Developing a Proactive Response to Enrollment Decline with Phillip Hunt | Civitas Learning

Welcome back to Next Practices! Today, we're delving into a critical topic for universities and colleges: declining enrollment. Join us as we explore how North Dakota State University (NDSU) is spearheading a holistic approach to tackle this challenge head-on.

Our guest for today's episode is Philip Hunt, Special Assistant to the President & University Registrar at NDSU. With over 20 years of experience in higher education, including roles at institutions like George Mason University and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Dr. Hunt brings a wealth of expertise to the table. At NDSU, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the university's strategic planning for retention and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

In this conversation, we'll dive into NDSU's multi-faceted approach to declining enrollment. From developing a comprehensive framework to leveraging student success analytics, Dr. Hunt will share invaluable insights into how NDSU is proactively addressing this challenge. We'll also explore the importance of building cross-functional relationships and data insights across campus, highlighting the collaborative efforts that are key to driving positive change.

Show Notes:
[2:20] - Phil shares his background and his role at North Dakota State University.

[4:03] - Enrollment is much more than admissions. Phil describes what enrollment looks like at NDSU.

[5:18] - It is important to do our best to keep existing students enrolled. Amping up retention is key.

[7:02] - One of the outcomes of their mission to solidify their retention strategy is to partner with Civitas.

[8:05] - NDSU asked several questions, explored the data to answer them, and let those answers drive their focus.

[9:31] - There are a lot of things we look at individually that are all connected to enrollment.

[11:02] - If we cannot ensure that we have adequate structures in place that support our goals and priorities, a change needs to be made.

[13:41] - NDSU incorporates everyone and emphasizes collaboration across campus in this initiative.

[15:53] - Phil shares some of the problems discovered when digging into data and what they have leaned into and leveraged to improve.

[19:08] - Improvement is always a work in progress.

[21:19] - Institutions are really good at collecting data. But what makes the difference is how they use that data.

[24:03] - In years past, data tends to get siloed with leadership. But it’s the insights the data brings to the entire institution that leads to change and progress.

[26:04] - We can’t truly control enrollment. But we can control how we interact with students and the services we provide to support them.

[28:13] - What early indicator successes are NDSU experiencing now?

[29:48] - Phil explains that advising is the greatest success and what is really pushing the institution’s success in student retention.

[32:11] - Because all faculty have access to data, everyone is on the same page.


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Civitas Learning helps higher education institutions improve student outcomes through data-activated decision-making and collaboration. Intelligent student success software equips teams with real-time insights and workflow solutions to support the entire student lifecycle, enabling leaders to implement strategies that improve retention and graduation rates and promote the financial health of their institutions.