Best Practices
Southeastern Community College
Re-recruiting Program
In the fall of 2005, Southeastern Community College launched an initiative
to re-recruit currently enrolled fall 2005 students for the spring semester
2006. The college experienced an increase in enrollment beginning in 2000
primarily from the closure of a number of local plants. In the fall of 2005,
the college experienced a drop in enrollment resulting in a concern for
a loss in the number of students, F.T.E. and eventually a reduced budget.
After some discussion the college approached the decline on three levels:
• Outreach
• Marketing
• Re-recruiting
Because outreach and marketing were already approaching their potential
it was decided to focus on ensuring that a large number of current students
re-enroll for the next semester. This effort was carried out by the advisor/instructor
and their students based on the assumption that it is more efficient to
re-recruit a current student than it is to try to attract a new one.
The advisor/instructor contacted their students in the classroom and by
phone to discuss their next semester classes and to arrange an advisement/registration
appointment. A portion of the general education faculty utilized the first
few minutes of their classes to discuss the next semesters’ registration
and the value of remaining in school. In addition, S.C.C.’s minority
recruiter focused on meeting with and re-recruiting the minority males.
The recruiting/admission office mailed cards to current and past students
reminding them to re-register. Signs were placed at strategic areas on the
campus as reminders.
With this effort the college experienced an 84% retention rate from fall
2005 to spring 2006 (NCCS Data Warehouse).
