Tim Copeland's Blog on College & University Marketing and Enrollment Management

State Budgets and College Tuition Hikes - A Lively Debate Under the Gold Dome

2010-02-24T15:48:43-05:00

It would take a 77 percent tuition increase at Georgia’s colleges and universities to meet the demand for a $385 million cut in the state’s higher education system budget. Lively debate among lawmakers and the Chancellor under the Georgia gold dome.

Adult Learner Recommendations for Improving Enrollment Marketing

2010-02-19T06:48:11-05:00

DemandEngine's recent study on adult learner communication preferences reveals how students want to learn about professional and continuing higher education. In over 2,600 qualitative responses, learn how learners want colleges and universities to improve their enrollment marketing practices.

College Enrollment Marketing Recommendations - One Student's View

2010-01-20T10:16:39-05:00

High school students receive a lot of marketing communication from colleges and universities across the country. Read the recent recommendations from one high school student.

Get Ready for Social Spam

2010-01-12T09:56:38-05:00

Get ready for social spam in enrollment marketing. In the post, look at an example of how a spammer is attempting to infiltrate social technologies such as blogs, Twitter, and Facebook.

Government and Tuition: Nurse Triumphs Over IRS for M.B.A. Deduction

2010-01-09T13:37:28-05:00

Representing herself, Maryland nurse, Lori Singleton-Clarke won a victory against the IRS, allowing her to take nearly a $15,000 tax deduction in business school tuition. The tax court decision ruling should make it easier for many other professionals to deduct the expense of a M.B.A. in the future.

ACHE 2009 - Serving as the 'Other' Business School: Roles for Continuing Education

2009-11-17T16:45:09-05:00

Continuing education units must often walk a fine line within their own institutions. While programs in business and management are the most successful, there is often an internal collision between the business school, accreditation standards, and institutional market position. Jay Halfond, Dean of Boston University’s Metropolitan College addresses the common issues that confront business schools and professional and continuing education.

ACHE 2009 - Higher Education and the Economy: Challenges, Trends, and Solutions

2009-11-16T11:30:20-05:00

How is the economy affecting continuing education? What does the future hold? The 2009 Association of Continuing Higher Education Conference (ACHE) kicked off with an interesting ‘hot-topics’ panel discussion led by David Thornburgh, University of Pennsylvania.

What Corporations Want from Education Partners – Selling Professional and Continuing Education

2009-11-02T08:30:00-05:00

What do corporations want from education partners that provide professional and continuing education? What are the trends in corporate training and what do executives want right now? In this UCEA South corporate roundtable discussion, industry leaders discuss their needs and what colleges and universities must do to get their business.

Technology in the Classroom ... playing in the Sandbox at UCEA South

2009-10-19T14:59:58-04:00

Georgia Tech's Nelson Baker shows off the technologies making a better classroom experience in Distance Learning and Professional Development.

Designing a Sustainable Future - Day 1, UCEA South Conference

2009-10-18T16:39:00-04:00

Sustainability is especially timely and critically poignant in light of the challenges faced by many professional and continuing education units today. Open remarks and discussion from Day 1 at the UCEA South Conference.

Saving for College? Tweaks Proposed for 529 College Savings Plans

2009-10-05T12:48:04-04:00

The Obama administration is interested in 529 Plans as a way to increase college attendance and affordability. In a recently released Treasury Department report, officials set forth a number of recommendations to benefit low- and middle-income families.

The College Vendor/Association Relationship - In Search of Value

2009-09-21T10:35:14-04:00

More organizations are putting travel spending to the test. To balance the budget, colleges and universities are reducing – and in some cases eliminating – ‘non-essential travel’, a code word for conferences, retreats, and meetings. In this blog post, Tim Copeland explores the relationship between higher education associations and enrollment marketing and technology vendors.

How Predictive Do You Want to Be? Enrollment Analytics and Easy Answers

2009-09-03T13:52:21-04:00

How far are you willing to take predictive analytics in enrollment management? While many colleges and universities are using some type of predictive scoring or modeling for their marketing search name buys, most have not incorporated student behavior into their models. A lesson from American Express in using behaviorial patterns and demograhics to reduce enrollment default risk.

