NAGAP Perspectives SPRING 2020

VOLUME 32 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2020

PERSPECTIVES A Newsmagazine for Graduate Enrollment Management Professionals

IN THIS ISSUE  2 From the President  4 Working with a Partner to Achieve Your Goal: Digital Student Engagement Platforms That Target Your Specific Recruitment and Marketing Needs  6 2020 Graduate Enrollment Management Summit: Orlando, Florida  7 Seven Best Practices for Effective Graduate Student Recruitment Communication: Results from the 2019 NAGAP Inquiry Response Project 10 Engaging with Your Regional and Special Interest Chapter 12 The Power to Transform: How Admitting Justice-Impacted Students to a Graduate Program Will Benefit the Students, the Program, and the Community as a Whole 16 Meet Our 2020 Graduate Education Research Grant Winners 17 Inaugural Leadership Academy Cohort Launches with Rave Reviews 19 Meet the 2020 Winter Professional Development Institute Fellows 21 Exactly Who is Considered a University Official Under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)? 23 Member Spotlight: Robert Sommo, New York University 24 Prestige in Perspective: A Student’s Recruitment Journey

www.NAGAP.org

FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Colleagues, Welcome to the Spring 2020 edition of Perspectives.

As I write this and reflect on the past year, I am reminded again of how blessed I have been to serve alongside the passionate and talented leaders that make up the NAGAP Governing Board. For nearly two years these individuals have chosen to make this organization a priority by working above and beyond their daily office responsibilities, often sacrificing home and family time. I have also witnessed the commitment and passion of hundreds of additional volunteers leading our chapters, serving on committees, supporting our annual conference, and much more. Finally, there’s the NAGAP staff team that supports all we do from behind the scenes, often with little recognition or fanfare. To all of you, I offer my sincerest thanks. As a volunteerdriven organization, we can’t succeed without YOU! It seems like only yesterday that I learned of my election; yet this is my last opportunity to address you as President. On behalf of myself and the other elected officials on the Executive Committee, I want to thank you, our members, for entrusting the leadership of NAGAP to us. As we prepare to pass the torch, I’m pleased to congratulate our successors for the 2020–2022 term: Jeremiah Nelson, President (Wake Forest University School of Business), Kristen Sterba, Vice President (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences), Naronda Wright, Secretary (Georgia Southern University), and Andrew Kim, Treasurer (Memorial University of Newfoundland).

I am confident in their abilities to continue moving our association forward as the leaders in GEM, and I look forward to supporting their efforts as your Past President.

Since the fall edition of Perspectives was released, we have made significant progress on several exciting new initiatives including the Leadership Academy, made possible with the generous support of Liaison. Launched in October of 2019 at Teachers College in New York City, 28 GEM professionals participated in this inaugural event and are currently enrolled in the first cohort. Their capstone projects will be presented during our Graduate Enrollment Management Summit 2020 in Orlando. Applications are now being accepted for the second cohort, and you will find more information about NAGAP’s Leadership Academy on our website (nagap.org/leadershipacademy).

In October, we also launched The Exchange, NAGAP’s new online networking platform designed to help GEM professionals stay connected and engaged in industry best practices. Additionally, we have several joint research projects in process with industry partners that will conclude with white papers and/or presentations at the Summit. These efforts are all a direct result of a strategic investment of resources that has taken place based on the findings of our Member Needs Assessment completed in 2017. You will continue to hear more about these initiatives in the coming months. Many thanks to everyone working on these projects!

PERSPECTIVES A Newsmagazine for Graduate Enrollment Management Professionals

Editor, Caela Provost

North American Officer/U.S. Representative University College Cork 75 Arlington Street, Suite 500 Boston, Mass. 02116 NAGAPpublications@gmail.com NAGAP Perspectives is published three times per year (fall, spring, summer).

Articles of particular interest for publication are graduate enrollment management research/study results, how-to articles, success stories, reports of workshops/ seminars, book reviews, etc.

Submissions should be sent to the editor via email. Articles should be provided in Microsoft Word format, with figures and photos provided separately as high-resolution TIF or EPS files. APA style is preferred for documenting sources. Submission deadlines: August 30, January 6, May 17.

Copyright © 2020 NAGAP NAGAP is committed to diversity and inclusiveness in all of its activities. This commitment embraces respect for differences including age, culture, disability, education, ethnicity, gender, life experiences, race, religion, and sexual orientation. NAGAP champions an open exchange of ideas in a collegial environment that embraces academic freedom, cooperation, mutual respect, and responsibility. NAGAP supports activities that promote and nurture professional development, best practices, research, and collaboration of a diverse and global community of graduate enrollment management professionals, encouraging dialogue that fosters professional growth among all of its constituents, in the U.S. and internationally.

I am also excited as we approach our newly branded Graduate Enrollment Management Summit taking place at the Loews Royal Pacific at Universal Orlando from April 22–25, 2020. The pre-conference session on developing a recruitment plan is a critical topic for many of us working in the GEM profession. Beyond that, continued on the next page

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the educational sessions look amazing, and you don’t want to miss out on Chapter meetings and networking opportunities with colleagues. It’s also an excellent time to step up as a volunteer to serve as a moderator or recorder. I look forward to seeing many of you, my NAGAP friends and colleagues, in sunny Orlando!

Finally, I think you will find an engaging range of articles in this issue—from a student’s experience with imposter syndrome to a pathway for FERPA-compliant student involvement in the admissions process, to topics ranging from advocacy for justice-impacted students and an analysis of best practices from a “secret-shopper” perspective.

As always, thanks for your commitment to your students and the GEM profession. If you have ideas for what we can do to better serve our NAGAP members or if you simply want to get involved in the association, please contact me or another member of the Governing Board. Have a great spring! n Keith Ramsdell NAGAP President

NAGAP Chapters

Join or Start a Chapter Today!

For those of you looking to get more involved with NAGAP, your local chapter is a great place to start. Chapters provide a wonderful opportunity to network, to participate in regional workshops and conferences, and to assume leadership positions.

They are also a great resource for learning more about GEM, especially if you are unable to attend the national annual conference.

NAGAP has eight regional U.S. chapters, one international chapter, and two special interest chapters. To find out which chapter your state is a member of, visit NAGAP’s Chapters page. Here you will find contact information for each chapter president, and a link to the chapter’s website or social media page. Most chapters have a “join” or “contact us” link on the landing page.

If you find your state is not affiliated with a chapter, you may be interested in beginning a new chapter. For more information, review the How To Get Started overview. Questions?

Please contact us at info@nagap.org.

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WORKING WITH A PARTNER TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL: DIGITAL STUDENT ENGAGEMENT PLATFORMS THAT TARGET YOUR SPECIFIC RECRUITMENT AND MARKETING NEEDS

By Morgan Robinson, University of Florida, Warrington College of Business and Zach Chastain, StudentBridge The Warrington College of Business at the University of Florida faces pain points that are essentially universal not only in the world of student recruitment, but also in relation to graduate recruitment. There are many similarities and differences in strategies and tactics between recruiting in the undergraduate and graduate spheres, but the foundational concepts around how prospective students are engaging with colleges and universities can be tackled with a solid and well-implemented digital student engagement platform.

What is a Digital Student Engagement Platform?

It’s not just a buzzword for small engagement tactics—it is a way to engage, impress, and convert students at every stage of the recruitment lifecycle in ways that demonstrate a program’s authentic brand story. It is the glue between each stage, guiding students on personalized paths toward applying to, enrolling in, and ultimately graduating.

The Warrington team utilizes what StudentBridge calls the video viewbook, which serves as a microsite solely dedicated to delivering bite‑sized, yet engaging content that drives students toward visiting, applying to, or requesting more information from the college or university. With only six seconds to capture the attention of digital natives who are already consuming hours of content each day, the content needs to be relevant and useful, all while being catchy and entertaining.

Defining the Pain Points Morgan Robinson, the Director of Marketing & Communications at the Warrington College of Business, works directly with StudentBridge’s national sales manager, Zach Chastain, and the StudentBridge production department,

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led by Brant Bailey, to implement creative and personalized solutions that tackle her team’s biggest issues.

