contact AACRAO:
E-mail: meetings@aacrao.org
Phone: (202) 293-9161
Web: http://www.aacrao.org/meetings/2012AnnualMeeting.aspx

AACRAO is pleased to announce that Eric Greitens will be the opening presenter at the Annual Meeting. Greitens, a Navy SEAL, Rhodes Scholar, Draper Richards fellow, and award-winning and best-selling author, is founder of The Mission Continues. After returning from Iraq, Eric donated his combat pay to found The Mission Continues, which empowers wounded veterans to begin new lives as leaders at home. For his work, he received the President’s Volunteer Service Award.

Greitens is an expert on how to lead teams, communities, and organizations through situations of extreme hardship and challenge. Greitens has led teams through the hardest military training in the world, created hope in some of the world’s most difficult situations of poverty and war, and inspired wounded veterans around the country to begin to serve again in their communities here at home.

To learn more, and to register for AACRAO’s 98th Annual Meeting, please visit: http://www.aacrao.org/meetings/2012AnnualMeeting.aspx

These leaders learned critical strategies for operating in a down economy and methods to align institutional mission, enrollment goals and planning to improve institutional outcomes. Presentations were delivered by Bob Bontrager, Senior Director of AACRAO Consulting and SEM Initiatives, Jay Goff, Vice President of Enrollment and Retention at Saint Louis University, and Kevin Pollock, President of St. Clair County Community College.

Bontrager shared the importance of data-driven decision making on college campuses and how long term planning is essential for achieving student and institutional goals through strategic enrollment management. Goff covered tuition elasticity, institutional budgets, and education capacity. He described educational capacity as a planning and quality assurance concept and complex management issue that incorporates many variables for a residential research university. Pollock highlighted how SEM can provide leaders of educational institutions with the tools to connect community, regional, and national initiatives with campus goals. He acknowledged that SEM can help to create a data-driven culture that is focused on student success.

The day’s events culminated in a thought-provoking discussion about the nature of SEM. It is not just about financial targets. Indeed, SEM can pave the way for achieving student success and can break down silos at an institution. You can view the recently concluded program at www2.aacrao.org/symposium.

For more information on the SEM Conference including featured speakers, the conference program, or registration information please visit http://www2.aacrao.org/sem21/.

Would you like to take advantage of the expertise of an AACRAO Senior Consultant? Join the AACRAO Senior Consultants at the 2011 AACRAO SEM Conference, October 30 – November 2, 2011 in San Diego.

AACRAO Consulting’s senior consultants have a wealth of experience in various facets of higher education. To find out how you can take advantage of this opportunity, please see the 2011 SEM Conference list of session descriptions at http://www2.aacrao.org/sem21/program.html. The Senior Consultants will be presenting or co-presenting at the following sessions and workshops:

Sunday, October 30, 2011
 
Building Institutional Capacity to Enhance Student Persistence
Presenter(s):
Clayton A Smith, Vice-Provost, Students & International, University of Windsor
Susan M Gottheil, Vice-Provost (Students), University of Manitoba
 
Financial Aid in Canada and the United States: Trends, Pitfalls and Best Practices
Presenter(s):
Tom Green, Senior Consultant, AACRAO Consulting (AC)
Peter Dueck, Executive Director, Enrolment Services, University of Manitoba
 
The Core Concepts of SEM
Presenter(s):
Alicia K Moore, Dean of Student & Enrollment Services, Central Oregon Community College
Wayne Sigler, Director of Admissions, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
 

Monday, October 31, 2011
 
Campus-Based Strategies to Retain Students in Higher Education: Part 1
Presenter(s):
W. Scott Swail, President & CEO, Educational Policy Institute
Jay Goff, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Retention Management, Saint Louis University
Kimberly Landis, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Educational Policy Institute
 
Campus-Based Strategies to Retain Students in Higher Education: Part 2
Presenter(s):
W. Scott Swail, President & CEO, Educational Policy Institute
Kimberly Landis, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Educational Policy Institute
Jay Goff, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Retention Management, Saint Louis University
 
Using Data to Measure, Document and Support Student Success Programs
Presenter(s):
Tom Green, Senior Consultant, AACRAO Consulting (AC)
William Franklin, Associate Vice President for Student Success, California State University – Dominguez Hills
Susan Borrego, Vice President, Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, California State University – Dominguez Hills
 
