Summary
Administrative ExcellenceAdministrative excellence, in the context of this Guide, focuses on communicating well with the student. current student contact information, thus facilitating regular communication with students for the first two years after graduation, can have a positive impact on post-graduation employment rates and student loan repayment rates. Colleges often target three points in time when contact information is updated: at enrollment, midway through the student’s course of study and at graduation. Those colleges who ask for a secondary contact (parent or other family member, spouse, close friend) often have the best success in maintaining contact with former students. Many schools reported that former students are less apt to change e-mail addresses than postal addresses.
Ongoing contact with students after graduation is a time consuming practice but it can have a significant impact on student loan repayment rates. Typically, contact by mail, e-mail and/or telephone is made within three months after graduation. In provinces where graduates must make a decision regarding combining Canada Student Loan payments and provincial Student Loan payments into a single payment, a second contact should then be made. Additional contacts should be made six months after graduation, when student loan repayment starts, and every few months thereafter.
Canada is one of the most internet rich countries in the world, with a high percentage of households having high speed web access. As a result, most Canadians seek information on the internet. Many private career colleges have a website that provides information about the college and programs offered. Two colleges, the Tourism Training Institute (TTI) and Rhodes Wellness College, both in the greater Vancouver area, have impressive websites that are feature-rich and comprehensive, attractive and easy to navigate.
Both Rhodes and TTI provide prospective students with information on the types of careers in which graduates might expect to gain employment, depending on the course of study chosen. Both provide admissions application forms online as well, with Rhodes providing links to Canada Student Loans and British Columbia Student Aid. Both list organizations in which they are members (Better Business Bureau, for example) and use the British Columbia Private Career Training Institutions Agency (PCTIA) accreditation seal. Both colleges utilize their website as part of their lifetime job placement assistance. TTI maintains their job board behind a student login, ensuring that persons seeking employment contacts through their site are graduates of TTI. Rhodes, on the other hand, provide their job board in a public page in their web site, providing access to current and former students as well as others in the wellness field.
Ongoing communication with graduates during their first two years following graduation, coupled with a comprehensive website with student loan contact information and ongoing job placement assistance, are the highlights of administrative excellence.
Case Study
Administrative ExcellenceMedix School, operating in Kitchener and Brantford ON, has developed one of the most comprehensive administrative processes found within the private career college sector. Their size enables them to have specialized staff, with each one understanding clearly his or her role on the team. Administrative processes at Medix are streamlined to provide professional services to students.
Like many colleges, Medix has struggled to improve student loan repayment rates of their graduates. But this college leads the field, having developed one of the most comprehensive default management systems we encountered. A default management specialist follows a well defined process of maintaining contact with former students. After graduation, at three month, five month and eight month intervals, letters are sent to former students and follow-up contacts are made with each of them by telephone. In total, twelve separate contacts are made with former students during the first two years after graduation, each having a specific purpose.
The impact this default management plan will have is yet to be determined. However, the commitment of this college to improving student loan repayment success rates is remarkable.
Innovative Ideas
Administrative ExcellenceHere are some administrative strategies and initiatives that your private career college might adopt:
- Review and evaluate how your college is maintaining student contact information. Consider updating that information throughout the school year and at graduation. Incorporate a “Contact Update” form into your college website to maintain information on graduates. Add e-mail addresses and secondary contacts to student information sheets.
- Develop a default management plan and ensure it is followed. While this document provides a brief overview of certain elements, we recommend that you contact a school that already follows a comprehensive plan for more information. Your provincial Career Colleges Association, Canada Student Loans or your provincial or territorial Student Loans office can be good sources of information as well.
- If you already follow a default management plan, conduct a review and evaluation for effectiveness. What could you do to improve effectiveness? Again, utilize the knowledge and expertise of others.
- Update your website. Have a designer build a site that is easy for you to update and maintain. Keep the site clean and current. Provide information on types of employment students might gain following completion of each program offered. Provide links to Canada Student Loans and your provincial or territorial student loans program. Consider providing an online job board for current students as well as graduates.