She states, “At Warrington, we always strive to attract—and graduate—the best students who will ultimately become the best leaders. Like all business schools, we want to increase the interest in our programs among the highest quality applicants.”

“What is a digital student engagement platform? It’s not just a buzzword for small engagement tactics—it is a way to engage, impress, and convert students at every stage of the recruitment lifecycle in ways that demonstrate your program’s authentic brand story.”

Many graduate programs, particularly business programs, have suffered from a significant decline in domestic and international applications over the past several years. It has reached this point at even the top business schools; plateauing in applicant numbers is actually considered a success to some degree as compared to the general decline.

more, and better quality digital content at a pace that simply couldn’t be accomplished in-house. We know our audience, and we know how they want to learn about us, and so does StudentBridge,” says Robinson.

Personalized Rich Media In order for these digital student engagement platforms to work, personalized rich media content is necessary and serves as the vehicle for taking full advantage of calls-to-action and increasing conversions across the student lifecycle.

Warrington’s team worked with StudentBridge to storyboard the ideal content to target each audience of prospective students.

“We partnered with them to create our new online tour, which encompassed 24 videos about our various programs and a handful of 360° images of our beautiful and historic campus,” says Robinson.

These videos are a result of StudentBridge’s nearly two decades of experience, catering video content to prospective students, all while evolving with the digital marketing landscape.

Addressing the Quality and Quantity of Students

While there are deep factors that cause these decreasing numbers, those factors range widely, and there is no disputing the impact these changes have on graduate marketing, admissions, and recruitment offices across the country.

Within all college systems, the ratio between the admissions team and prospective students is astronomical. It is hard to create one-to-one experiences for every prospective student. However, StudentBridge used their content expertise to extend the Warrington team’s reach and narrow the applicant pool to more highly qualified prospects.

The Warrington team understood where they could increase their engagement levels to help combat these challenges.

The online tour helps marketing and admissions professionals to better describe their programs’ offerings,

“To do this, we knew we needed

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WORKING WITH A PARTNER TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL culture, and efforts toward elevating the prospects’ experiences and successes.

Using this strategy, Robinson and her team saw substantial engagement across their digital student engagement platform.

“In 11 months, we’ve had over 4,500 visitors to our online tour and almost 15,000 page views,” she says. “Also, since the launch, we’ve added seven more videos, 10 360° images, and are still growing.”

Utilizing Demonstrated Interest The content created by StudentBridge helps marketing and admissions teams funnel their limited resources to the most engaged prospects. By measuring demonstrated interest based on how prospects engage with the platform,

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marketing and admissions teams can fine-tune their tactics and targeting strategies, serving more personalized and relevant content to each prospective student.

timely check-ins and consistent analysis of results, StudentBridge offers as much insight, management, and collaboration as possible to ensure that the platforms are working effectively.

One of Warrington’s video viewbook features helps them directly connect prospective students with advisors, counselors, and program directors who can better guide the experience.

These personalized interactions and opportunities can be the driving factor toward application and enrollment, taking prospects from awareness to alumni.

Robinson gives StudentBridge a resounding compliment in their efforts to maintain the best working relationship possible.

“Zach, Brant, and their team are always looking for ways to improve our tour and the analytics behind the scenes, and are always willing to make adjustments when programs change or when we want to make additions to the site,” she says.

“I wish all of my partnerships were this effective and fun! My only complaint is that Zach is a Georgia fan.” n

Beyond Just a Vendor: Creating True Partnership StudentBridge strives to create lasting partnerships with their clients. With

.

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2020 GRADUATE ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT SUMMIT: ORLANDO, FLORIDA

By Joshua Walehwa, Washington University in Saint Louis, 2020 Graduate Enrollment Management Summit Marketing Chair We are eager to be hosting the 2020 NAGAP Graduate Enrollment Management Summit: GEM Reimagined in the city of Orlando, Florida! This year’s planning committee has continued to incorporate your feedback and suggestions along with a wealth of expertise to provide the best professional development experience possible. Our conference location, the Loews Royal Pacific at University Orlando, is the perfect backdrop for a fun-filled and exciting time together.

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As always, we invite you to get involved with us this April by engaging in a number of options. We encourage you to participate as a presentation moderator or recorder, consider earning a GEM Certificate, join the Fun Run, or engage in the strong conference line-up of presentations and speakers. There are plenty of ways to make the most of your conference experience. Attend every session possible, network-networknetwork, and share your experience.

This is an opportunity to learn and exchange ideas.

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Make sure to get the latest updates in our regular communication through NAGAP News along with our Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter accounts.

If you post content related to the conference, please use the hashtag #NAGAPImgoing.

With so much to experience and gain from this year’s Graduate Enrollment Management Summit, we are confident that you will find ways to maximize your experience. Travel safely, and we look forward to seeing you in Orlando! n

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SEVEN BEST PRACTICES FOR EFFECTIVE GRADUATE STUDENT RECRUITMENT COMMUNICATION: RESULTS FROM THE 2019 NAGAP INQUIRY RESPONSE PROJECT

By Suzanne Sharp, EdD, Liaison International; David Cotter, Boston University; and Robert Ruiz, Liaison International

Executive Summary Every year since 2016, Liaison has conducted studies that involve submitting inquiry forms to hundreds of schools and then tracking the schools’ responsiveness to those inquiries. Data collected includes information about the timing, methods, and types of responses received.

The purpose is to uncover trends in communications to potential applicants and, in turn, to identify and share best practices for driving applications and increasing enrollment. The results of the NAGAP member-focused study reveal how and why graduate student engagement initiatives should meet user expectations. They also provide actionable insights about the current recruitment landscape and strategies for achieving enrollment goals.

member-focused study reveal

Introduction

how and why graduate student

Regardless of the size or location of their institutions, graduate admissions professionals are united by the need to attract and enroll best-fit applicants faster and more effectively in a highly competitive and uncertain environment.

In addition to the challenges posed by high recruitment costs, budget constraints, and declining application volumes, many admissions professionals are operating in a vacuum, unsure how to gauge the success of their efforts and unaware of the strategies other schools are using to reach high-value students first.

engagement initiatives should

To address those questions and concerns, Liaison conducts an annual inquiry response project in which researchers pose as prospective students online, searching for and then submitting “request for information” (RFI) forms when they are available. In 2019, Liaison reviewed the websites of 517 NAGAP member graduate schools in such a

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For the reasons described in this report, including all seven of these best practices, your inquiry response strategy should be an effective process to build leads and move them to apply. A strong plan engages students as you clearly explain the benefits of your program(s) and develop a relationship with students based on meaningful information and communications—even before the application stage.

manner and assessed the results based on a variety of criteria.

The goal was to find out how accessible schools were to interested students requesting information, how fast they responded, how relevant their responses were, and how many communication channels they used.

The results identify important trends around student engagement. The insights they provide allow admissions professionals to compare and contrast their inquiry-response strategies to those of other schools and to plan strategic changes that will help drive applications and increase yield.

Methodology Overview Posing as potential applicants, Liaison researchers visited the web sites of 517 NAGAP-member graduate schools and submitted the institutions’ online “request for information” forms when they could be located. They then recorded information regarding the availability of those inquiry forms, the speed of response, the relevance/personalization of responses, and details about the channels used to deliver responses.

Responses were recorded for four weeks from the date of the inquiry form submission. The project was conducted in February and March of 2019.

“The results of the NAGAP

meet user expectations. They also provide actionable insights about the current recruitment landscape and strategies for achieving

Make sure your RFI form is easy to find. Graduate school requires a substantial investment of time and money. In order to clearly explain the benefits of your programs and develop a relationship based on meaningful information and communication—even before the application stage—prospective students must be able to effortlessly locate your RFI form.

enrollment goals.”

Liaison ultimately identified seven best practices regarding inquiry forms and responses.

Inquiry forms must be: • easy to find, • user friendly, • mobile ready, and • show a dynamic thank you page upon submission.

• What we found: oo 32% of schools had an RFI on their home page; 20% were visible without scrolling. oo Researchers could not locate RFIs for 15% of the schools surveyed.