Wishin’ for a Mission: Creating a SEM-Based Vision, Mission and Values
Presenter(s):
Christopher Tremblay, Executive Director of Enrollment Management, University of Michigan-Dearborn
Stanley E Henderson, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management and Student Life, University of Michigan-Dearborn
 
Student Engagement and SEM: A Shared Vision for Institutional Effectiveness and Student Success
Presenter(s):
Clayton A Smith, Vice-Provost, Students & International, University of Windsor
Alicia K Moore, Dean of Student & Enrollment Services, Central Oregon Community College
 
Significance of Dual Enrollment Programs in Designing Hispanic Student Success: Becoming College Ready Early
Presenter(s):
Nicolas Gonzalez, High School Programs & Services Liason, South Texas College
William Serrata, Vice President for Student Affairs & Enrollment Management, South Texas College
Kimberly McKay, Dean of Enrollment Services, South Texas College

 
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
 
Four-Year Private Institution Round Table
Facilitator(s):
Jay Goff, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Retention Management, Saint Louis University
 
Canadian Institution Round Table
Facilitator(s):
Susan M Gottheil, Vice-Provost (Students), University of Manitoba
 
Using Student Tracker to Guide SEM Strategies
Presenter(s):
Stanley E Henderson, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management and Student Life, University of Michigan-Dearborn
Don Hossler, Executive Director of the Research Center, National Student Clearinghouse
 
Two-Year Institution Round Table
Facilitator(s):
William Serrata, Vice President for Student Affairs & Enrollment Management, South Texas College
 
Four-Year Public Institution Round Table
Facilitator(s):
Wayne Sigler, Director of Admissions, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
 
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
 
Continental Breakfast and Four-Year Panel Discussion
Presenter(s):
Clayton A Smith, Vice-Provost, Students & International, University of Windsor
Susan Leigh, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management, DePaul University
Ms. Jane H. Dane, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management, Old Dominion University
 
Seminar for Experienced SEM Professionals
Presenter(s):
Tom Green, Senior Consultant, AACRAO Consulting (AC)
 
Seminar for New SEM Professionals
Presenter(s):
Alicia K Moore, Dean of Student & Enrollment Services, Central Oregon Community College
 
Continental Breakfast and Two-Year Panel Discussion
Facilitator(s):
William Serrata, Vice President for Student Affairs & Enrollment Management, South Texas College
Presenter(s):
Danny Aynes, Director of Enrollment Services/Registrar, Linn-Benton Community College
Kimberly McKay, Dean of Enrollment Services, South Texas College
Jane Smith, Dean of Admission Services and Registrar, College of DuPage

There will also be two workshops specifically focusing on Canadian SEM. A full-day workshop called SEM in the Canadian Context is for both new and experience Canadian SEM practitioners. There is also a half-day workshop called Financial Aid in Canada and the United States: Trends, Pitfalls and Best Practices. This workshop will acquaint participants with the governmental and institutional features of the financial aid system in both Canada and the United States.

To find out more about these workshops, including how to sign up, please visit: www2.aacrao.org/sem21/precon.html.

Contact AACRAO Senior Consultant Michele Sandlin to learn more about FairSelect, a set of services to assist institutions in comprehensive approach that can help you and reach your student success and retention goals. For more information, please contact AACRAO Consulting at consulting@aacrao.org or (202) 355-1056.

Having the time to actively review and reengineer student services during the course of normal business is a challenge for most Institutions. As a result, and in spite of best intentions, policies and procedures are often not adequately documented, reflect the past more than the future, fail to take full advantage of technologies and may even be counterproductive to enrollment goals. Engaging in AACRAO’s holistic business process analysis will provide insight into how to improve services from a student-centric perspective.

Our analysis focuses on increasing efficiency, effectiveness and establishing goal oriented processing. As a result, our clients find that they can improve service levels with the same or fewer resources.

If you would like to hear more about how business process analysis can help you provide better service to students, please come by the AACRAO Consulting booth at the AACRAO SEM Conference and visit with Senior Consultant, Dr. Wendy Kilgore or contact us at consulting@aacrao.org or 202-355-1056.