Action begins on strategic enrollment management plan

Action has started on one of the signature initiatives introduced by President Neil MacKinnon during this First 100 Days presentation.

University officials have selected a national firm with expertise in strategic enrollment management (SEM) plans, SEMWorks,  to develop a SEM plan tailored to CMU, said Jennifer DeHaemers, vice president of student recruitment and retention. This fall’s recruiting cycle will incorporate parts of the plan.

SEMWorks has worked with dozens of two- and four-year schools in the United States and Canada, including the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the City University of New York and McGill University in Montreal.

“I have witnessed, firsthand, the value of a SEM plan at two other universities,” said CMU President Neil MacKinnon. “Our SEM plan, once developed, will provide a roadmap to enrollment growth by identifying priorities and where investments should be made.”

Representatives from SEMWorks will visit campus in April for a two-day visit, DeHaemers said. They plan to meet with many individuals involved in recruiting and retaining students and review how CMU receives and reviews applications.

They are already reviewing market data.

SEMWorks has the resources to take a deeper look at not just how CMU enrolls students but what external challenges it faces in recruiting domestic and international students who are both undergraduate and graduate students, she said.

They also plan to consider academic programs, both in-person and through CMU Innovation and Online, to look for growth opportunities, she said. The CMU Online review will work in conjunction with a separate ongoing assessment.

DeHaemers and David Patton, senior vice provost, will lead CMU’s team in what she said will be a collaborative effort between CMU and SEMWorks.

They expect to have the five-year plan to support recruiting and enrollment in place by November. The plan will include targets for enrollment, persistence, retention and four- and six-year graduation rates.