Strategic Enrolment Management Collaborative approaches to achieving identified enrolment objectives

Foundations of SEM at TRU

Institutional background

Thompson Rivers University’s history extends back to 1970 when the provincial government created Cariboo College to better serve the post-secondary needs of our region within the BC interior. Cariboo College enrolled almost 600 students that year.

In 1978, while not connected to Cariboo College at the time, the provincial government created the Open Learning Institute, later to become the Open Learning Agency, which operated out of BC’s lower mainland and served students throughout the province with postsecondary options delivered at a distance.

In 1991, Cariboo College officially became University College of the Cariboo. UCC offered degree programs under the oversight of the province’s three universities at that time. By 1995, UCC was given its own independent degree-granting authority, and by 2002 had begun offering graduate programs, too.

In 2005, the paths of UCC and the OLA merged. UCC and the BC Open University, a branch of OLA, became Thompson Rivers University.

Today, Thompson Rivers University serves more than 30,000 students a year from over 100 countries around the world, operates across two campuses, five regional centres, and at a distance through Open Learning, and offers continuing and developmental education, trades, undergraduate, graduate and professional programs.

TRU's mandate — the Thompson Rivers University Act

In 2005, the province of British Columbia granted full university status to Thompson Rivers University and drafted the TRU Act, outlining specific purposes for TRU. The TRU Act reads as follows:

1. The purposes of the university are
   1. to offer baccalaureate and masters degree programs,
   2. to offer post-secondary and adult basic education and training,
   3. to undertake and maintain research and scholarly activities for the purposes of paragraphs (a) and (b), and
   4. to provide an open learning educational credit bank for students.
2. The university must promote teaching excellence and the use of open learning methods.
3. In carrying out its purposes, the university must serve
   1. the educational and training needs in the region specified by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, and
   2. the open learning needs of British Columbia

Principles for enrolment planning at TRU

TRU’s mandate, mission, vision, values and strategic change goals encompass a set of principles to inform our strategic enrolment planning.

Learner-centred

Students are able to access programs and courses that are relevant for them in a way that suits their needs and learning styles. Successful educational outcomes are paramount.

Inclusive and diverse

Access is open with minimal barriers to entry, progression and attainment. Students enrol from our local region, from across the province, from across Canada, and from around the world in relative balance. All students are welcomed with a sense of belonging.

Community-minded

Educational activity and outcomes serve the social, environmental and economic needs of our communities. Students living, working, and learning within our region add value.

Sustainable

Enrolment levels ensure that available resources align with resources needed to support student success.

Responsive

The post-secondary landscape, and our enrolment activity from prospective students to graduates, are actively monitored and inform our work. Risks are anticipated and understood.

Enrolment composition

In light of our enrolment planning principles, during the next 10 years we aim to create an accessible academic community with a relative balance of students enrolling from regional, provincial, national and international origins:

• We aim to have domestic learners comprise 75%-80%, and international learners comprise 20%-25%, of our overall annual enrolment inclusive of all levels, locations and modes of delivery.
• Among our domestic enrolment, we aim to meet the educational needs within our immediate regions — Kamloops, Williams Lake, and surrounding communities — comprising 35%-40% of our annual domestic enrolment.
• In addition, we aim to enrol learners from other regions within BC — an additional 45%-50% of our annual domestic enrolment, and learners from across Canada — the remaining 15%-20% of our annual domestic enrolment.
• Further, we aim to serve Indigenous learners from our First House: Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, our Second House: T'exelc, and other neighbouring Indigenous nations, such that Indigenous learners represent 15% or more of our annual domestic enrolment.
• Among our international enrolment, we aim to balance a diversity of learners from around the world and across all academic areas. While welcoming students from as many countries as possible, up to 35% of TRU’s annual international enrolment may be from any one country, and up to 40% of annual enrolment in any one faculty at TRU may be international students.

Enrolment goals and objectives

Guided by our principles, our desired enrolment composition, and a firm understanding of our current state of enrolment, five goals have been established that categorize where change is needed most.

Specific and measurable objectives relating to student recruitment, retention, progression and educational outcomes are then identified within each goal.

1.Strengthen domestic student enrolment

In order to achieve the goal of strengthening domestic student enrolment, we will pursue the following objectives:

• Increase the direct-from-high school postsecondary participation rate in the Kamloops region while maintaining the rate at which regional high school graduates who directly transition to postsecondary enrol at TRU; achieve participation rate on par with provincial average; maintain 85% market share.
• Proportionately increase new student enrolment from other regions in BC and Canada to maintain desired domestic composition while meeting 100% of BC government enrolment targets.
• Improve the rate at which domestic students continue to enroll at TRU after their first year (i.e. retention); reach a retention rate of 60% or greater in open programs.
• Increase the overall domestic student successful course completion rate in 1000- level courses to 80% or greater.

2.Improve educational outcomes for Indigenous students

In order to achieve the goal of improving educational outcomes for Indigenous students, we will pursue the following objectives:

• Increase the proportion of incoming domestic students who self-identify as Indigenous; 15% or greater on Kamloops campus; 25% or greater on Williams Lake campus.
• Improve the rate at which Indigenous students continue to enroll at TRU after their first year (i.e. retention); reach a retention rate of 60% or greater in open programs, on par with non-Indigenous students.
• Increase the Indigenous student successful course completion rate in 1000-level courses to 80% or greater, on par with non-Indigenous students.
• Increase the proportion of Indigenous students who are awarded TRU credentials at all academic levels; increase six-year credential completion rate to 60% or greater, on par with non-Indigenous students.

3.Ensure sustainable international student enrolment growth

In order to achieve the goal of supporting sustainable international student enrolment growth, we will pursue the following objectives:

• Increase new international student enrolment to sustain overall fall and winter campus-based international enrolment at 4,000 students per semester, accounting for a three- to five-year impact on international student mobility due to COVID-19.
• Once desired international enrolment levels are reached, diversify international student enrolment to reach and sustain no more than 35% by country of origin and no more than 40% of any faculty’s total enrolment annually.
• Increase the rate at which international students continue to enroll at TRU after their first year (i.e. retention); reach and maintain a retention rate of 60% in open programs.
• Increase the international student successful course completion rate in 1000- level courses to 80% or greater.

4.Increase the number of students served by the Williams Lake campus and community-based programming

In order to achieve the goal of increasing the number of students served by the Williams Lake campus and regional centres, we will pursue the following objectives:

• Increase direct-from-high school postsecondary participation rates in the Williams Lake and surrounding regions; achieve participation rates on par with provincial average.
• Increase the rate at which regional high school graduates who directly transition to postsecondary enrol at TRU; reach and maintain rate of 75%.
• Improve the rate at which students continue to enrol at TRU after their first year, or first registration, at the Williams Lake campus or in community-based programming; reach and maintain a re-enrolment rate of 35% or greater.

5.Improve educational outcomes for students studying through Open Learning

In order to achieve the goal of supporting continued enrolment growth through Open Learning, we will pursue the following objectives:

• Increase successful course completion rates in 1000-level courses to 80% or greater for domestic, international, and Indigenous learners accessing courses through Open Learning.
• Reduce the length of time taken to complete courses and programs through Open Learning.
  • Reach and maintain a course extension rate of 20% or less.
  • Reach and maintain a 10-year credential completion rate of 30% or greater.