Page 5 - 2018AnnualReport

Team Approach
With slowing enrollment in Fall 2017, we knew a di erent approach was
necessary to turn the tide at Middle Georgia State. As we geared up for momentum continued. In March and April, we hosted our first Open
Spring 2018, we assembled an Enrollment Action Team comprised of
leaders from across divisions and academic disciplines.
The approach worked. By the time the University System of Georgia
collected census data for Spring enrollment, we had reduced the deficit
from a 4.8 percent drop to 1 percent. We also had concluded that a
cross-functional approach including the o ces of Admissions and
Recruitment, Financial Aid, Marketing and Communications, Orientation,
and the Registrar — all of which would work collaboratively with
Academic A airs, Finance and Operations, and Student A airs — should
become the norm.
As we sought a vice president to lead a new Enrollment Management
Division, the team continued to work together to keep the positive
momentum going into the Summer and Fall.
8,000 (7,676) (7,414) (7,341) (7,830)
7,000
6,000
5,000
FALL 2015 FALL 2016 FALL 2017 FALL 2018
Enrollment Turnaround
As Spring turned into Summer and Summer into Fall, our enrollment
Houses since becoming a university. Hundreds of prospective students
and their guests had the opportunity to tour our campuses, meet our
faculty, apply for financial aid, speak to advisors, and register for classes.
Some began their education with us during the Summer, when — thanks
in part to the availability of Pell Grants — our enrollment grew by more
than 230 students. We saw a dramatic 12.6 percent increase in credit
hours over Summer 2017.
On August 1, Jenn Stenander
stepped into the vice president role.
Most recently the founder and
president of an enrollment
management consulting firm,
she brings more than 20 years
of experience in admissions,
recruitment, marketing,
management, strategic planning, JENN STENANDER
budgeting, executive administration,
enrollment, and retention. Having
worked with the Enrollment Action
Team during much of the year, our
new Vice President for Enrollment
Management was able to hit the
ground running when she arrived at
Middle Georgia State.
In one short year not only did we bounce back from a decrease in
enrollment, we exceeded 7,800 students. That's 6 percent higher than
Fall 2017 enrollment and our largest student population since 2014. A
significant portion of that increase is attributed to a 19 percent increase
in new undergraduate students, with the University welcoming more
than 2,500 new students this semester. This year’s incoming freshmen
had an average high school GPA of 3.04 and some 18 percent of them
earned college credit through dual enrollment or AP courses.
The University’s undergraduate programs aren’t the only ones seeing
increased growth — this semester marks the highest new graduate
enrollment since the institution started its first master’s degree
programs in Spring 2016. With more than 200 graduate students,
Middle Georgia State boasts our largest-ever graduate enrollment in Fall
2018.