Ask a Consultant About Faculty and Admissions Recruitment

By Dr. Kevin Pollock, Senior Consultant, AACRAO Consulting

Signed, 

Campus Admission Recruiters 

Dear Campus Admission Recruiters,

First, acknowledge that faculty are the face of any college or university, and their connection with potential learners can be a powerful influence on whether they attend.  There are myriad ways faculty can assist with recruiting efforts, and these may vary by institution and enrollment goals. It may surprise some to know that faculty may already be involved in more recruiting efforts than is realized on any campus, as faculty may:

• Visit high schools and colleges (for university faculty).

• Contact prospective students interested in their programs. 

• Organize open houses and receptions, and meet with campus visitors. 

• Write letters and send text messages to prospects. 

• Serve on enrollment or retention committees. 

• Provide departmental information for inclusion in admissions literature. 

Faculty members can be effective in drawing prospects to campuses, but can also be just as effective in supporting learners in addition to the support provided by the admissions office. The following are considerations when asking faculty to assist with recruiting efforts: 

• Action: Discuss with faculty how their efforts support enrollment and learner success goals within the institution’s SEM plan. Faculty members are often asked to assist in recruiting activities, but are often never told how enrollment goals have been created and why their assistance, as faculty, is important. 

• Action: Strategically utilize faculty in events and activities where audiences are most interested in their programs. Faculty members are more motivated to recruit learners into their own programs than into the institution more broadly. 

• Action: Give faculty ample notice for activities you want their involvement in and, where possible, routinize those activities for the same time of the year. Faculty members are often asked to assist in recruiting events without enough advanced notice.

• Action: Ask faculty what motivates them when engaging with prospects and leverage those interests when assigning activities. Most admission officers do not know what motivates faculty to participate in recruiting activities. 

• Action: Ask faculty what the return on investment is for them when participating in recruitment activities and leverage that when assigning tasks. Most admissions officers don’t know what rewards are most valued by faculty members. 

Faculty who assist with recruiting efforts can be incredibly beneficial to institutions and academic programs. Remember, the foundation for a great partnership between admissions and faculty is matching faculty interest to the type of recruitment activities, mutual trust, and solid two-way communication. 

Signed,

Kevin, AACRAO Consultant

AACRAO members, do you have a question for our team of higher education consultants? Send your "Ask a Consultant" question to consulting@aacrao.org.

For more information on how AACRAO Consulting can assist your campus with your Recruitment strategies and goals, order "The College Admissions Officer's Guide" to read Dr. Pollock's chapter on "Faculty's Role in Recruitment," visit our website, or contact us via email at consulting@aacrao.org

Also, visit the AACRAO Bookstore to order the SEM trilogy of books:

• “SEM Core Concepts: Leading Toward Learner Success and Campus Enrollment Health”

• “SEM as a Connector: Principles of Practice”

• “SEM in Action: Implementing and Sustaining Your Plan”