Responses must be: • immediate, • personalized to each student, and • delivered through multiple channels.

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Best Practice Takeaways

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SEVEN BEST PRACTICES oo The number of clicks required to find an RFI ranged from zero (when the forms were on the school’s home page) to seven.

Keep forms user friendly. Make sure your form makes a good first impression.

Keep it short and ensure all of the information it contains is still accurate and up to date. Also, it’s preferable not to require the student to create an account in order to access the form.

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Figure 1: A generic thank you message.

Figure 2: How fast do schools respond?

• What we found: oo 120 schools displayed outdated information on their RFI. oo 148 schools asked for a text message opt-in. oo 24 required the prospective student to create an account to get information.

Be mobile ready. Mobile devices are everywhere. How many students do you know who don’t have one? It’s critical that your site is “responsive”— i.e., optimized for mobile.

• What we found: oo All but two schools had a web page with responsive (i.e., mobile-friendly) design oo 84% of the RFI forms were responsive. oo 98% of applications were responsive.

Send a dynamic “thank you.”

Have you seen your response page recently? Someone who takes the time to fill out a form is eager to hear more about what your institution has to offer.

Don’t send a generic acknowledgement of their interest. Provide a dynamic, personalized response based on the information they were willing to submit.

• What did we see for first responses? oo Nearly 62% of schools display a generic thank you message upon submitting the RFI. (see Figure 1) oo Only 6.3% provided a dynamic personalized page upon submission.

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Be fast. Be first. No one wants to wait for information. Immediate response is key. In fact, one recent study of online students showed that 61% of prospective students enrolled at the institution that contacted them first (Clinefelter & Aslanian, 2017). Your school can’t afford to take its time replying.

• How fast do schools respond? oo 6.3% provided an immediate response with a personalized web page. oo Just under half of the schools respond within one hour. oo 16% of the schools did not respond to a submitted form within four weeks. (see Figure 2)

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Make it personal. Studies show a 135% increase in response when a mail piece is personalized with first name and up to a 500% increase in response rate when a piece is personalized with first name plus additional relevant information (2017). If a student took time to fill out the form, they are ready to hear more and engage with you— but do them the courtesy of using the information they have provided.

• How personalized are school responses? oo Over half of the schools respond and used name plus another factor of interest to the student (usually the academic program of interest). oo 9% use the student name only. continued on the next page

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SEVEN BEST PRACTICES

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Other Findings

Figure 3: Channels used.

Our project resulted in several insights into how graduate programs are responding to student inquiries, only a sampling are shared here. A few other interesting findings include: • 60 schools offered a chat feature on their home page.

• 54% of schools offered social media links on their home page.

• 67% of schools had a link to an application on their home page.

• The number of emails sent by each school within four weeks ranged from zero to 23.

• 94 print pieces were received in four weeks. Of these, 56 arrived in oversized envelopes, 5 arrived in clear envelopes, and 16 were postcards.

• Our “student” received 60 voicemails and 29 text messages over a four week period from all schools. n

Figure 4: More detail on channels used.

References

Deliver through multiple channels. It’s science. Messages are more likely to reach long-term memory if repeated across multiple channels (2017).

Liaison has found that adding digital to a search campaign with print and email can increase response by up to 200%.

• How many channels are being used? oo Only 5% of schools used at least 3 channels. oo 46% used only email to communicate. oo 12% sent just a single email in four weeks as a response. (see Figures 3 and 4)

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30 Direct Mail Statistics You Can Use Right Now. (2017, July 14). Retrieved from https://www.compu-mail.com/ statistics/30-direct-mail-statistics-youcan-use-right-now Clinefelter, D. L., & Aslanian, C. B. (2017, June). ONLINE COLLEGE STUDENTS 2017 Comprehensive Data on Demands and Preferences. Retrieved from https:// www.learninghouse.com/wp-content/ uploads/2017/10/OCS-2017-Report.pdf Holland, M. (2016, May 20). Multi-channel marketing delivers better RoI. Retrieved from https://www.olsenmetrix.com/multichannel-marketing-delivers-better-roi

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ENGAGING WITH YOUR REGIONAL AND SPECIAL INTEREST CHAPTER

By Dana Mordecai, University of North Texas, NAGAP Chapters Committee Chair NAGAP's chapters and special interest groups provide our members with many opportunities to network, engage, and share ideas. As a benefit of being a NAGAP member, you are automatically a chapter member.

Members can participate in chapter activities in their geographic region or with a special interest group focused on a specific academic area, institution type, or issue.

Why are chapters important?

As part of NAGAP’s strategic plan, chapters are a critical pathway to offering an expansion of the mission and reach of the association. Each chapter has their own unique aspects that offer a way to have a deep and personal connection due to geographic location, discipline, or institution type.

These smaller groups offer a way to

“NAGAP’s chapters and special interest groups provide our members with many opportunities to network, engage, and share ideas.”

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build those personal relationships that may last a lifetime.

Why should I get involved with my chapter?

Having the ability to connect on what is happening in your area may be critical to how you are able to strengthen relationships that can be helpful for career advancement, institution process comparison, or where to find new recruitment opportunities. Being involved at the chapter level is a great way to learn more about how NAGAP works and even springboard to a NAGAP committee or other leadership position.

Many NAGAP board members started by volunteering within their chapters.

What are ways I can be involved?

Chapters operate as volunteer organizations that definitely need many hands to sustain. As with many other volunteer opportunities, help is always welcome and definitely benefits the organizations when members are able to contribute their talents and skills.

Each chapter has an executive board

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with members committed to leading the organization—but you don’t have to start there! Each chapter has their own needs, and activities may include helping to plan workshops and webinars, engage in membership outreach, or aid with communications/ marketing. Consider micro-volunteering to get started. No contribution is too big or too small.

What if I’m new to the GEM community and don’t know anyone?

Chapters host a meeting during the annual conference—the GEM Summit— to discuss chapter activities. This is a great opportunity to meet others and build your network of people that may be in close proximity to you or understand more about your institution type. Many chapters also offer other activities throughout the year that provide ways for you to connect, which may be face-to-face at meetings, happy hour after graduate fairs, or through virtual events. continued on the next page

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Is there a way to get started now?

An easy way to get started with your chapter right now is through the NAGAP Exchange, where there is a discussion board for each of the chapters. Use it to introduce yourself, ask a question, or

post a discussion topic that you’d like to be considered for the next chapter meeting. Why wait to get started—take the first step now!

result of the relationships I made with my chapter. These are people who I continue to lean on when I have a question, need a listening ear, or just want to have fun on a recruitment trip.

Engaging with my chapter helps me feel like I belong, have support, and am part of a community. n

My own experience with NAGAP started at an annual conference, but my love for the association was a direct

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THE POWER TO TRANSFORM: HOW ADMITTING JUSTICE-IMPACTED STUDENTS TO A GRADUATE PROGRAM WILL BENEFIT THE STUDENTS, THE PROGRAM, AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE

By Caela Provost, University College Cork, in conversation with Michael Brick, Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) “For apart from inquiry, apart from the praxis, individuals cannot be truly human. Knowledge emerges only through invention and re-invention, through the restless, impatient, continuing, hopeful inquiry human beings pursue in the world, with the world, and with each other.”

—Paulo Freire

One group of underrepresented and underserved students within IHEP’s mission is justice-impacted students: students who have either been incarcerated and later released, are currently serving time in our criminal system, or are related to individuals who have been or are imprisoned.

Quoted above is an excerpt from Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, widely known in the educational community as one of the most important works examining education as a means of liberation from poverty and oppression. At the crux of Freire’s work is the power of learning, the power of investigation, and the power of education to transform the human spirit and create a better future for all peoples regardless of race, class, background, or creed.

Were the Brazilian educator alive today, he would include justice-impacted students, a more humanizing and less stigmatizing title for students historically labelled inmates, convicts, criminals, or offenders, among those for whom education would transform their lives and the lives of those around them.

