February 5, 2021 Minutes

Steering Committee Minutes

Committee Members Present:

  • Stephen Benson – Vice President, Finance & Administration (Co-Chair)
  • Meredith Brown – Program Director/Assoc. Professor, Radiologic Technology
  • Londa Carriveau – Director, High School Pathways
  • Karen Clark – Director, Admissions & Recruitment
  • Daelynn Copeland – Asst. Professor/Facility Director, Child Studies & Education
  • Lisa Elliott – Director, Marketing & Communication
  • Frank Graves – Dean, Workforce & Public Service
  • Fred Hills – Vice President, Instruction & Student Engagement
  • Paul Hoffman – Director, Student Development
  • Sharon Kenan – Librarian/ Professor, Library Services
  • James Kubacak – Director, Financial Aid
  • Johnette McKown – President of McLennan Community College
  • Kim Patterson – Executive Director, Foundation/Institutional Advancement (Co-Chair)
  • Phil Rhodes – Vice President, Research, Effectiveness & Information Technology
  • Lise Uhl – Division Chair, Visual & Performing Arts

Committee Members Absent:

  • Aranzazu Torres - Recruiter
  • Laura Wichman – Director, Institutional Research

Dr. Stephen Benson called the meeting to order at 2:03 p.m.

Welcome and Opening Discussion

Dr. Benson reminded everyone about the website for all meeting minutes and the subcommittee chairs are meeting and making sure we are not duplicating efforts.  We are pursuing consultants for Process Management and are looking at four that have experience in higher education in Texas.

Follow-up items

Dr. Benson has developed a draft of the strategic enrollment plan that will result from our work; Kim complimented the work that it is on the right track.  Dr. McKown thanked everyone for their contributions to this initiative.   

Subcommittees

Admissions and Marketing (Karen and Lisa)

Karen Clark recapped enrollment advertising and when it was sent out; 116 students responded and they are still responding.  Admissions hosted the high school counselor workshop.  The College received the Reskilling Grant and they are notifying students who may qualify but who had not enrolled; follow-up is by email. 

Lise Uhl mentioned that they are having in-person student visits called “Music Student for a Day” using online reservations. Others mentioned this would be a good technique for recruiting in other programs.  This initiated a broad conversation about various techniques for recruiting, including coordinated recruiting with WISD to get more students and bring these students to see the programs at MCC, using College Talk to promote programs, and creating a virtual tour.  

Dr. Daelynn Copeland stated that her two teenagers are receiving information from other colleges and its one-one-one social media or videos and they like it.

Finance (James Kubacak and Grayson Meek)

James Kubacak reported the Finance subcommittee was meeting and they are considering moving the financial aid payout to the 6th class day. 

Research & Growth Opportunities (Sharon Kenan and Jeff Martin-Moreno)

Dr. Sharon Kenan mentioned the growth opportunities was ranked results.  Five groups are now working.  1. Incentivizing Enrollment 2. Ways to Communicate, 3. Offer more non-degree programs, 4. Focus outreach to Hispanics, and 5. Work with High Schools, public and private.  Surveys will be sent out to the community.

Retention (Paul Hoffman and Jessica Shelton)

Paul Hoffman stated that retention is a challenge.  The subcommittee is working toward putting goals and action items into a working document and focus on relationships. 

Current Spring Enrollment

Dr. Benson stated enrollment is 6,802.  Last year it was 7,873, we are 14% down.  All of our work for enrollment is important.

Current Enrollment Initiatives (Kim Patterson):

Reskilling Grant

Dr. Frank Graves stated that the college is reaching out to connect with those who might be eligible for these funds in defined workforce-oriented programs.

Highlander Restart

Dr. Benson mentioned that most students who participate in the refund of past-due amounts will be back for more than one semester, so this program is effective.

Action Items and Timelines

Dr. Benson asked that initial subcommittee work be completed by the end of March.

Kim Patterson closed the meeting and thanked everyone for being at the meeting. 

Meeting adjourned: 3:02 p.m.