In our ever-evolving educational landscape, it’s time we address a critical aspect of our institutions that often doesn’t receive the strategic attention it deserves: enrollment management. As leaders, we must ask ourselves: Is our current approach truly serving our schools’ long-term sustainability and success?
The Current State: A Limited Perspective
Traditionally, we’ve relied on our directors of admissions to spearhead enrollment management. Some schools have attempted to broaden this role by creating a director of enrollment management position. However, this often amounts to little more than a title change, with responsibilities still largely confined to admissions, perhaps with the addition of communications or public relations.
Relying solely on a director of admissions to manage enrollment is like asking your varsity football coach to oversee the entire athletic program without any authority over other sports or the ability to influence school-wide athletic policies. While they may excel in their specific domain, they lack the comprehensive view and cross-departmental influence needed to create a cohesive, successful athletic culture throughout the school.
Just as a true athletic director needs to coordinate resources, align strategies, and ensure consistency across all sports programs, enrollment management requires a leader with the authority to harmonize efforts across admissions, marketing, financial aid, academics, and student life to create a unified approach to attracting and retaining students.
The Need for a Paradigm Shift
Enrollment management isn’t just about admissions – it’s a complex, multifaceted system that touches every aspect of our schools. It requires a level of authority, strategic vision, and cross-departmental influence that our current structure simply doesn’t provide.
Consider this: How effective would your CFO be if they couldn’t influence how and where money is spent across departments? Similarly, an enrollment management leader needs the power to guide and evaluate all aspects of the school that impact enrollment.
A New Model: The Associate Head of Enrollment
I propose a new paradigm: elevating enrollment management to a senior leadership position – an Associate Head of Enrollment. This role would work closely with the Head of School, much like the partnership with the CFO.
In this model:
- The head serves as the champion of enrollment management, signaling its critical importance to the entire school community.
- The Associate Head of Enrollment has the authority to lead and evaluate major administrative positions, ensuring that each plays its part in the enrollment management system.
- This leader has a seat at the table for all strategic decisions, bringing an enrollment-focused perspective to every conversation.
- The role encompasses not just admissions, but also retention, financial aid strategy, marketing, and long-term enrollment forecasting.
Why This Matters
Savvy heads of school understand that enrollment is the lifeblood of our institutions. It affects every aspect of the school’s operations, from financial stability to academic programming to employees. By elevating enrollment management to this level, schools will be positioning itself to:
- Develop more comprehensive, strategic approaches to enrollment
- Ensure better alignment between enrollment goals and overall school objectives
- Improve resource allocation and accountability across departments
- Respond more nimbly to changing market conditions and family needs
- Achieve the mission at the highest level.
Implementation: A Call to Action
Implementing this change requires buy-in from your board and leadership team. It may necessitate structural changes and a reallocation of resources. However, the potential benefits far outweigh the challenges of transition.
As schools consider this paradigm shift, the following questions should be asked:
- Is our current enrollment management structure truly serving our long-term needs?
- Do we have a comprehensive, school-wide approach to enrollment?
- Are all departments and staff members actively engaged in and accountable for our enrollment success?
The Path Forward
Enrollment management is too crucial to be siloed in one department or treated as an afterthought. By embracing this new paradigm, schools have the opportunity to transform how they approach one of their most critical functions.
I challenge you to consider this model for your school. Engage your board in discussions about elevating enrollment management. Explore how an Associate Head of Enrollment could drive strategic growth and sustainability for the institution.
