Strategically Managing and Optimizing Enrollment for Summer and Special Sessions

Strategically Managing and Optimizing Enrollment for Summer and Special Sessions

October 4 - 6, 2017
Orlando, FL

 

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Understand the financial and operational models for managing and optimizing enrollment for special sessions.

This highly interactive conference will teach you the financial and operational models for managing enrollment outside of the traditional academic calendar. Learn how you can take a more strategic approach to your summer and special sessions to:

  • Use data to establish a better program offering
  • Boost enrollment in the programs you offer
  • Reduce your tuition costs and operating expenses
  • Mitigate bottleneck effects in general education classes
  • Identify and recruit students who are likely to participate
  • Accelerate student graduation timelines and improve academic success

 

Conference Workbook

Throughout the entire training you will have the opportunity to hear best practices, review existing models, develop a working plan, and apply what you learn to your specific institutional context. Included with your registration is a conference workbook with worksheets and exercises that can facilitate greater learning and application of the concepts.

 

Pre-Conference Workshop: Using Data Analytics to Assess and Improve Your Marketing Communication Efforts

This workshop will focus on helping you understand how to use data analytics to improve your summer and special sessions. Our expert speaker will share ways to assess student course needs, drive revenue, mitigate risk/unneeded costs, and optimized marketing efforts.

 

Bring Your Team

Because planning and implementation of special sessions involves many stakeholders across campus, you are encouraged to bring a team of colleagues responsible for expanding academic programs and increasing student enrollment. This program will appeal to academic leaders and enrollment managers. However, other stakeholders across campus are encouraged to attend.

When you send two people from your institution, a third can attend for 50% off!

Agenda

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Pre-Conference Workshop: Using Data Analytics to Assess and Improve Your Marketing Communication Efforts

Registration and Continental Breakfast for Pre-Conference Workshop Attendees (included in workshop registration fee)
8:00 - 9:00 a.m.

Pre-Conference Workshop: Using Data Analytics to Assess and Improve Your Marketing Communication Efforts
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

This workshop will focus on helping you understand how to use data analytics to improve your summer and special sessions. Our expert speaker will share ways to assess student course needs, drive revenue, mitigate risk/unneeded costs, and optimized marketing efforts. Below are questions that will be answered throughout this workshop:

  • How are the baseline trends for course demand?
  • What are the best strategies to drive course demand and increase revenue and student success?
  • What steps can you take to mitigate risk of low enrollment or cancellation?
  • How do you use data analytics to improve your internal and external communication plan?
  • What are key considerations when planning an electronic communication to students and/or other groups?
  • How do you assess the effectiveness of electronic communications and marketing?
  • How do you use these assessments to fine-tune and make your communications/marketing efforts more effective?

Lunch for Pre-Conference Workshop Attendees (included in workshop registration fee)
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Registration for Main Conference
12:30 - 1:00 p.m.

Welcome and Introductions
1:00 - 1:30 p.m.

Part 1: Why Summer and Special Sessions?

Summer and Special Sessions: Benefits to Institution, Faculty, and Students
1:30 - 2:45 p.m.
Our opening session focuses on the benefits of summer and special sessions We will discuss not only why an institution benefits but also how program offerings outside of the traditional academic calendar can benefit students and faculty. This session will lay the foundation for how to gain buy-in for special sessions internally as well as how to effectively market these opportunities to students.

Afternoon Break
2:45 - 3:00 p.m.

Case Studies: Transforming Your Special Sessions
3:00 - 4:00 p.m.

It can be a challenge to know how you can get more out of your special session programs. During this discussion you will hear how our experts transformed their summer and special session programs. As each expert shares his or her model, he or she will answer the following questions:

  • How are your summer and special sessions offices/units organized?
  • Why did your institution make this strategic investment in summer and special sessions?
  • How do you determine your course offerings for summer sessions?
  • How do you market summer and special sessions to students and parents?
  • What successes and lessons have your institution learned?
  • Do you have summer studies programs that target specific student populations?

Networking Reception (included in registration fee)
4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 5, 2017
Continental Breakfast (included in registration fee)
8:30 - 9:00 a.m.

Not Just a Summer Session: Understanding Special Sessions
9:00 - 10:15 a.m.

In order to work from a common definition and understanding, we’ll spend this time dissecting special sessions: what they mean, the length they span, and the purpose of each term.

  • Maymester
  • Early summer
  • Full summer
  • Late summer
  • Mid-Fall and spring breaks
  • Winter sessions
  • January terms

Morning Break
10:15 - 10:30 a.m.

Characteristics of Students Likely to Attend Special Sessions
10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Having an understanding of the common characteristics of students who attend special sessions can help you both optimize your program to fit their needs as well as identify who on your campus may be interested in enrolling. During this session we will review practical research on student interest and behaviors as they relate to enrolling in special sessions.

Part 2: How to Create, Administer, and Optimize Special Sessions

Financial Models and Incentives
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

During this session you will hear about the different financial models institutions use when they are optimizing summer and special sessions. These models will also outline incentives institutions offer to students and faculty to increase interest in participation.

  • Strategic enrollment management
  • Centralized versus decentralized models
  • Typical special session business models
  • Incentive pricing
  • Revenue sharing

Lunch (included in registration fee)
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.

Working Activity: Financial Models and Incentives
1:30 - 2:00 p.m.
After learning about the various financial models and incentives that exist for special sessions, we will focus on applying the concepts to our own institutions. During this activity, you will be guided through a worksheet to help you consider which models and incentives will work best at your institution.

Academic Policies and Procedures
2:00 - 3:15 p.m.