Using Twitter in College Recruitment? On this One, Noel-Levitz Misses the Mark

2009-08-14T14:48:04-04:00

Noel-Levitz makes a June 2009 call on Twitter for college and university recruitment ... and misses the mark. Recent research data from the Nielsen Company and DemandEngine indicates Twitter is not in most teens' social participation profile. How should you be approaching social? Read this new blog post from Tim Copeland for data and recommendations.

DemandEngine to Reveal New Research - Announces August Webinar Series

2009-07-28T10:24:37-04:00

Looking for new ideas for the 2010 enrollment marketing season? Check out DemandEngine's back-to-school webinar series in August 2009. Presentations will include recent research on what students want from a social networking experience, how they want to be contacted, and how undergraduate and professional and continuing education are managing their placement in the search engines.

Oops ... the King of Software Reveals a Secret - Tech Tools and Time

2009-07-27T12:14:06-04:00

Bill Gates, Microsoft founder, recently quit Facebook after receiving over 10,000 friend requests. Gates commented that while technology has been hugely beneficial, these tools can waste our time if we are not careful. Social technology insight and strategy for higher education enrollment managers and marketers.

Day 3, Noel-Levitz 2009 - The Future of Student Recruitment, Marketing and Retention (Panel Transcript)

2009-07-23T12:12:13-04:00

Read the transcript from, The Future of Student Recruitment, Marketing, and Retention, an all-star panel addressing issues and emerging trends on enrollment management, marketing, and retention. Panel members included: Kevin Crockett, Noel-Levitz; Doug Christiansen, Vanderbilt University; Carol Aslanian, Education Dynamics; Brenda Williams, University of New Haven, and Ken Steele, Academica Group.

Day 3, Noel-Levitz 2009 - Is CRM for higher education a technology ... or something else? (Slide deck)

2009-07-23T10:23:14-04:00

Building relationships has always been a fundamental core competency for successful recruitment and admissions. In this presentation, New Strategies for Managing Relationships: Recent Research Findings and Recommendations for Undergraduate Admissions, Tim Copeland discusses how CRM provides a road map to manage complex relationships and supports the attainment of enrollment goals. Discover how colleges and universities are (or are not) embracing the central tenants of CRM, and learn actionable best practices.

Day 2 Insight - Noel-Levitz 2009 Conference

2009-07-22T21:12:20-04:00

Two down, one to go at the 2009 Noel Levitz National Conference on Student Recruitment, Marketing, and Retention. Tim Copeland blogs on sessions by Indiana Wesleyan's Daniel Solms on the topic of relationship building , and Craig Engel from Noel-Levitz on the fundamental recruitment mistakes made by graduate and professional programs.

Day 2 - Enrollment Management Practices of Professional and Continuing Education (Slide deck)

2009-07-22T19:46:40-04:00

Professional and continuing education (PCE) leaders are challenged to operate a self-sustaining operation while growing enrollments. Yet, competition and changing expectations of students put 'build it and they will come' approaches at risk. Enrollment management provides a well-tested paradigm to improve enrollment performance and increase student success. In this presentation, Tim Copeland looks at the research on how PCE units are approaching enrollment management and offers recommendations.

Insights from Day 1 - Noel-Levitz 2009 National Conference

2009-07-21T19:50:20-04:00

Day 1 is in the books for the 2009 Noel-Levitz National Conference. Tim Copeland reports on day 1 insights on enrollment management, marketing, and social media.

Live from San Antonio ... It's Noel-Levitz 2009

2009-07-21T10:11:08-04:00

Tim Copeland is attending the 2009 Noel-Levitz Conference on Student Recruitment, Marketing, and Retention. He will be sharing insights from the conference through blog posts at www.enrollmentmarketing.org, and tweets at twitter.com/tim_copeland

New White Paper: The Professional and Continuing Education Enrollment Funnel

2009-07-14T09:46:52-04:00

The enrollment funnel has long been a valued tool for undergraduate recruitment and marketing. While a new paradigm for Professional and Continuing Education, managing the student enrollment funnel has long provided indicators of student intent, and return-on-investment, while providing a reasonable model to forecast future enrollments with confidence. In this new white paper, Tim Copeland looks at how PCE units can adapt the enrollment funnel model to improve outreach performance.

