FISEM Field Visits

Field Visit Preparation

The Registered Enrollment Professional endorsement is a program that serves as a companion peer review exercise. It provides an approved avenue for practitioners to access sister institutions on a formal basis to examine a set of prescribed topics that represent the core of enrollment management issues. Written summaries are required to complete the review including observations and conclusions.

Host Institution Preparation Responsibility

Institutions that agree to host FISEM REP visits should prepare to make each visit a meaningful experience. REPs have approval to take time from their offices, often travel a great distance and with some expense. Equally, host institutions are reserving time, postponing work and investing personnel to accommodate visits.

Peer Review: REP candidates are required to submit a Peer Review summary report to comply with the endorsement program. Remind each visitor to furnish you with a copy of the written report. This will give you a glimpse of what fresh eyes have noted about your operation and lend some critique for improvement or reinforcement to your shop.

Host institutions may conduct the visits according to the following instructions, models or as amendable to the dynamics that may exist in the office during the time of visit.

• The host offices should plan to cover the topics listed on the field visit form. It is the responsibility of the host to comply with delivering the content established by FISEM as specified on the form.
• The host office may choose to conduct the visit(s) as follows:
• Designate a sole host for the visit who conducts the entire 3 hour experience regarding the field visit topics. This host would be exclusively responsible for reception, covering all material, conduct office tours and arrange for endorsing the field visit form.
• Schedule a series of designated "hand off" staff to permit the REPs to be hosted by two or more in order to not encumber a single staff member for the entire three hour session. This method will distribute the experience and increase the exposure for both REPs and hosts to enrich the visit.
• For high volume requests....host a set of collective visitation date(s) for a number of REPs from various institutions to better manage visits and reduce appointments.
• The host institution is encouraged to provide lunch suggestions or even join the REPs for further discussion. It is up to the parties if lunch can be courtesy or dutch treat.

REP Visitors Preparation Responsibility

• REPs should confirm a mutual visit date with both the Office of Admissions and Records in advance.
• REPs should be punctual and plan to stay the entire time as prescribed by the curriculum of 3 hours in the Admissions/recruitment office and 3 hours in the Records/registration office.
• REPs should report to the designated contact in each office according to arrival time and location.
• REPs are expected to take notes and encouraged to carry a digital camera for fully documenting visits.
• REPs must develop a brief essay report of 2 to 3 typed pages addressing the topics listed on the form for each visit. In addition to the required instructions on the field visit form, this report should summarize your conclusions/findings in a narrative fashion regarding an assessment of the perceived philosophy, operational style, dedication and level of institutional buy-in to enrollment management. (You should also offer any constructive criticism or observations that may help the host site.)

Candidates are encouraged to research and read about some of the leading authorities in Enrollment Management and Enrollment Services. ( Examples include: Don Hossler, James Black, Michael Dolence, Stanley Henderson, Bob Bontranger, Paul Quann and many others. Google names and visit the AACRAO web site for other references) Learn about models and concepts from these forefathers of the industry.

The objective is to determine the quality of mutual collaboration or partnerships between Enrollment Service units and Academics regarding the maturity of Enrollment Management structure and if possible what EM model prevails on that campus. (Decentralized offices or silos, Centralized Enrollment Services, Enrollment Services Committee, Dean or Vice President of Enrollment Management).

As a peer review courtesy, you should send a copy of your report summary to the host institution at the same time you forward the packet to FISEM. 6. Visiting REPs should follow up the visit with a courtesy thank you email or written thank you note and also extend the same hospitality for a mutual visit on your campus.

Once all three visits are completed and documented, then the field visit forms with reports should be submitted as a package as instructed on the form and not individually.

Field Experience Form