One year after its founding, IHEP began its advocacy on behalf of justiceimpacted students after the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act amended a section of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to change PELL Grant eligibility. After the 1994 amendment, people incarcerated in federal or state prisons across the United States were no longer eligible; overnight, it is estimated that approximately 23,000 students receiving PELL while incarcerated suddenly found themselves without the financial resources necessary to continue pursuing college and university degrees (Mercer, 2004). Signing this act into law created one of the biggest barriers to justice-impacted students aspiring to earn future undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.

Freire’s writings sailed in, around, and through my thoughts during a recent interview with Michael Brick, Senior Research Analyst from the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP).

Founded in 1993 and based out of Washington, D.C., IHEP is a nonprofit and non-partisan organization dedicated to promoting equity in higher education for all students, particularly those in underserved populations.

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Because of this obstacle, and other more evident impediments to justice-impacted students seeking higher education, such as the ever-present stigma around justice-involved students and their families, initiatives like IHEP’s Key Performance Indicator (KPI) assessment of prison-based postsecondary education and documentaries like Ken Burns’ recent College Behind Bars have amplified the voices in this group, allowing them to grow loud enough for policy makers and educators to hear and inspiring us to rethink best practices for helping these students achieve academic success.

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“At the crux of Freire’s work is the power of learning, the power of investigation, and the power of education to transform the human spirit and create a better future for all peoples regardless of race, class, background, or creed. Were the Brazilian educator alive today, he would include justice-impacted students, a more humanizing and less stigmatizing title for students historically labelled inmates, convicts, criminals, or offenders, among those for whom education would transform their lives and the lives of those around them.”

As an increasing number of students are earning degrees behind bars, graduate enrollment management (GEM) professionals may start to see more applications from justice-impacted applicants. As Brick stressed during our conversation, “We’re still not seeing a huge number of justice-impacted students on our college campuses yet, but we’ve seen a big increase. It’s only a matter of time before we start to see those increases at the graduate level.”

Brick, a PhD candidate at the University of Maryland in Student Affairs, focuses his research on the learning outcomes and benefits of higher education in prison. In discussing the importance of including justice-impacted students in GEM conversations and initiatives, he explained: continued on the next page

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THE POWER TO TRANSFORM As we think about the underserved, historically marginalized groups of people in the nation, we see the same populations being failed by multiple systems; when we look at who is being failed by the higher education system, it’s the same population that is being failed by the correctional system.

While the field of higher education has become more diverse and inclusive in the last decade, it is important to acknowledge the remaining potential to reform how graduate programs work with under-represented students. It is imperative that institutions begin to create cohorts reflective of our country’s diverse, “melting pot” population.

Championing educational opportunities for justice-impacted students is one such way to bring a myriad of new voices into the academic conversation.

How then can GEM professionals best advocate for justice-impacted students? What initiatives will make our programs more accessible to this student population? Brick shared several ways that GEM professionals can lower the barriers between interested and qualified justice-impacted students and graduate education.

1. Review and Revise Institutional Language The language necessary to encourage dialogue and student inquiry into graduate programs by justice-impacted students already exists. It is our job to ensure that this language is visible on our websites, on social media, and in other recruitment and marketing messaging across our campuses. It is imperative that our language reflects the welcoming and inclusive natures of our colleges and universities, and that this language is not only existent but highly visible. The questions that we ask students, how we ask them, and why we ask them has a direct impact on how open we appear while having conversations with students who may see

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CONTINUED from a policy perspective and from a public institution perspective, it’s known that education reduces recidivism, therefore reducing federal and statewide correctional costs while enabling and empowering justice-impacted students to make positive changes in their communities post-graduation.

Advocating for justice-impacted students is, therefore, not only an ethical decision, but also a decision that manifests as a testament to the power of education to affect nationwide change.

barriers where there may, in reality, be open doors for discussion.

2. Remove the Box In their 2016 report, “Beyond the Box: Increasing Access to Higher Education for Justice-Involved Individuals,” the U.S. Department of Education states, Perhaps the most powerful tool an admissions counselor or officer can have is the ability to use his or her own human experience in assessing the person behind the paper.

Institutions should seek to create an admissions process that respects human dignity and is fair and equitable by design.

4. Contemplate a Partnership with Corrections

As GEM professionals and educators, it is our responsibility to take a serious look at our forms, policies, and procedures to identify barriers to access. By advocating for justice-impacted students while participating in institutional selfassessment initiatives, we can prompt alternative approaches to campus safety and security while removing non-critical criminal history questions from our admissions applications.

3. Consider the Potential of this Population at Your Institution In Brick’s words, “When we think of the transformative power of education— the power of education and the value of education to make a better life for oneself—this is one population that needs it most.”

“What we need is to make our questions more human, open our minds, and view justice-impacted

GEM professionals are uniquely positioned to include justice-impacted students in the conversation when we discuss mission statements, institutional values, and program changes. This group, comprised of various individuals representing other marginalized clusters in higher education, is one that we would be remiss to overlook. The students in question are driven, value education, and want to affect change in their communities. Furthermore,

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Please note that this proposed action should not be considered lightly. Colleges and universities that have the flexibility and ability necessary to broach the subject of building partnerships with correctional facilities in order to offer high-quality higher education programs should do so only if they can commit to ensuring quality outcomes for the students involved. Those of us who can start these conversations should start these conversations, but not without committing to taking the necessary steps toward quality assurance in proposed partnerships and programs. Best practices for planning, development, and assessment of Higher Education in Prison (HEP) programs are outlined in the IHEP KPI Initiative, which is scheduled to release research findings by late 2020.

students as part of the underrepresented population we are actively working to recruit.”

I entered this conversation with IHEP with the misconception that in order to make graduate education accessible, affordable, and equitable for justiceimpacted students, GEM professionals continued on the next page

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THE POWER TO TRANSFORM would have to take extraordinary measures to succeed in modeling and promoting best practices for recruitment, marketing, and beyond. I was wrong.

In reality, most institutions already have the ability to affect change on campus in order to make graduate education attainable for justice-impacted students. We have the language. We have the mission statements. We have the established college and university policies. What we need is to make our questions more human, open our minds, and view justice-impacted students as part of the under-represented population we are actively working to recruit.

What are GEM professionals looking for? We’re looking for that resilient student. That student who has grit.

The one who’s willing to take the extra steps. Justice-impacted students are such students. It would be a shame if we

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failed to recognize their potential simply because we, like the justice-impacted student we hope to serve, are stuck “looking at the box” merely pondering our futures rather than reaching out our hands to grasp the endless academic possibilities. n

References Assessing The Impact of Prison-Based Postsecondary Education Programs.

(1970, July 1). Retrieved from http:// www.ihep.org/research/initiatives/ assessing-impact-prison-basedpostsecondary-education-programs Mercer, C. (2004, December 14). Federal Pell Grants for Prisoners. Retrieved from https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/ RS21785.html U.S. Department of Education, Beyond the Box, Washington, D.C. 2016. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/documents/ beyond-the-box/guidance.pdf

UPCOMING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

2018–20 NAGAP GOVERNING BOARD Officers President Keith Ramsdell Assistant Dean and Director of Graduate Enrollment

Bowling Green State University Vice President Jeremiah Nelson Wake Forest University School of Business Treasurer Andrew Kim Memorial University of Newfoundland (Canada) Secretary Teisha Johnson

Illinois College of Optometry Immediate Past President Julia B. Deland Harvard Graduate School of Education Executive Director Katherine Hughey NAGAP, The Association for Graduate Enrollment Management

Pre-Summit Institute Five Steps to Follow for Graduate/Professional Recruitment Plan Development and a Presentation of the NAGAP/Ruffalo Noel Levitz GEM Survey Results April 22, 2020 Orlando, FL

Summer Professional Development Institute July 16–17, 2020 Las Vegas, NV The Leader in Graduate Enrollment Management

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Directors Paula Baker

University of Minnesota Katherine Beczak

Rochester Institute of Technology Marcus Hanscom

Roger Williams University Jennifer Kulbeck

Saint Mary's College of California Dana Mordecai

University of North Texas Amanda Ostreko

University of Kansas

The Exchange Check out NAGAP’s newest member benefit, The Exchange: a real-time, social networking platform to communicate with colleagues, share ideas, and get the most up-to-date NAGAP and GEM-related news. Learn more about this new members-only platform and its various functions by visiting nagap.org, and start a discussion today!