Where Undergraduate Enrollment Managers Go for Thought Leadership

2009-06-22T08:00:00-04:00

Where do you go for enrollment management thought leadership? Tim Copeland looks at how undergraduate enrollment managers rate industry consulting and research service companies for their influence. You may be surprised where higher education blogs rank.

Breaking News: YouTube, Twitter and Facebook to Merge

2009-06-11T20:19:40-04:00

Breaking News: YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook to Merge. Insight for higher education enrollment marketers.

Enrollment Marketing, Online and Social Channels: Questions from the Field

2009-06-09T18:33:24-04:00

Do students do what they say, and say what they do? In this blog post, see the questions from a new higher education enrollment marketing practitioner and how Tim responds regarding the use of online and social channels adoption and practice.

The Original Social Networking Site

2009-06-01T08:30:00-04:00

As you are thinking about adding 'social' to your enrollment marketing approach, view this new video and discover the interesting take Coleman is taking on what social networking is all about.

OMG! If You Are Not ‘Tweeting’, You’re a Bad Enrollment Manager!

2009-05-21T20:54:33-04:00

Twitter and enrollment management and marketing. If you are not doing it, your prospects for enrollment success are weak ... well, as some would have you believe. What does the research say and what should enrollment managers do?

‘Tweeting’, ‘Friending’ and other Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds

2009-05-04T08:00:00-04:00

With the hype and growing usage of social technologies for communication, college and universities are interested in joining the crowd. But what value do 'Tweeting' and 'Friending' offer your higher education interactive marketing and enrollment management efforts?

The Long Arm of the NCAA - Recruitment and Facebook

2009-04-13T10:01:49-04:00

Using Facebook, North Carolina State freshman Taylor Moseley pitches in to recruit prospect John Wall to the Wolfpack. The NCAA says sites such as Moseley's Facebook group violate its college recruitment rules.

Fearing 'Rejection' Colleges Double-Down on Admission Yield Efforts

2009-04-03T08:56:57-04:00

Colleges and universities are hedging their bets as best they can as students delay deposits and wait out the best educational deals. With the state of the economy, price-sensitive students seek the best 'fit' and the best price. In response, institutions are ramping up college admission yield activities to new heights as they make a last stand to secure fall enrollments.

Looking to Sharpen Your Enrollment Marketing Message? Start with this Tool

2009-03-25T16:10:35-04:00

Stephanie Platteter, director of enrollment marketing for continuing education at the University of Minnesota offers a one-page positioning worksheet for industry practitioners. The worksheet serves as a fundamental planning tool for her account managers to bring continuing education opportunities to market.

Shorting For-Profit Education - Marketing Costs Under Scrutiny

2009-03-07T08:41:43-05:00

With 75-85% of for-profit revenue coming through Title IV government assistance, enrollment marketing costs may come under increasing scrutiny in an era of transparency and increasing accountability.

Lifelong Learning and Competitiveness – A View from Corporate America and the Nation’s Governors

2009-02-26T19:10:46-05:00

The competitiveness of a state's workforce is the new driver to attract industry. This according to a Governor's Association session televised February 22, 2009 on CSPAN. To train the workers of tomorrow and grow our nation's economy, professional and continuing education is poised to collaborate with industry to assess regional job loss, determine emerging needs, identify relevant skill sets, and develop scalable education programs.

CRM for Higher Education, What Does It Mean? - Upcoming Webinar

2009-02-24T08:19:52-05:00

Tim Copeland presents a free SunGard Higher Education webinar on CRM for colleges and universities. The presentation will discuss the art and science of relationship management, context for higher education, recent research, and a best practices approach for moving a CRM philosophy and strategy forward at your higher education institution.

