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Increasing Enrollment a Major Focus in Mayville State’s Strategic Plan

Mayville State University unveiled a new strategic plan last May. The plan is the result of the work of Mayville State’s Strategic Planning Committee which began their work in October of 2007, under the guidance of Dr. Dennis Jones of National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS). A strategic plan is the culmination of a strategic planning process designed to determine where an organization is going in the future and how it is going to get there.

The research conducted through the planning process indicated a number of ways in which Mayville State University could strengthen itself while helping North Dakota and the University System. With these items in mind, the Strategic Planning Committee developed four broad strategic goals as the basis of MSU’s planning. The strategic goals are:

• Increase the number of full-time students to 600 and maximize on-campus enrollments with a
total headcount of 1,300 by fall of 2012 through appropriate academic enhancements;
• Significantly improve the comfort, functionality, efficiency, aesthetics, and safety of the
physical facilities on campus;
• Enhance a culture of personal service in which the evolving needs of our students and customers are met; and
• Develop an integrated marketing and communications function.

In this column, I will focus on the first goal of Mayville State’s strategic plan, to increase the number of full-time students and maximize on-campus enrollments. In future columns, I will elaborate on the second, third, and fourth goals.

Considerable progress has already been made toward the first goal of the strategic plan, as is evidenced in the significant enrollment increases experienced this fall. Headcount has increased by 12.4~% from last year; the number of full-time freshmen increased by 63~%; and the number of full-time transfers increased by 60~%. In order to reach the goals, efforts are underway to increase the prospect, applicant, and admitted pools who will attend classes on campus.

Another component of increasing enrollment is to improve the retention of new freshmen and transfer students. Through the resources of our Department of Education Title III grant, our staff and faculty are working to develop and implement an advising system that will support improved retention of students. We are also working to improve and increase opportunities for students who wish to participate in student organizations, as well as to provide sufficient academic offerings, social and cultural activities, and student engagement opportunities for students attending classes on campus. The amount of scholarship assistance provided by the MSU Foundation increased by 13~% from last year to this year, showing progress toward to goal to expand and improve the availability of financial aid, scholarships, and other support for students.

It is our goal to maximize the occupancy of residence halls, working to achieve 90~% occupancy of the renovated and refurbished residence halls. The number of occupants in our residence halls has increased over the last year, and we expect further increases when the renovation of Agassiz Hall is complete.

In the area of distance education, Mayville State has increased the number of general education course credits offered as a distance from 19 in 2008, to 39 in spring of 2009. We are currently offering five degree programs at a distance: Early Childhood, Business Administration, Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, and Math/Math Education. The number of distance degree-seeking students increased by 34.3~% from 2008 to 2009. The total number of non-degree distance students has not increased, but the number of online credits completed increased by 49~% over the past year. A survey to assess services and information available for distance students has been completed, and a distance student handbook has been developed and distributed.

I have provided just a brief overview of the enrollment goals and activities that are underway at Mayville State University. I am very pleased with the great progress that’s already been made in this area, and I commend our faculty and staff for their efforts. If you’d like to see the details of our strategic plan goals and progress in the area of enrollment, I invite you to see the complete strategic plan which is on reserve at Mayville State’s Byrnes-Quanbeck Library.

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