Victoria Valle is determined to reverse the enrollment crisis.
She's not the only one.
Valle, assistant vice chancellor for enrollment management, formed a strategic enrollment management committee comprised of representatives from across campus including housing, admissions, colleges and student groups to find solutions.
Past committees focused on developing theories and writing reports, Valle said, but this group's goal is to find solutions and take action.
Enrollment peaked in 1991 at 24,869 students. By fall 2007, that number had fallen to 20,983.
"Instead of being a group that talks about what's possible, we are going to look at data and find solutions," Valle said. "There is no report that is going to come out of this. This is a doing group."
The group's first meeting, scheduled for today, should focus on development of a First-Year Experience program for new students, freshmen interest groups and individual colleges to see what is working in those areas, Valle said.
Valle said the College of Engineering offered an effective solution to retention declines. Retention rates in the college improved after it started requiring its students to live together, creating a living-learning environment.
The college has added more programs, such as the biomedical engineering program, to attract more students and has secured $1.5 million in grant money to find ways to keep students.
John Nicklow, associate dean for the College of Engineering, said many of the college's plans could work on a campus-wide scale.
"A lot of what we have done is already happening around the university," Nicklow said. "Almost all the colleges have a living-learning plan and that type of thinking is really starting to take off."
Seymour Bryson, associate chancellor for diversity, is a member of the strategic enrollment management committee. Valle said some techniques he used in the past could help on a university-wide scale.
Some of Bryson's ideas include offering one-year orientation course for freshmen, providing individualized tutoring and establishing ties with the families of students to promote a sense of community.
Bryson said this committee has the opportunity to break down the barriers and produce effective solutions.
"We're going to get people to start working together," Bryson said. "Good things will happen when you get people all in a room that have the same mission."
Valle said another key player in the committee would be the new director of undergraduate admissions. She said the director serves as the direct line between students and administrators because the position requires constant communication with prospective and current students.
James Carl, interim director of undergraduate admissions, said the permanent director would work closely with Valle and the committee.
"They are going to be working close with (Valle) and help her with the recruitment issues," Carl said. "No matter who comes in there wont be changes right away, but the work with the committee will help."
Valle said there is no scheduled end date for the committee and it will meet as long as necessary. She said the committee is going to take its time and do things the right way.
"Everyone wants it yesterday but this plan takes time to build," Valle said. "We have to get all the major players on board and understanding how this will be coordinated."
Jeff Engelhardt can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 259 or jengel@siu.edu
