To: Professor Chelsea McGuire
From: Professor Jerry Gluesing
Chair, Undergraduate Curriculum committee
Date: March 25, 2005
Subject: Enrollment Management Issue
At its biweekly meeting, the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee took up the issue of enrollment management. We had a lively discussion on the issue, and it quickly became clear that a number of perspectives were possible. The committee was particularly persuaded by the position of Dr. Tanaka, who, as you know, has been with the department for more than 30 years. Dr. Tanaka pointed out that we have had these ‘’crises’’ of too many majors (or too few majors) many times in the past, and have often spent an inordinate amount of time looking for the proper ‘’solution’’ to the problem. Dr. Tanaka argued convincingly that enrollment ups and downs are part of the natural life cycle of an academic department and that we would be rash to institute major curricular or policy changes at this point. Indeed, as Dr. Tanaka pointed out, we have made few major changes to the program in the past 25 years, and over the long haul, enrollment has remained at a healthy but manageable level. Thus, although we would certainly enjoy discussing alternative ideas, our committee would suggest that no action be taken at this point. If necessary, we can revisit the issue next year at this time.
With these two memos in hand, Chelsea McGuire is now getting set to lead a faculty meeting where the sole agenda item is discussion of an enrollment management system . Her leadership in the past has always been highly participative. She has generally gone along with the “will of the faculty” In making departmental decision, and she has been pleased with the effect of this decision making style on both the quality of decisions made and on faculty morale. However, she is now concerned that this style might not work for the enrollment management decision, and she is going in to this meeting with a bit of trepidation.