Sara Pettingill

Bellarmine University Caela Provost

University College Cork (Ireland) Naronda Wright

Georgia Southern University

Advancement and Dissemination of Knowledge. We value innovation and inquiry as central to the development of knowledge. We believe education and research are vital to effective practice in the field of graduate enrollment management.

Publications Committee Denise Bridwell

University of Kansas Dave Fletcher

Barry University

Diversity and Inclusion. We value equity, inclusion, and mutual respect.

We recognize that our differences make us stronger, and we seek out inclusion of differences. We believe that a culture of respect among a diverse and engaged membership strengthens NAGAP and is foundational to our contributions to the profession.

Kate McConnell Pennsylvania State University Great Valley Kittie Pain

McDaniel College Troy Sterk

Seattle University

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Collaboration. We value partnerships and teamwork. We believe in the power of networks, and that collaboration among our members, with other professional associations, and with industry partners builds synergy and enhances our individual strengths.

Professional Development and Personal Growth. We value continuous personal and professional development. We believe that the expertise and judgment of graduate enrollment management professionals are critical contributions to the field of graduate education.

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MEET OUR 2020 GRADUATE EDUCATION RESEARCH GRANT WINNERS The NAGAP Graduate Education Research Grant program is designed to encourage emerging knowledge and understanding of the complexities of graduate enrollment management including all aspects of admissions and recruitment, enrollment, retention, and graduation in higher education. New for 2020, applicant eligibility was expanded to include currently enrolled graduate or professional students, as well as individuals who have completed a doctoral degree and are currently working in a position related to the advancement, teaching, or management of graduate education. The Research Committee had a difficult time selecting from among the many outstanding research proposals received.

All awards include a research stipend, a complimentary annual NAGAP membership, and recognition at the 2020 GEM Summit in Orlando, Florida. Please join the Research Committee in congratulating our 2020 Gold and Silver Award recipients!

Gold Awards

Janet Kim

Joseph Mirabelli

University of Hawaii, Manoa

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Understanding the Special Education Teacher Pipeline

Exploring Retention, Mental Health, and Mentorship: A Qualitative Study of Engineering Faculty Advisors’ Perceptions

Silver Awards

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Kathryn Collins

Dr. Joseph Paris

Campbell University

Temple University

The Impact of Mental Health First Aid Training on Faculty Perceptions, Competencies, and Helping Behaviors within a Health Sciences Graduate Student Populations

Evaluating Potential: An Investigation of Holistic Graduate Admissions Practices

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INAUGURAL LEADERSHIP ACADEMY COHORT LAUNCHES WITH RAVE REVIEWS

By Kate McConnell, MBA, The Pennsylvania State University–Great Valley After years of discussion, surveys, and planning, the NAGAP Leadership Academy successfully launched this past fall with 29 energized and enthusiastic Graduate Enrollment Management (GEM) professionals from across North America.

Insights from participants so far have been impressive and quite useful for future program development. After attending the program kick-off in October at Teacher's College in New York City, one cohort member wrote: I’m aware of how much time, effort, and energy went into planning this event and it truly showed. I thought going into it that it would be a positive experience, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much meaningful content I took away from the experience. The cohort was even stronger than I’d initially imagined. Cindi Johnson was a fabulous instructor. Seriously, kudos to her for an incredible job. All in all, this was a wonderful experience. Thank you for your efforts.

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“The Leadership Academy

Education Committee Chair Marcus Hanscom. He continued:

evolved from a need for a higherlevel professional track for those members with a career aspiration to move up within the field of GEM.” As an association, NAGAP is focused on the engagement and advancement of GEM professionals, not only to help members value and promote the profession itself, but also to nurture their individual careers through a framework that addresses and supports professional development, professional practices, knowledge generation, research, and the development of future GEM leaders.

The Leadership Academy evolved from a need for a higher-level professional track for those members with a career aspiration to move up within the field of GEM. “We have a large and growing part of our membership who are mid-level, aspiring leaders. While we have successfully created professional development opportunities for new and advanced GEM professionals, this middle tier of members was in need of its own development,” recalls NAGAP

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As we look toward the future in higher education, it’s becoming more apparent that college campuses, particularly those that have previously focused heavily on undergraduate enrollments, are shifting their resources toward graduate and other student populations. For many of these campuses, they will be trying to grow graduate enrollments in an environment not previously designed or resourced to adequately recruit, retain, and serve graduate students. Through the Leadership Academy, NAGAP is fulfilling a vital need, preparing the next generation of GEM professionals to serve in these ever-evolving and challenging environments.

Over the years, the Education Committee analyzed many different concepts for a leadership certificate and utilized detailed environmental scans to determine what was already available continued on the next page

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INAUGURAL LEADERSHIP ACADEMY COHORT in GEM, and what a specialized program and curriculum might look like. One thing stood out: there were many different types of immersive and intensive leadership programs, but none with a focus on leadership development in Graduate Enrollment Management.

Creating a GEM-focused program proved to be a challenge. As a volunteer community of GEM professionals, there was certainly expertise within NAGAP, but NAGAP knew it had to look outside of itself—given its own limitations—to a third party with leadership training expertise, a proven reputation, and with whom they could partner and leverage NAGAP’s 40-plus years of experience.

After a multi-year vetting process, NAGAP settled on partnering with Management Concepts, a nationallyrecognized training firm with proven expertise in leadership development.

The company devised an eight-month curriculum that included a three-day onsite experience, a series of online leadership trainings and interactive discussions, as well as a personal 360° assessment and executive coaching sessions for each Academy participant.

The company also partnered with

NAGAP to add a series of six GEMthemed webinars, each focused on a different educational domain.

The Leadership Academy has successfully combined the competency areas of GEM with an innovative leadership curriculum and technology infrastructure to provide a model appropriate to support members and develop future leaders within higher education. The focus on training participants to lead change in their own organizations, not only from a GEM perspective, but also via the integration of core leadership concepts into the GEM paradigm, is the kind of innovation and professional development needed in the ever-changing world of graduate higher education.

While NAGAP leadership was aware of the need for mid-level training for members, the level of interest following the launch of the Leadership Academy was far greater than predicted, and the diversity among participant’s roles was beyond expectation—from marketing specialists, admissions staff, financial aid consultants, and student services personnel to academic deans.

This cross-section of members added

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a significant level of experience, responsibility, education, and future ambition to the Academy. “Goals were exceeded. The diversity of institutions and positions became so apparent when the cohort first met and interacted,” recalls Cammie Baker-Clancy, who led the development of the Leadership Academy with the NAGAP Education Committee. “What was envisioned became a reality as organizers watched and listened—the melding of GEM alongside the longstanding principles, practices, and strategies of leadership.”

NAGAP members will get to see firsthand the work of the inaugural cohort during a poster presentation at the NAGAP GEM Summit in Orlando in April.

A Special Thanks The Leadership Academy would not have been developed and launched if it were not for the dedication and hard work of past and present NAGAP leaders and members—Dan Bennett, Cammie Baker Clancy, James Crane, Dave Fletcher, Marcus Hanscom, Linda Horisk, Andrew Kim, Jeremiah Nelson, Keith Ramsdell, and Tom Rock. n

NAGAP Leadership Academy Personal Blogs Shanda Brand, MEd, Director of Graduate Programs in Education at Georgia College and State University, will be sharing her experience throughout the NAGAP Leadership Academy with personal blogs. Keep an eye on our NAGAP website and social media channels for personal posts about Shanda’s visit to Teacher’s College, her capstone project, and her work with her leadership coach!

Shanda Brand

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MEET THE 2020 WINTER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE FELLOWS

By Kristi Richter, Saint Louis University and Lauren McGowan, University at Buffalo • Having the ability to project and react in a nimble manner to the everchanging academic climate.

• Creating a working environment that exemplifies the Jesuit Mission for the students we serve.

Kristi Richter

Kristi Richter, Saint Louis University Hi! My name is Kristi Richter, MSW, LCSW and I am the Director of Recruitment and Admission at Saint Louis University in the School of Social Work, which is within the College for Public Health and Social Justice.