New Warning for Collegiate Conferencing Directors: Corporate Travel is Being Cut Dramatically

2009-02-10T09:21:52-05:00

The U.S. travel industry is expected dramatic cuts in travel spending in response to the economy and uncertainty. The impact on higher education collegiate conferencing units.

Balancing the Budget ... State Furloughs and Employee Ire

2009-02-02T14:55:58-05:00

The state of Georgia is facing the realty of furloughing University system employees. How colleges and universities are responding to the economic downturn.

Is the Academic World Sharing the Economic Pain? A $7 Million Dollar Advertising Budget

2009-01-22T21:21:32-05:00

State of Georgia Lawmakers and the University System Chancellor faced off during a budget discussion on today. At issue? Required furloughs for college and university employees and a $7 million dollar university system advertising budget.

The Worst Marketing Idea of 2008

2008-12-27T08:32:55-05:00

Applywise claims the worst marketing idea of 2008 at the annual NACAC conference - bathroom promotion at Wild Ginger.

Gaffes in the College Admissions Process

2008-12-25T08:42:21-05:00

As members of the largest U.S. high-school graduating class in history race to finish college applications, many are making some comical mistakes. Based on behind-the-scenes tales from college and university officials interviewed by Sue Shellenbarger of the Wall Street Journal's “Work & Family” Column, here are this year’s top college-admissions gaffes:

How Can We Integrate CRM? You're Asking the Wrong Question

2008-12-13T14:29:42-05:00

Commonly known as Customer Relationship Management, Constituent Relationship Management, or simply as Relationship Management, CRM investments at colleges and universities are growing. Many are asking the wrong question, how can we integrate CRM?

Managing Enrollment in An Economic Downturn

2008-11-24T13:05:20-05:00

Managing enrollment in an economic downturn is on the minds of college leaders and boards across the country. Here are a few ideas to manage the situation.

Colleges Taking Hard Knocks - When Wall Street Sneezes Campuses Get Chills

2008-11-22T12:42:10-05:00

Several news stories this week in the mainstream media on how colleges and universities are coping with the economic slowdown. Here's a report from NBC news:

College Closings Could Rise in the Economic Downturn

2008-11-19T06:56:26-05:00

Some colleges _ like many American consumers and homeowners _ may soon discover they took on more debt than they should have, lured by low interest rates and ambitious growth plans, according to Justin Pope, an AP education writer. Figures...

Association of Continuing Higher Education 2008 - Rethinking the CE Marketing Organization

2008-11-14T22:22:37-05:00

Download the presentation slides for Rethinking the CE Marketing Organization, held November 2008 at the annual ACHE conference.

Online Learning in Continuing Higher Education - Promises and Perils

2008-11-10T17:06:45-05:00

Online continuing higher education is in demand by students and institutions alike. Today, 490 institutions offer online programming. Twenty-five percent of all enrolled continuing education (CE) students are currently taking online courses; by 2013, this number will grow to 35-45%...

'A Can't Miss Investment' ... Notes from the 2008 Association of Continuing Higher Education (ACHE) Conference

2008-11-09T18:47:54-05:00

How would you like to invest in a company poised to exploit the following tremendous market opportunity? The industry is a fertile new market, ripe for business investment Represents potential large economies of scale Industry is currently poorly run, has...

Election Day 2008 ... How's Your Enrollment Ground Game?

2008-11-04T07:03:41-05:00

Well after two years of campaigning, election day is finally here and we get a brief respite from nonsensical television campaigns ads (at least for a couple of years). The electorate is energized with some 130 million+ anticipated voters expected...

GM Suspends Tuition Reimbursement - Impact on Professional and Continuing Education

2008-10-24T06:52:00-04:00

In the face of an extraordinary economic climate and mounting losses, General Motors announced additional cuts in production and white color jobs. What does this have to do with higher education? In addition to suspending their 401(k) match for employees,...

More Millennial Myth Busting ...

2008-10-23T18:10:06-04:00

Marketing the Millennial Myth is a cottage industry that has be taken on by College Board research.