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Noel-Levitz partnership will contribute to growth
Photo courtesy of Student Media
The partnership between Texas Tech and the Noel-Levitz group is generating results that should help the university boost its enrollment and strengthen opportunities for student success.
The effort, which formally began in September, was designed to focus on the following areas within the university: admissions, financial aid, strategic enrollment management and communications.
Preliminary work with Noel-Levitz consultants, who are typically active or retired professionals from within the field, began with multiple investigatory processes.
Research and a price-sensitivity survey were conducted to investigate tuition pricing and financial aid leveraging with prospective students. Reviews of communication marketing and Web-based resources also were completed. Earlier this year, a survey was conducted to inquire about the decision-making processes of students admitted to Tech, but who chose not to enroll.
"The variety of information and the depth of this analysis alone has been very significant to direct our further development of our institution’s practices," said Ethan Logan, director for Undergraduate Admissions.
Logan’s department has been the primary target of Noel-Levitz consultants during the past year.
"I believe the results have been extremely promising and that this partnership has been worthwhile," Logan said. "I have been impressed with the knowledge and experience that these consultants have in enrollment management, and they have helped transform our recruiting, admitting and fund practices a great deal. The next step in our relationship is to move towards a more strategic outlook for the development of Texas Tech’s future enrollment growth; not to mention, the ability to sustain the work and changes that we have already put into place."
Established in 1973, Noel-Levitz is a higher education consulting firm that has collaborated with more than 2,000 colleges and universities. Its vision, according to the Noel-Levitz Web site, is "to lead the charge for total enrollment effectiveness in higher education…."
Leisure Pool’s debut generates unexpected attendance figures
Photo courtesy of Student Media
Texas Tech University’s newly opened Leisure Pool proved to be a popular place to hang out this summer.
Tech students, faculty and staff members and community members turned out for the facility’s debut season by the hundreds, putting the daily average attendance at about 950.
“The numbers far exceeded our expectations,” said Melissa Hogle, assistant director for Recreational Sports.
Records for the month of June show the highest average daily attendance, with the figure frequently climbing to more than 1,000. Hogle said the facility realized daily attendance numbers as high as 1,500 at times.
The Leisure Pool’s wet deck seemed to be its most popular feature, but students also enjoyed floating the Lazy River and soaking in the hot tub. The lap lanes also stayed crowded.
The pool, which opened May 22, played host to Red Raider Orientation activities and other on-campus events, birthday parties and other celebrations. Also, the Rec Center’s swim lesson program served about 1,400 local youths, Hogle said.
The facility closed for the season on Oct. 11, but plans call for the hot tub area to remain open for use during the fall and winter months. Although weather will dictate the actual date of reopening, Hogle said at least a portion of the pool facility could be ready for use sometime in April.
Residence halls at capacity for ’09 fall semester
Texas Tech has seen a surge in the popularity of on-campus housing, so much so that University Student Housing declared its residence halls full this semester.
On the 20th day of classes, a total of 6,450 occupants filled the residence halls.
“We’re at capacity,” said Sean Duggan, director for the department. "That’s a pretty significant number."
The last time this number of students chose to reside on the Tech campus was in 1987.
Housing recorded a 3 percent growth in residence hall occupancy this semester, Duggan said. There are 158 more freshmen in the residence halls this semester than in the fall 2008 semester, and junior and senior occupancy rates are higher as well.
The department’s record occupancy rate in the residence halls was recorded in 1981, with 7,189 students living on campus; however, Tech had more residence halls at that time than it does now.
"There are fewer (residence hall) buildings with the same number of students," Duggan said. "That speaks to the efficiency of Texas Tech."
Additional residence halls will be needed to accommodate Tech’s goal of achieving a student enrollment of 40,000 by the year 2020.
The first of the needed additions could materialize as early as the fall 2012 semester. Housing plans to construct a $35 million, 500-bed residence hall at 19th Street and Broadway at the current site of Weeks Hall. That building, long unused, is tentatively scheduled for demolition next spring.
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Rec Sports reports spike in intramural participation
Photo courtesy of Student Media
As Texas Tech University’s enrollment climbs, so does student interest in the Recreational Sports intramural program.
Participation has climbed in football, tennis tournaments and sand volleyball competitions organized by the department’s Intramural Sports Club & Special Events division.
Interest in intramural football has jumped significantly, with 426 teams signed up for the fall season. Twenty-four additional 10- to 12-person teams were late in signing up and placed on a waiting list, said Don Davis, associate director for the division.
Scheduling has been a challenge, he said. Hour-long football games run from 5 p.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday of each week and from noon to midnight on Sundays.
"We’ve filled up every field, every hour, every space we can," Davis said.
In the meantime, participation in tennis tournaments organized by the department has almost doubled, and more than 80 teams signed up to play intramural sand volleyball.
"The numbers are going up in everything," Davis said.
Student Media photos earn national recognition
Photo courtesy of Student Media
Two photographs published in the 2009 La Ventana yearbook, including the one shown above of Texas Tech student Leah Smith, recently were listed as finalists in the Associated Collegiate Press Photo Excellence Awards competition.
Kerry Lentz was named a finalist in both the Environmental Portrait and General News Photography divisions of the contest, which is co-sponsored by the National Press Photographers Association.
A total of 849 entries were received as part of this year’s competition, according to an ACP news release.
Winners will be announced Oct. 31 at the 88th Annual Associated Collegiate Press/College Media Advisers National College Media Convention in Austin.
TECHniques Center
receives recognition
The TECHniques Center, a component of Student Disability Services, has earned high marks in recent weeks.
The center earned re-certification through the College Reading and Learning Association, or CRLA. The certification enables the center’s tutors to be individually certificated under CRLA guidelines.
Additionally, the TECHniques Center also was listed as an "Exemplary Program" in the National ACademic ADvising Association’s Monograph 2009 publication, "Advising Students with Disabilities: Striving for Universal Success."
SAEM departments set to begin CAS process
Three Student Affairs departments are scheduled to participate in the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) process during the next few months.
Student Legal Services, United Spirit Arena and University Printing Services will undertake the assessment process during 2009-2010, according to Craig Morton, unit manager of Assessment and Planning.
Since 1979, CAS has been used by student affairs, student services and student development programs to "provide a vehicle for the development of functional area and academic preparation standards" and offer a "well recognized and credible profession-wide entity to publish and promulgate standards and related materials and encourage and educate practitioners to apply the standards effectively in their work with students," according to the CAS Web site.
The program is designed to foster and enhance student learning, development and achievement while ensuring institutional effectiveness, accountability, assessment and quality assurance.
CAS has been utilized by Student Affairs and Enrollment Management since 2006, with departments participating in a five-year rotation. Hospitality Services, University Identification, Student Disability Services and Student Union & Activities completed the process earlier this year.
Disability Services sees jump in students served
The number of students receiving assistance through Student Disability Services is climbing.
The Student Success Seminars offered each semester, which cover topics such as note taking skills, time management and dealing with writing anxiety, have logged record attendance figures this semester. Additionally, feedback from students and instructors has been overwhelmingly positive, according to departmental reports.
The TECHniques Center also experienced a record enrollment of qualifying students and applicants.
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