Uniquely, our School of Social Work is home to four different disciplines: Applied Behavior Analysis, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Social Work, and Urban Planning and Development.

In my role, I am privileged to wear many hats, the result of working in an office of 1½ employees. My responsibilities include (but are not limited to): recruitment, marketing and communications, prospect discernment, application management, administering and managing School of Social Work scholarship/fellowship and graduate assistantship funds, and overall strategic planning.

Some of my greatest aspirations as a Graduate Enrollment Management (GEM) professional are tied into some of the topics, policies, and practices of which I am most passionate.

• Reconciling how cost, quality, and relevance of higher education impacts the market now and in the future.

• Respectfully understanding the needs of the ever-changing demographics of students.

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My answer to what inspired me to apply for the NAGAP Winter PDI Fellowship may seem a little unconventional.

Friends are what inspired me. Over the years I have been fortunate enough to make some lifelong friendships in this profession. These are people whom I respect and look to for sound professional advice. While networking, in conversations, I hear friends talk about pertinent GEM topics and attributing their knowledge to something read or heard through NAGAP. It is obvious participation in NAGAP is mutually beneficial. The association is only as good as its whole (i.e., active engagement and participation is the benefit to the association by its members).

What those members get in return is the plethora of professional development opportunities obtained through GEM credentialing, trainings, conferences, research, and relationships. It’s those mutually beneficial opportunities that have molded my friends—and mentors!

It motivated me to find a way to get more engaged outside of the annual conference, given my time limitations.

All of this and Palm Springs is what motivated me to apply for the fellowship.

There are several things I hope to learn at the Winter PDI. It is hard not to expect too much out of an Institute. Typically, I go into professional development

Again, thank you for this incredible opportunity! It is with humble gratitude that I look forward to participating in the PDI.

Lauren McGowan

“While networking, in conversations, I hear friends talk about pertinent

Lauren McGowan, University at Buffalo Hi! I’m Lauren McGowan, and I have been the Director of Recruitment and Admissions at the University at Buffalo

GEM topics and attributing their knowledge to something read or heard through NAGAP.”

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opportunities with excitement, wanting to implement everything I hear. Realistically, if I can come home with 2–3 gems (no pun intended) worthy of implementation I am ecstatic. Experiences such as this help to build my confidence in the field but also humble me. It may sound contradictory, but when surrounded by colleagues it’s easy to realize how much more there is to learn with never enough time, yet in the same moment it can serve as a reassurance that I am currently on the right track. As a GEM professional, I commit to keeping myself educated on the latest in legal issues, recruitment technology, branding and marketing best practices, data forecasting, and other trends in the field—all while maintaining integrity for the process. I know it is critical to pay attention to the horizon without burying our heads in the day to day tasks. I am hoping this Winter PDI gives me an opportunity to stop and reflect while picking my head up and at least glancing ahead, however briefly.

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2020 WINTER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (UB) School of Social Work for about 3.5 years. We have a decentralized graduate admissions model here at UB, and the School of Social Work only offers graduate level programs, so we are a fairly small and specific enrollment unit, and my job encompasses many different roles. I do everything from talking with prospective students to developing and implementing communication plans, from implementing the social work part of Slate, our CRM, to creating marketing materials and editing the website.

I always get to learn and try new strategies each year, which I love!

It’s hard to say what topics or areas of GEM I’m most passionate about at this

point. I just know that whatever I do in the future, I want to enjoy it as much as I do my current role, and have a chance to continue to grow and develop my skills and feel that I am sincerely helping students. I am passionate about GEM in general because it encompasses so much, but I have especially enjoyed learning about marketing (especially inbound/content marketing), so that is one skillset I hope to continue to develop in the future. I also enjoy trying to get creative with messages and communications to students.

I am lucky to have a wonderfully supportive boss who is also very involved in NAGAP, so she clued me

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in to NAGAP when I started here and also encouraged me to apply for the PDI fellowship. I also genuinely love learning and connecting with others, so the PDI seemed like a fantastic chance to do both, and hopefully develop some higher level GEM skills.

In addition to forming connections with colleagues from across the country, I’m hoping to get an introduction to some higher level GEM skills. I’m particularly interested in topics such as supervising others, budgeting, predictive modeling, and marketing. I’m looking forward to developing these skillsets (and others) to be prepared for whatever the future of my career may hold! n

NAGAP Volunteer Opportunities NAGAP is a member-driven association, and there are many ways to get involved!

For more information, or to talk to someone about ways to become more involved with NAGAP, you can email a member of the Leadership Cultivation & Elections Committee.

Check out the Get Involved Page to learn more about the committees, organizational

We hope you will take the time to consider the opportunities for volunteer participation, and that you will discover a way to become more involved in NAGAP.

activities, and other projects for which you may volunteer your time.

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The Leader in Graduate Enrollment Management

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EXACTLY WHO IS CONSIDERED A UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL UNDER THE FAMILY EDUCATION RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT (FERPA)?

By Dave Fletcher, DMin, Barry University School of Podiatric Medicine I hope you’ve already been participating in the NAGAP Exchange, which, among other things, includes a very userfriendly and robust discussion board.

In November of this year a thread began with a post regarding practices and policies where graduate fellows or assistants are routinely used as part of application review—as in, they have a seat at the review table, weigh in on eligibility of candidates, and provide scores to rubrics where their assessments are weighed in determining admissions outcomes. (2019) This topic appears to be very relevant because it ended up having the most participation of any discussion in The Exchange to date. The spectrum of comments ranged from those who use various other participants to those who do not because of decisions by “our legal team” or concerns that FERPA prohibits such involvement.

The primary reference for not disclosing student information is found in FERPA §99.30 which states that, “The parent or eligible student shall provide a signed and dated written consent before an educational agency or institution discloses personally identifiable information from the student's education records, except as provided in §99.31.”

(2020) This paragraph goes on to explain the specific requirements that must be included in such a consent and provides that such consent may be given electronically as well. In my personal experience, I find that it is rather common for many university admissions officers to assume a very strict understanding of FERPA, which indicates that virtually no one who is not the student or a formal university official has a right to see information in the applicant’s file.

and 180 lines, and provides for a variety of exceptions to the primary rule, running the gamut from financial aid purposes to complying with a lawful subpoena. More specifically, §99.31(a) (1)(i)(A) permits disclosure of student records to “other school officials, including teachers, within the agency or institution whom the agency or institution has determined to have legitimate educational interests.” It is in this paragraph where we find an opening to discuss the potential role of fellows, assistants, students, or other such people who might not be faculty or admission officials of the university community in the admission file review/decision. And while this paragraph does extend certain privileges to “other school officials,” it doesn’t specify who those are by role or title—only that they have “legitimate educational interests.” The following paragraph, §99.31(a)(1)(i)(B), however, while still not defining those officials by title or role, does expand the meaning of “official” by clarifying that, “A contractor, consultant, volunteer, or other party to whom an agency or institution has outsourced institutional services or functions may be considered a school official under this paragraph…” In other words, a graduate fellow, alumnus/a, current student or other “volunteer” can be considered a “school official” at your institution if they are so designated by fulfilling a role that requires them to have access to documents for their legitimate educational interest, such as file review and/or admission decisions.

“ While FERPA does allow the use of volunteers, as one might imagine they are subject to similar

Notice, however, that §99.30 concludes by stating “…except as provided in §99.31.” Section §99.31 of FERPA contains an extensive 71 paragraphs

restrictions that any university

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official might be subject to when accessing such records.”

And so there you have it in a short and succinct expression. While “our legal team” may still decide not to involve such volunteers, it is clear that FERPA does not prohibit it—and, in fact, explicitly allows it. This, however, is not the end of the story. While FERPA does allow the use of volunteers, as one might imagine they are subject to similar restrictions that any university official might be subject to when accessing such records.

Paragraph §99.31(a)(1)(i)(B) contains three sub-paragraphs that explicitly state the conditions for such volunteers.

They must: 1. [Perform] an institutional service or function for which the agency or institution would otherwise use employees; 2. [Be] under the direct control of the agency or institution with respect to the use and maintenance of education records; and 3. [Be] subject to the requirements of §99.33(a) governing the use and redisclosure of personally identifiable information from education records.

