Making Enrollment Management Work

The term enrollment management has been around for almost twenty-five years. It arose from the recognition that enrollment declines that began in the mid 1970s would not be arrested by better or more recruitment. Rather, college and universities would need to integrate a number of activities and programs and, in the process, probably redefine their purposes. It became clear that an admission office, even one that acts in concert with the financial aid office, should not be solely responsible for maintaining adequate enrollment. Succinctly stated, enrollment management is finding, enrolling, and retaining enough of the kinds of students an institution wants. Although offices of outreach, admission, and financial aid may be outside their immediate jurisdictions, student affairs professionals have much to do with managing enrollments. This volume examines several of the most important areas of enrollment management for the benefit of student service administrators. This is the 71st issue of the quarterly journal New Directions for Student Services.

REBECCA R. DIXON is associate provost of university enrollment at Northwestern University.