EMAS Pro Case Study:
Eastern Iowa Community College District

Shared by: Communications Center Manager

Eastern Iowa Community College District is comprised of three large college campuses separated by as much as 100 miles, plus satellite and small centers. Nearly 7000 credit students are enrolled, with an average age of 26. Open admission, required by law, creates a recruitment need to work with a wide range of target populations -- including high schools and the non-traditional older enrollee. Eastern Iowa is the most affordable community college in the state. This is a major selling point for potential students, coupled with the quality of programs and the fact that it is close to home. Students also enroll for college courses during their high school years, as well as for summers classes during college matriculation elsewhere.

Small classes, and a program of vocational or arts and sciences curriculum, provide a strong background for students wishing to continue in a vocational career path, or go on to a four-year school. Graduates are divided evenly between the vocational programs and the arts and sciences. Courses are offered days, nights, and weekends, via the Internet and as telecourses.

Enrollment Management Concerns before EMAS Pro

"In the three years prior to 1997, we had had a slight decline in enrollment. Noel-Levitz was called in as consultant to assess the situation. We needed to communicate our message more clearly and consolidate recruitment efforts. Recruiters were duplicating effort, materials, and visits to high schools. One campus had simple electronic data tracking capabilities, while two of the campuses were still on paper with minimal tracking capabilities. Populations were not being targeted well or in a timely way."

Solutions Provided with EMAS Pro

"As a part of the overall enrollment and marketing plan, EMAS Recruitment Pro was installed to streamline, consolidate, and modernize the approach to recruitment. Our materials -- including campus schedules -- are now produced centrally. The six strengths of the institution -- quality academics, close to home, a caring faculty, affordability, costs, and small class sizes -- were used to create a communications plan.

"With three college campuses, running a Wide Area Network (WAN) was an initial challenge. When the technology project was begun, Noel-Levitz was the coordinator. After two years, Education Systems became the service provider."

Results

"EMAS Pro gave our District the capability to meet and exceed the communications plan. After the first year, we surpassed the new student goal for that year, and had to revise our future goals upward. We handled 5000 inquiries in the most recent fall semester in a timely way. We saved money by being able to focus our efforts on the students most likely to attend, and generating targeted materials for those particular populations' interests.

"Fall of 2002 new student enrollment saw a phenomenal increase of 12.27% over the previous fall. We believe our program-specific marketing still needs improvement, but total enrollment showed a 7.72% increase. We continue to grow and improve over years past. Every year since Recruitment Pro has been in use, we've had increases in enrollment. Last year's record enrollment increase helped us grow our way out of budget cuts and still meet our goals.

"With the capabilities available, we can tell if specific departments must work harder to meet their enrollment targets. Before, that wasn't possible. In six years, we've had no increases in Enrollment Management department budgets. But we've been able to increase enrollment overall, because of our ability to focus on specific needs. Seven full-time staff, with several part-time and contracted staff -- down from previous staffing size - are able to accomplish the goals of the department.

"We're competing better in the marketplace, and leading the market in communicating with potential students. Previously, we were behind in timeliness and quality of materials. Now, our potential students get our materials faster than from the competition."

What's it Really Like to Rely on EMAS Pro?

"With EMAS Recruitment Pro, we're able to focus our work. Although we haven't tapped into all of the capabilities of the program yet, we still get great value. Everyone who uses the program seems to be helped, for whatever goals they're trying to accomplish.

"We've looked at other products, but decided that they were not nearly as comprehensive as EMAS Recruitment Pro. We would have to hire two to three additional staff to accomplish with other programs what we already do with EMAS Pro. Long term, the extra staff would have cost us much more.

"We've developed a comfort level with the technical support staff from Education Systems, like working with family, although we don't have a lot of technical support problems. When we have had issues, they've been quick to respond.

"As a previous president of EMAS' Advisory Council, I am pleased with the ability to give feedback that is listened to. I appreciate Education Systems' valuing our opinion as users. The Council is balanced among schools with different profiles - four-year, two-year, graduate, public, and private schools. Just having an Advisory Council is important; having the concerns of clients heard gives good direction for changes and meeting our enrollment needs."

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