Report on Faculty Role in Admissions and Recruitment

Background

Before making specific recommendations regarding the form of faculty involvement in recruitment and admissions, the Recruitment and Admissions Committee contacted Faculty Council or Senate Presidents at large public AAUs to ask about faculty involvement in admissions and recruitment at their respective universities. Responses from these universities regarding faculty involvement in admissions procedures were varied. Some of the AAUs reported no faculty involvement, others reported various mechanisms for insuring faculty input. For example, at the University of Oregon, the admissions standards are set by the Oregon State Board of Higher Education. A new system for evaluating students for admissions (beginning in 2005) has been created (Proficiency Based Admission Standards System--PASS). Faculty were instrumental in the development of the specific performance measures in the PASS system. They also have been involved in the Enrollment Management Committee discussions about implementation of the admissions requirements and its effects on the size and composition of the university's study body. Given that Rutgers sets its own admissions requirements, the University of Oregon model did not seem most appropriate for shaping the role of faculty at Rutgers, although faculty are involved at many levels in the admissions process at the University of Oregon.

At most universities, the faculty participate in recruitment activities. They typically contact admitted students, greet students at receptions, speak at recruitment events, and meet with prospective students as much as possible. (See Recommendation 4 made by this committee and endorsed by the New Brunswick Faculty Council on May 4, 2001.)

The Admissions and Recruitment Committee found that mechanisms for faculty involvement in admissions at Penn State and Ohio State University addressed many of the concerns forwarded to our committee. Penn State has more than 80,800 students enrolled across its 24 campuses. The majority (40,650) are enrolled at the University Park campus. Graduate and advanced degree students number about 11,000. In 1999, more than 37,000 students applied for admission; 12,000 attended University-wide. Similarly, Ohio State is a large, public university with approximately 55,000 students across several campuses, with 48,000 (35,000 undergraduates) at its Columbus campus. Therefore, although Penn State and Ohio State are larger than Rutgers overall, the number of students at the largest campus for each is comparable, and the number of applicants is substantial, somewhat higher than the number at Rutgers. After reading the materials available regarding admissions from each of these universities and contacting faculty involved in the process, our Committee decided to adapt the structure used at Ohio State in our recommendations.

 At Ohio State the University Senate establishes the general policy for selective admissions of undergraduate students, as does the University Senate at Rutgers (see Recommendation 3 made by this committee and endorsed by the New Brunswick Faculty Council on May 4, 2001). In addition, there are two committees that are involved in the admissions process.  Enrollment goals are set by the Provost and Vice President for Finance, with input from these two committees. The two committees are:

(1) A Council on Enrollment and Student Progress (CESP) monitors the university's selective admissions process on an annual basis. This committee is a standing committee in the University Senate and comprised of faculty with three-year appointments (3 appointed by the president, 6 selected by the faculty council), students with one-year appointments (including undergraduate, graduate, and professional students), and an administrative liaison. This Council "initiates recommendations and reviews proposals with regard to policies which affect the characteristics of the study body," including enrollment planning, recruitment, competitive admissions, intra-university transfers, financial aid, retention, registration and other policies and procedures.

(2) A six-person Faculty Committee on Admissions meets with the Admissions Office staff approximately 10 times each year to establish detailed admissions criteria and to act on appeals from students who are not admitted. (The FCA typically read 50 to 100 applications from appeals that were not approved by the Admissions Office. They are the court of final appeals.) The enrollment goals are set by the Provost and Vice President for Finance, with input from the CESP and Faculty Committee on Admissions.

Recommendations

We propose that Rutgers University adopt a role for faculty in admissions and recruitment that incorporates many of the features of the Ohio State model. As already adopted by the NBFC, we recommend that

1. Faculty have increased input in the goal-setting and procedures component of the admissions/recruitment process for all three campuses. The Deans of the undergraduate colleges should consult with their respective faculty admissions committees and include the advice of those bodies in their recommendations. The Budget and Planning Committee of the New Brunswick Faculty Council should also make recommendations to the University Vice President of Academic Affairs regarding the enrollment goals for the New Brunswick Campus." (Recommendation #2, NBFC, May 4, 2001)

2. We endorse a resolution written by the Subcommittee on Access to Academic Majors and already passed by the NBFC in 1998-99, "That campus and college admissions goals be formulated and reviewed regularly in consultation with appropriate representative faculty bodies." We adjure the University Senate to re-visit the standards for admission at a minimum of every 3 years, given that the duties and powers of the Senate relegate this function to that body. (Recommendation #3, NBFC, May 4, 2001).
 In addition, we propose modifications in the administrative structure for admissions to ensure more coordinated supervision and faculty guidance in meeting the policies and regulations pertaining to admissions. We recommend that the existing Senate Committee charged with admissions and recruitment be retained, that a campus- (or university-) level admissions committee be created, and that the existing college-level admissions committees be revived.

3. The Senate Committee would monitor the admissions process and establish policies with regard to enrollment planning, recruitment, admissions; collect and analyze data which can be used to support the development of informed policies; and evaluate these policies and procedures on an annual basis. For example, progress for "special admits" would be monitored closely, to determine whether these students succeed at Rutgers. Upon the recommendation of this committee, or at least every 3 years, the Senate as a whole would re-visit the standards of admissions. This committee would work closely with the Office of Enrollment Management and report back to the Senate annually. The Senate has already (April 27, 2001) voted to establish an ad hoc committee, which includes representatives from the study body, faculty, and administration, to develop an "Enrollment and Student Services Assessment and Master Plan". This ad hoc committee may serve as a model for expanding the charges given to the Senate Committee so that it functions as a "Committee on Enrollment and Student Progress."

4. A New Brunswick-wide faculty admissions committee should be created*.  This committee would meet with the staff from the Office of Enrollment Management several times during each semester. The Committee would be comprised of representatives from each of the multipurpose college Admissions Committees as well as representatives from Cook, Engineering, and other undergraduate colleges (depending on college size). These representatives would consult with their respective College/School Admissions Committees, bringing the specific recommendations of those committees to the umbrella committee. This committee would ensure that the admissions standards and criteria specified by the Senate-level Committee are applied, while also keeping an eye on enrollment targets and taking positive action to maintain the University's policies regarding diversity and other university-wide goals. The committee would make recommendations to the University Senate concerning changes in the Rutgers University undergraduate admissions policy, provide guidance concerning criteria for admission, and discuss and resolve issues concerning admissions which pertain to all undergraduate colleges which cross collegiate lines and which involve the colleges and the Office of Enrollment Management.

 5. As established in the University Regulations, college-level admissions committees are charged with recommending "to the legislative body of the college specific policies governing the admission of students to the college, within the guidelines of the Rutgers University Undergraduate Admissions Policy;" and "To establish specific college policies and admissions standards, with the consent of the legislative body of the college…" (University Regulations 2.1.2) Therefore, we recommend that the Admissions Committees already established by the University Regulations meet periodically

a. to review admissions policies (review indicators and weights given to these indicators) and consider other possible college-specific criteria for admission;
b. to consider the applications for students for whom a clear admit/reject decision was not possible and who have indicated a preference for that college;
c. to select a representative to serve on the committee described above (#4), and
d. to report to the faculty or fellows of the college "on the extent to which admissions practices reflect the college's admissions policies." (University Regulations 2.1.2)
 

* The New Brunswick Faculty Council does not have the authority to recommend a university-wide faculty admissions committee. The University Senate may wish to establish such a committee upon receiving the recommendations from the NBFC.