PRACTICAL COLLABORATION Fine-tuning Your Graduate Admissions Process

1. PRACTICAL COLLABORATIONFine-tuning Your Graduate Admissions Process PRESENTERS Janet Shandley and Sena Andah SEATTLE UNIVERSITY & SAINT JOSEPH’S UNIVERSITY

2. AGENDA Introductions Context Challenges Strategies Outcomes HIGHLIGHTS Defining “practical collaboration” Engaging non-admissions staff in the process Assessing the processing needs of academic departments Conducting an admissions review process V. Preparing Service Level Agreements (SLAs) Discussing “best practices” PRACTICAL COLLABORATIONFine-tuning Your Graduate Admissions Process

3. Saint Joseph’s UniversityOVERVIEW  Modified, centralized recruiting and processing  Decentralized admissions process • 53 graduate study areas; 2,770 graduate students  Staff of 4 professionals & 3-6 student workers per semester

4. Seattle UniversityOVERVIEW  Centralized processing  Decentralized recruiting • 27 graduate programs • Over 1880 graduate students • Staff of 4 professionals & 2 shared positions • Enrollment Services Operations

5. PRACTICAL COLLABORATIONWhat Is Practical Collaboration? Invested parties working together to achieve specific university goals in an intentional, respectful and mutually-accountable manner.

6. PRACTICAL COLLABORATION CHALLENGES  UNVERSITY STRATEGIC PLANNING  KEY “PLAYERS” & NEEDS  DOCUMENTATION & PRIOR PRACTICE  EXCEPTIONS & ACCOMMODATIONS  ACCOUNTABILITY ************************************

7. DEVELOP AN ASSESSMENT TOOL  Sponsorship  Audience  Data Collection MINING EXPERTISE  Front line people  Data processors  Counselors & advisors DISCUSSION & COMPROMISE  Informed discussions  Common goals  De-mystify process  Identify training needs SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENTS  Documents from template  Individual program meetings PRACTICAL COLLABORATIONSTRATEGIES

8. PRACTICAL COLLABORATIONReview Sample 1

9. PRACTICAL COLLABORATIONReview Sample 2

10. PRACTICAL COLLABORATIONSLA Sample 1

11. PRACTICAL COLLABORATIONSLA Sample 2

12. PRACTICAL COLLABORATIONOUTCOMES • CLARIFY ROLES • REVIEW TIMELINES & GOALS • CONFIRM REPORTING NEEDS • EXAMINE PROCESSING • COMMIT TO COMMUNICATION

13. PRACTICAL COLLABORATIONOUTCOMES ADMISSIONS REVIEW REPORT  Distribution  Recommendations SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENTS  Annual Review  Training Resource

14. PRACTICAL COLLABORATIONBEST PRACTICES REFERENCE AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO GRADUATE ADMISSIONS Council of Graduate Schools & NAGAP DISCUSSION Is it possible to establish a best practices standard?

15. PRACTICAL COLLABORATIONCONTACT US JANET SHANDLEY Director of Graduate Admission Seattle University 206.296.5904 / JANSHAN@seattleu.edu SENA ANDAH Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions Saint Joseph’s University 610.660.1108 / sowereko@sju.edu