Posted: March 11, 2009

1. Broaden recruitment efforts to private colleges
2. Reconceptualize Orientation and Registration
   
   
   1. A writer suggested using the economic downturn to BGSU’s advantage by targeting recruiting efforts to students who might otherwise have attended liberal arts private institutions, which may no longer have the same levels of scholarship dollars available.
      
      Your idea of targeting students at private schools whose parents experience economic challenges is one the Strategic Enrollment Management Team is looking into. We are pursuing several initiatives to take advantage of your suggestion. We are exploring ways of offering opportunities and disseminating advantages of attending BGSU to this group of students. For the first time, Student Financial Aid and Admissions are going to host a second SFA Parent Workshop day in March. The intent will be to entice the very students you refer to. In addition, we have an excellent transfer program and can be a great option for many students in the scenario you describe. We are gathering data to see if it is fiscally possible to extend our transfer scholarship from its present one-year offering to two years, which would make transferring to BGSU, for the students are you talking about, much more attractive.
      
      
   2. A writer recommended that BGSU completely reconceptualize Orientation and Registration, shortening it from two days to three-quarters of a day, splitting the six-week program into two stretches at the beginning and end of the summer, narrowing the focus to academic advising, housing and financial aid, and clumping students from special interest programs like learning communities into specific dates.
      
      While the idea of shortening Orientation and Registration is frequently discussed, feedback from students and parents continues to show they appreciate the depth of information shared and feel that the opportunity to spend time with other students, parents, faculty and staff affirms their decision to attend BGSU. A change to the system would require approval from across campus since so many areas are involved. As to setting certain days for special interest groups, the current registration system does not accommodate that but with the transition to PeopleSoft, it might be possible. It would still be important to consider the daily caps on attendance and the importance of academic advising in the overall program. Your suggestions have been forwarded to the Orientation and Registration Committee for consideration in planning for 2010 and beyond.

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