Case Study:

Institutional Context

The client is a medium-sized, four-year public institution located in the Southern United States. Despite their standing, the institution faced significant operational friction across its enrollment division, which was negatively impacting student service levels and overall recruitment targets.

The Challenge: Operational Stagnation

The primary hurdle was a lack of functional alignment across the division. Inefficient workflows and siloed departments created a bottleneck that hindered the institution's ability to effectively service current students and successfully enroll new ones.

The Strategic Approach

To identify the root causes of the dysfunction, a multi-phased diagnostic approach was implemented:

• Stakeholder Interviews: Conducted deep-dive discussions with directors, staff-level personnel, and ancillary departments to understand the cultural and procedural barriers.
• Data Audit: Performed a rigorous analysis of operational data to pinpoint exactly where workflows were failing.
• Executive Reporting: Synthesized findings into a comprehensive report for the President and Provost, providing a roadmap for institutional change.

Key Recommendations

The strategy focused on four pillars of institutional health:

1. Structural Realignment: Reviewing the organizational chart to ensure "the right people were in the right seats" and staffing levels were optimized.
2. Technological Integration: Identifying gaps where technology could automate manual tasks and enhance communication.
3. Strategic Enrollment Planning (SEP): Developing a targeted plan to identify, recruit, and support specific student populations.
4. Operational Audit: A full-scale audit of all enrollment functions to reclaim lost efficiency and effectiveness.

Implementation & Action

Following the recommendations, the institution took decisive steps:

• Restructuring: Executed staffing changes and realigned job duties to better support the enrollment mission.
• Resource Allocation: Hired additional personnel for critical functions and optimized existing roles.
• Data Visibility: Developed sophisticated dashboards to provide real-time insights into daily recruitment and processing productivity.

Results & Impact

The intervention led to immediate improvements in the institution's operational health:

• Enhanced Productivity: Achieved faster turnaround times and greater clarity across all functional units.
• Cultural Shift: Fostered a new environment of collaboration and transparency that broke down previous silos.
• Student Success: Improved the overall student experience through streamlined service and faster processing.
• Enrollment Growth: Realized modest, steady increases in short-term enrollment, underpinned by a now-scalable operational foundation.