In the case of our initial discussion, such volunteers clearly meet the first condition—they are doing the normal work of an admission official in reviewing files and contributing to an admission decision.

The second condition specifies that the volunteers must be under the “direct control of the agency or institution…”

This means more than just the volunteers “report to” the school as an employee might. It means that the institution remains the responsible entity when it comes to ensuring that any volunteers are properly trained on the requirements of FERPA, and that any misuse of the student records continued on the next page

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EXACTLY WHO IS CONSIDERED A UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL by the volunteer, just as by any other school official, would be the responsibility of the institution. This is largely the crux of the issue and places the burden of the behavior of volunteers squarely on the shoulders of the institution. This is where you might involve your HR department to make sure volunteers are properly trained and your legal department to make sure any volunteers sign appropriate confidentiality agreements.

“In summary then, we see that FERPA allows for the use of volunteers and other similar personnel in the review of admission files, provided that they abide by all other FERPA regulations and with the realization that the institution still remains the responsible entity overall.”

Finally, the third condition places upon your volunteers the same conditions placed on employees of the institution regarding protection of and redisclosure of records—only as provided for in §99.31.

In summary then, we see that FERPA allows for the use of volunteers and other similar personnel in the review of admission files, provided that they abide by all other FERPA regulations and with the realization that the institution still remains the responsible entity overall.

Of course, your institutional policies will ultimately determine, even outside of FERPA, whether such use is appropriate for your institution or programs.

I’d encourage you to join the conversation in The Exchange and let us know how you use non-employees and if this FERPA discussion or article has had any impact on your institutional policies.

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Author’s Note I am extremely indebted to AACRAO Senior Fellow LeRoy Rooker who provided much direction and guidance in helping me find the resources and who helped provide and clarify some of the relevant FERPA language. LeRoy Rooker is the nation’s leading authority on the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. n

References (2019, October). Retrieved from https:// connect.nagap.org/communities/ community-home/digestviewer/viewthre ad?GroupId=121&MessageKey=7b2a 09a2-2aab-4e74-81a2-e2297532e53a &CommunityKey=e7ef4fbd-c9b2-42d6964a-37a17c01cb2f&tab=digestviewer &ReturnUrl=/browse/allrecentposts (2020, January 1). Retrieved from https:// www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=f3d 63cfaa7f579969d928627522699fa& mc=true&node=pt34.1.99&rgn=div5

The NAGAP Experts Bureau The NAGAP Experts Bureau provides members, as well as outside media, with valuable and reliable resources in the matters of GEM. NAGAP members benefit from having well-respected colleagues within their organization who can confidently and respectfully respond to their best-practice questions or concerns.

Areas of expertise include but are not limited to: • Recruitment & Marketing • Graduate & Adult Student Services • Ethical Issues in GEM • International Recruitment & Retention • Staff Professional Development

• Admissions Policies & Procedures and Operations & Technologies • Diversity & Inclusion in GEM • Academic Program Development • STEM, Biomedical, Medical School Recruitment and Retention

Questions, concerns, or feedback for the Experts Bureau may be directed to nagapmedia@gmail.com.

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: ROBERT SOMMO, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

By Troy Sterk, Seattle University Like many of us, Rob Sommo did not originally intend on having a career in higher education. After growing up in Connecticut and finding himself unsatisfied with his first job in New York City, Rob talked to a friend who referred him to a family member who worked at New York University. He began work in the registrar’s office, a job that would lead to his current role: Assistant Dean for Enrollment Services at the Silver School of Social Work.

Rob has been an active member of NAGAP for many years, having initially learned about the association through fellow campus admission directors.

In addition to presenting multiple times at the annual conference, he has volunteered behind the scenes, and—within the last year—became a member of the Marketing Committee.

While on the Marketing Committee he has focused on creating the

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a small part of their success is extremely satisfying.” As a first-generation student himself, Rob appreciates many of the obstacles students have overcome to pursue their educational endeavors. He also enjoys his colleagues in the Silver School, who inspire him to continue to do this meaningful work.

As the father of five-year-old twins and a two-year-old, Rob is seeking to establish an appropriate work-life balance. He hopes to continue his work with graduate students while balancing his desire to be with his children and husband, George, as much as possible.

At this point in his career, Rob is not thinking as much about what’s next, but instead focusing on each day, week, month, and year while continuing to have a positive impact on prospective and admitted students. n

Robert Sommo “Membership Monday Spotlight” feature, which is published on NAGAP’s social media channels.

Professionally, Rob stays motivated through his interactions with students, remarking that, “There is nothing more rewarding than seeing someone who you helped walk across the stage at graduation. Knowing the challenges they faced to get where they are and being

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PRESTIGE IN PERSPECTIVE: A STUDENT’S RECRUITMENT JOURNEY Growing up in a small, rural, Midwest community, the idea of pursuing a PhD never crossed my mind. It was not until I delved into undergraduate research that I began thinking about pursuing a PhD. My undergraduate research advisor helped me tackle the complex process of preparing for and applying to graduate school, which was very daunting as a first-generation college student. I was often overwhelmed as I began to learn about all aspects of graduate school and how important it was to select the right program. This then led me to consider applying to institutions over 500 miles from home, which was extremely intimidating for an individual who grew up in an area of the country in which 75% of people live within a 30 minute drive of where they grew up. Another part of my preparation for graduate school included applying to the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) in my last year of undergraduate studies. The purpose of applying as an undergraduate was to receive feedback that would help guide another submission once I became a graduate student. However, I received a fellowship from the NSF GRFP with this first submission. Already committed to completing a master’s degree at my undergraduate institution as part of a 4+1 program, I was in a unique position.

I would be applying to PhD programs as a recipient of an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, with two years of funding.

Receiving a fellowship from NSF not only changed my life, but it significantly altered my experiences during the application and recruitment period.

With a single mention of the fellowship, I could get responses from faculty members at institutions that otherwise may have ignored me. Out of roughly a dozen faculty members that I reached

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“My undergraduate research advisor helped me tackle the complex process of preparing for and applying to graduate school, which was very daunting as a firstgeneration college student. I was often overwhelmed as I began to learn about all aspects of graduate

Jacob Griffith

school and how important it was to select the right program.” out to, I received a response from each and every one of them. This was a very different outcome than a lot of my friends and colleagues who had no success in sending cold emails. This was advantageous as it provided me an advocate in each of the schools to which I applied. Often times, faculty responded with curiosity at the claim of a master’s student having received a NSF fellowship. This often, but not always, led to stimulating conversations regarding directions they wanted to take their research, but did not include conversations about having grant money to support a student. The freedom to choose and define my research focus with the fellowship was an incredible opportunity throughout recruitment.

Instead of selecting someone to tell me what I should get passionate about researching, I had the opportunity to combine my interests with the interests and resources of an expert in the field.

Additionally, throughout my campus visits, the nature of my interactions with current and prospective students, as well as with faculty, would slightly shift when they discovered that I had received an NSF fellowship. Their new perception of my previous research experience and future potential was extremely daunting.

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Current students would even admit to feeling underqualified to be discussing the program and research with me.

This was one of the tougher situations for me to face. The fact that I was, in a way, contributing to imposter syndrome in others led me to be less forthcoming about having received the award.

Despite all of the benefits of bringing funding and the title of “NSF Graduate Research Fellow” into the recruitment process, there were also drawbacks.

The primary disadvantage was imposter syndrome. In order to receive the NSF fellowship, I knew I must have demonstrated significant potential and achievement. However, throughout the application process, I felt that I was only getting offers from schools and interest from faculty since they would not have to pay for me for two years. This made me feel that my application did not receive as thorough of a review as my peers and that I may not actually belong in these top programs around the country.

On many occasions during recruitment weekends, I had faculty approach me to set up a meeting outside of the normal recruitment schedule. These interactions with faculty, including the scheduled interactions as part of the recruitment activities, always ended with the faculty pitching their research and telling me continued on the next page

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that if I came to their university, they had a spot open for me due to my funding.

On one hand, this was fantastic since it provided me a lot of opportunities.