This session will dive into the policies and procedures you need to consider when developing or enhancing your summer and special sessions. These are the nuts and bolts decisions that include:

  • Which courses to offer
  • Listing the courses and opening for registration
  • Add/Drop, withdrawals, refunds
  • Minimum course enrollments
  • Study abroad
  • Housing contracts
  • Faculty contracts

Afternoon Break
3:15 - 3:30 p.m.

Working Activity: Academic Policies and Procedures
3:30 - 4:00 p.m.
After discussing the policies and procedures that need to be worked through, you will have time to apply them. Using a worksheet, you will have the opportunity to determine the policies and procedures you already have in place and the areas that need enhancement.

Case Study #2: Transforming Your Special Sessions
4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

During this second case study session, our remaining expert speakers will share how each transformed his or her summer and special session programs. As each speaker shares his or her model, they will answer the following questions:

  • How are your summer and special sessions offices/units organized?
  • Why did your institution make this strategic investment in summer and special sessions?
  • How do you determine your course offerings for summer sessions?
  • How do you market summer and special sessions to students and parents?
  • What successes and lessons have your institution learned?
  • Do you have summer studies programs that target specific student populations?
Friday, October 6, 2017
Continental Breakfast (included in registration fee)
8:30 - 9:00 a.m.

Open Conversation: Organizational Structures and Reporting
9:00 - 9:30 a.m.
This is an open discussion based on the Case Studies from Model Institutions. You will have the opportunity to ask our experts questions about best practices for organizational structure and reporting.

Marketing Your Summer and Special Sessions
9:30 - 10:45 a.m.

In this session, we’ll share best practices and proven approaches for leveraging your reach. Our discussion will focus on:

  • What you can do to promote special sessions
  • What practices really work
  • How you can assess the performance of your marketing efforts

Morning Break
10:45 - 11:00 a.m.

Working Activity: Promoting Special Sessions
11:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Now that you have several ideas about leveraging marketing, you will have time to apply what you learn and begin looking at how you will market summer and special sessions at your institution.

Program Takeaways/Wrap-Up
11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
You will have the opportunity to share your takeaways and next steps with the conference instructors and your colleagues. Conference instructors will offer necessary guidance.

October 4 - 6, 2017

Orlando, FL

Hotel:

Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek
14651 Chelonia Pkwy
Orlando, FL 32821

Room Rate: $179, plus applicable tax.
Room Block Dates: October 3, 4 and 5, 2017
Rate available until September 12, 2017

Please book early - rooms are limited and subject to availability.

 

Reserve Your Room: Call 407-390-2300. Please indicate that you are with the Academic Impressions group to receive the group rate.

Speakers

StevenGirardot

Steven P. Girardot, Ph.D.

Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education
Georgia Institute of Technology

Steven has more than seventeen years of higher education experience and earned both a BS in Chemical Engineering and a Master's Degree in Chemistry from Georgia Tech. He completed his doctorate in Chemistry and Environmental Health at Emory University, and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in Epidemiology from the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health.

As Associate Vice Provost, Dr. Girardot oversees academic advising, retention, and other academic programs for the Office of Undergraduate Education. He helped to establish a Summer Session initiative at Georgia Tech and currently oversees this area as well. At the national level, he serves as the Regional Vice President for the Southern Region of NAASS (North American Association of Summer Sessions) and is the Chair of NAASS’ 2017 Annual Conference.

DaphneRankin

Daphne Rankin

Associate Vice Provost for Strategic Enrollment Management
Virginia Commonwealth University

Daphne has more than twenty-five years of higher education experience. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and her M.S. in Sociology and Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from VCU.

An innovative and enthusiastic educator, administrator, and communicator, Daphne has extensive experience in student transition, retention, and success. Since joining the university's administration in 2004, she has assumed progressive leadership responsibilities in curriculum development, student retention, parent and family programs, enrollment management, summer studies, and intersession programs. Dr. Rankin served as VCU’s first Director of Student Engagement and helped develop the University College. As the Associate Vice Provost for Instruction, she introduced VCU’s Summer Reading Program and expanded New Student Orientation to include a robust program for parents and families. Since joining Strategic Enrollment Management, Dr. Rankin has worked to enhance VCU’s Summer Studies and Intersession programs through the use of data analytics and a comprehensive marketing campaign.

KenSmith

Ken Smith

Vice Provost for Resource Management and Institutional Effectiveness
Virginia Tech

Dr. Ken Smith has served in his current role since January 2013. As vice provost, Ken provides institutional leadership on issues related to academic budgets, academic capital outlay planning, academic space management and institutional data and continuous improvement processes. He is currently leading the university’s efforts to implement a new performance based budget system, including designing and implementing new methods for data sharing and predictive analytics to inform resource allocation.

Prior to his appointment as vice provost, Ken served as associate provost overseeing the budgetary and fiscal operations of the academic support units in the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost. Ken also served as Assistant Director for Budget Operations in the Virginia Tech Office of Budget and Financial Planning. Ken holds a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Virginia Tech, and earned both a Masters Degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Virginia Commonwealth University.

BlakeSnider

Blake Snider

Assistant Dean, Office of Undergraduate Studies
Clemson University

Dr. Snider has more than fifteen years of higher education administrative and faculty experience. He earned a B.A. in Psychology at Lee University, both a M.S. and a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies at Auburn University, and a M.B.A. in Business Administration at East Tennessee State University (ETSU).

Dr. Snider has extensive experience with summer session administration. His experience includes serving as the founding Director of Summer School at Clemson University, as well as the former Treasurer and current President of the North American Association of Summer Sessions (NAASS). He also has extensive experience with online education delivery and management, off-campus program management, as well as general education assessment.

Questions About the Event?


Michelle Sponholz
Program Manager, Academic Impressions

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