1. Creating a Sustainable Adult
Recruitment Pool at the University of
Wisconsin System
Ruth Joyce, Director of UW HELP/Student Services
Randy Parvin, Student Services Coordinator
WCET
10/22/2009
10:45-12:00 pm
Denver, CO

2. Creating a Sustainable Adult
Recruitment Pool
•UW System and CEOEL
•Original Concept
•Building the Process
•Integrated Marketing Approach
•Results
•Future
•Discussion

3. 2 The University of Wisconsin System
UW System at a Glance:
• 175,000+ students
• 8th largest enrollment of any U.S. public
university system
 Institutions:
• 13 four-year campuses
• 13 freshman-sophomore UW Colleges
campuses
• UW-Extension
 $10 billion economic impact annually

4. 2 The University of Wisconsin System

5. UW-Extension
UW-Extension
Continuing Education, Entrepreneurship &
Broadcasting & Media
Cooperative Extension Outreach & Economic
Innovations
E-Learning Development
• Agriculture & • Wisconsin Public • Continuing Education, 12 Small Business
Natural Resources Television Credit Outreach, & Development Centers
Distance Education at (SBDC) at the 4-year
• Community, Natural • Wisconsin Public Radio 26 UW campuses campuses, including
Resources & Economic 4 specialty centers:
Development • Instructional • School for Workers • Center for Advanced
Communication
• Family Living Technology &
Systems • Higher Education
Innovation
Location Program
• 4-H & Youth • National Center for • Center for Innovation
(HELP)
Development Media Engagement & Development
• Wisconsin Business
• Wisconsin Geological & AnswerLine
Natural History Survey • Wisconsin Innovation
Service Center
• Leadership Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Entrepreneurs’ Network
(WEN)

6. Continuing Education, Outreach and E-Learning
(CEOEL)
Budget: $89.4M
FTE: 75 in CEOEL; 512 across UW System
Scope: Statewide, national, and international
Major focus: Adult Student Initiative, Lifelong Learning,
Online Course Development, Independent Learning,
UW-HELP, Eapp, Diversity Grants,
Economic Development Grants, Adult Services Grants
Current paths: New degree development, increased student services,
high-tech/high-touch connection and engagement

7. UW HELP
One-Stop-Shop for UWS
•Students
•Parents
•School Counselors
•UWS Faculty & Staff
Support & Promote All 26 Campuses

8. UW HELP
Communications
Publications
UW HELP Online
E-Line
e-mail announcement service
Electronic Services
E-Application
UW HELP Online
Supporting databases

9. UW HELP
Advising
•Phone
•E-mail
Outreach
•High School Presentations
•Fall Workshops
•College Fairs

10. Building the Pool
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
Creating a common student database
LRMS
FERPA
Other Challenges

11. Memorandum of Understanding
Why write one?
• To clarify communication
• To reach mutual understanding of the
purpose and scope of the project
• To reach mutual understanding of the
roles to be played by each participant

12. Memorandum of Understanding
How to create one:
• Develop a simple written document that
outlines the purpose and timeline
• Include the agreed upon expectations of
each participant
• Outline the legal ramifications and
boundaries, such as FERPA
• Explain the guidelines for cancellation

13. Memorandum of Understanding
When?
• Created, distributed, signed by the
appropriate parties and returned prior to
the any sharing of data.
• Copies should be distributed back to the
office at each campus of the person who
signed the MOU

14. Recruitment Pool
Create a Common Format
Duplicates
Out layers
Initial Database was 14,266
Where did these student go?
Move?
Work?
Re-enroll?

15. Recruitment Pool-Next Steps
Tools
The Clearinghouse
OPAR’s CDR (1,956)
Melissadata (23)
NCOA (1,426+156)
Operation Iraqi Freedom (3)

16. Planning Your Communications Strategy
•What needs to happen
•Carefully define your target customers
•Think like a customer
•Establish a creative platform
•Develop an integrated media strategy &schedule
•Establish an acceptable budget
•Execute the plan
•Evaluate results

17. What needs to happen?
• Change attitude, preference
• Strengthen brand identity
• Change behavior
• Convert prospects to customers
• Clarify needs

18. Define target customers
• Create descriptions of attitudes, opinions,
lifestyle to help be creative.
• Research/Create a demographic
description to assist with media strategy
and media selection.

19. What does a profile look like?

21. Versus

22. Versus

24. Versus

25. Versus

27. Versus

28. Versus

29. Think like a Customer
• Who is going back to school?
• Why do they go back to school
• Where are they going
• What will your product do for me?
• How will I do this?
• Why is it better than the competition?

30. UWIN WEB SITE

31. Develop and integrated media
strategy and schedule
• How many potential viewers of the
message exist?
• Advantages and Disadvantages of the
various media relative to your message,
market and objectives?
• How can you obtain the best reach and
frequency within the budget?

32. Finally
Establish a budget
Execute the plan
Evaluate results
Micro evaluation
Did the tools achieve their objective?

33. Invitation from President Reilly
Response Options
UWin Web site, call toll-free or e-mail, online
chat
WisCareers
• aggregate info on top careers searched
• occupational information
• projections of job openings/salary
• resume builder

34. Personalized outreach
• Postcards – multiple mailings
• Personalized call
• Student Support, UW HELP, Statewide
Advising Network
• Track all student interactions
• Pathway to enrollment at UW campuses

35. Recruitment Pool
*Spring 07 CEOEL sent 9,824 letters and
postcards.
*Spring 08 CEOEL sent 23,336 letters and
postcards.
*Spring 09 CEOEL sent 11,299 letters and
postcards.

36. Outcomes
Response to Invitation
 3.0% log into their account
Fall 07 and Fall 08 Eapp Stats
 38% applied as re-entry, 62% applied to new campus
 All UWS campuses received applications

37. Outcomes
Fall 07 through Fall 09
2,732 new applications submitted to
UW System campuses
Fall 07 through Spring 09
1,263 submitted applications
923 New enrollments (73%)

38. WisCareers Data
•Financial Counselor •Athletic Trainer
•Environ. Engr. •Ad Account Exec
•Pharmacist •Ad Layout Designer
•Alcohol/Drug Counselor •Music Therapists
•Executive •Primary Care Physician
•Elec. Engr. •Medical Diagnostic
•Psychologist •Optometrist
•Nurse •Health Care Admin
•Surgeon •Investment Advisor
•Radiological Technologist •Literary Writer

39. Issues:
National Student Clearinghouse data
Data from all UW institutions
 Central source of data
FERPA issues
 Sharing compiled data with all UW institutions for further
recruitment

40. Impacts
Increase knowledge of adult needs
 Enrollment patterns
 Need for adult focused programs/degrees
 62% of adults applied to new campus
 Value of recruiting students statewide
Increase baccalaureate degree holders

41. Future
• Look for innovative ways to continue to
reach out to these groups…social media,
mobile devices, etc
• Go back to the original years and send an
additional mailing to those who didn’t
respond initially?
• Other media campaigns? Ad campaign
featuring Kevin Reilly?