However, it also made me feel that I was not having to compete with my peers as much to get into my desired lab. This led me to wonder if I would have been just as competitive if the graduate research fellowship was not on my resume.

Between the seven institutions into which I was admitted, I attended six recruitment weekends. Every faculty member I was interested in working with, and several who approached me without me being interested, mentioned that my funding alone would provide the opportunity for me to join their lab. This created a very interesting dynamic in my decisionmaking process. I had an endless amount of options, but I was uncertain whether faculty were interested in me as a person, or just the opportunity to add a new student with a discount. To be clear, in hindsight, I do firmly believe that most faculty actually were interested in adding me to their labs for reasons other than saving themselves money. However, this is an example of how imposter syndrome can manifest. My story of applying to graduate schools with NSF funding may not be the most common occurrence, but the story of imposter syndrome seeping into the lives of applicants is a common one.

Interactions with graduate admissions staff became extremely important due to my unique circumstances. Discussions regarding how the funding provided by the institution would mesh with the NSF funding were unique and required additional follow-up. When following up regarding how the fellowship would be handled, further discussions with admissions staff would often occur.

On several occasions, admissions staff even provided candid feedback

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regarding which faculty at their institution may be most advantageous given my circumstances. These discussions largely focused upon the feedback that the staff had received from students regarding the faculty member’s soft skills and mentorship capabilities. In one specific instance, admissions staff even helped me obtain a more thorough evaluation of a particular faculty member by putting me in contact with specific students in the department to provide me with more information to inform my decision on faculty selection. The faculty member I was considering had minimal funding and poor mentorship evaluations from students; however, they had expressed significant interest in adding me to their lab with a very convincing pitch. As a first-generation college student, this was especially advantageous in the decision making process because I didn’t know what questions I should be asking or what considerations I needed to take into account beyond just the research.

Although I did not base my decision solely upon the input received from staff and students, it helped provide me with the information to make a more informed decision. It was the admissions staff who had seen the applications and the accolades who were able to push all that aside. They saw me as a person, and wanted to help me navigate the recruitment process, especially given my unique circumstances. This helped address the imposter syndrome I felt in addition to my apprehension as a first-generation student. I will always be extremely grateful to those who helped me through the recruiting process, even at the institutions that I chose not to attend.

Applying to and selecting a PhD program as the recipient of an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship was a valuable experience that I believe will shape me long into my career. This process has

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made me more cognizant of the doors that can be opened in academia with funding, which is a reality that I will face throughout my time as a PhD student, and if I ever achieve my aspirations of becoming a faculty member. Additionally, this process has provided me the opportunity to meet and interact with a large number of individuals in the academic world, resulting in the addition of many new friends and mentors in my field. Overall, my biggest takeaway from this experience was the importance of the human component during the recruitment process. Finding faculty and admissions staff willing to discuss my circumstances, with my best interests in mind, was incredible and provided me a glimpse at how the process should actually work.

The best fit for a student may not always be the institution with the highest ranking, but instead, the institution with a healthy community in which the student can grow and prosper. This holds true for all individuals, regardless of whether they are applying with their own funding.

Jacob Griffith, PhD student, Biomedical Engineering

“Overall, my biggest takeaway from this experience was the importance of the human component during the recruitment process. Finding faculty and admissions staff willing to discuss my circumstances, with my best interests in mind, was incredible and provided me a glimpse at how the process should actually work.”

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Professional Response by Denise Bridwell, University of Kansas, NAGAP Publications Committee There has been a lot of discussion recently about admissions committee bias, largely in context of test scores and minority status. However, Jacob’s story is an interesting perspective on how his admissions and recruitment experience varied from his peers based on prestige and funding. This is a thought-provoking concept that should force all of us to think critically about ourselves and our current practices.

We’re all guilty of it, right? We all want to fill our programs with the top students who are going to be productive and make our programs look good. We want students we can brag about: to our administrators, our alumni, funding organizations, and largely, to each other.

But, why? And at what cost? Don’t get me wrong, I am certainly not suggesting that we stop pursuing high achieving students to fill our programs; rather, that maybe we think critically about the method in which we do so and that our measure of success may be flawed.

We all know that it is hard to predict who is going to be successful from an application. Sometimes even the most “promising” students drop out. So, why do we unequally pursue students who have been admitted to our programs?

It is easy to think of students in terms of a funnel or application statistics or even as the production team that is the foundation of our university research machine. It is easy to lose sight of the fact that they have never been through this experience before and really have no idea what they are doing. Often times, these students are scared or, at the very least, nervous and worried about making the wrong decision. It is easy to lose sight of their individuality.

Each applicant has specific needs, specific goals, and specific insecurities.

We must treat students as individuals.

We must remember that even the most promising of students struggle with this process; we are wrong to assume that

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they need any more or less attention than other applicants.

First of all, we shouldn’t consider these needs as problems, but opportunities.

Secondly, it is our job as recruiters and ambassadors of our programs to learn what these needs and wants and insecurities are and then do something about it. If a student is willing to share these things with us, it means that they are interested and engaged enough to learn more about the product we are selling. It is an opportunity for us to address those needs specifically and put our “customers” at ease. In the sales world we call this overcoming objections. Understandably, it takes time and effort in an environment where we all seem to be stretched a little thin.

But the investment in these prospective students will pay out in dividends.

“Each applicant has specific needs, specific goals, and specific insecurities. We must treat students as individuals. We must remember that even the most promising of students struggle with this process; we are wrong to assume that they need any more or less attention than other applicants.”

It is also worthwhile to examine the peer dynamic that Jacob describes in his experience. Jacob displays a great amount of maturity and insight with his perception of peer experiences and how his affected those around him. Jacob is right. We tend to jump through hoops for high-achieving candidates in hopes of wooing them to our university. It is not hard to imagine that this sort of biased interaction and level of consideration

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could draw negative attention to other students who observe it and have very different experiences. However, it is far more intuitive to consider that it may also have a negative effect on the student receiving the attention. Are we portraying an unequal and almost class-based environment based on who has funding and who doesn’t? In what other ways might we be portrayed as classifying the rank or importance of a student: international or domestic, doctoral or master’s, published or unpublished, Ivy League or state school? How we treat students and the consistency with which we do so matters.

Furthermore, imposter syndrome is something that I suspect we all struggle with, if we are being honest with ourselves. Higher education is a field that almost seems to weave imposter syndrome into the fabric of its existence.

Recognizing that it exists and how we may be contributing to it is imperative.

In conclusion, it is important for us to reflect on our practices and procedures from time to time to see if what we are doing matches our priorities, but also if it is being received as we are intending it to be. Do we talk to the students who attend campus visit events? Do we send out surveys? Do we follow up with students after they matriculate to see what they actually thought about the visit?

How about students who went elsewhere that we see again at conferences the next year? Are we seeking honest and accurate feedback to reflect upon?

Are we creating an environment where students feel like they can share that feedback honestly? Yes, this is a long list of questions, but hopefully these questions can provide direction as we reflect. Let us make a conscious effort to consider the student perspective of the recruitment experience as we wrap up this season, and let us remember why we are here: to serve students, and all students equally. n

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ADVANCE YOUR

CAREER IN HIGHER EDUCATION HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERSHIP & ORGANIZATIONAL STUDIES (EdD) ABOUT THE DEGREE: • Online coursework with annual campus-based immersion weekend • Highly personalized leadership development focus with coaching and mentoring from faculty • Small classes with ample opportunity for network building • 30 credit All But Dissertation (ABD) completion option • Accelerated, flexible schedule - complete within 3-4 years • Relevant coursework can be immediately applied to any college or university work context

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ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATE Students who successfully complete the six-course Certificate in Enrollment Management at Bay Path will also receive the Ruffalo Noel Levitz Certificate in Enrollment Management. Students who complete the certificate program can continue on to complete the Master’s degree. EM certificate coursework may also transfer into the EdD at the discretion of the program director.

Learn more at BAYPATH.EDU/GRADHIGHERED

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NAGAP Leadership Academy: September 23–25, 2020 More information available here: http://nagap.org/leadershipacademy

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