Park’s Enrollment Services department is implementing new changes this year to make enrollment for current and incoming students more efficient, according to officials.

Since July, Enrollment Services has been devising a new plan to put into action to make the technology and services more user-friendly and beneficial for Park students.

“Our main goal is to make sure we are enhancing student experience, not just at our Parkville campus but our other campus centers,” said Eric Blair, executive director of enrollment, when he addressed Park Student Government Association on Oct. 3. “We aren’t as attractive to students as we need to be.”

Much of the changes Enrollment Services is experiencing is in a reorganization of staff, Blair said, to make sure student have access to more personnel.

One way the department is doing so is by assigning current and incoming students to a success advisor.

“Success advisors will be a student’s one point of contact in our office,” said Desiree Nickerson, enrollment services coordinator. “Each success advisor will be assigned a group of students and will stick with them through their entire time at Park.”

Rather than meeting with a different enrollment counselor each time to enroll in classes, with their success advisors, students will not only meet with the same person each time but also have someone who will keep in touch with them throughout each school year.

“I am looking forward to having a specific group of students to advise, as this will allow me to get to know them personally and students will know exactly who to ask when help is needed,” said Kayla Harrity, enrollment counselor. “As the changes are being implemented, students will start to hear from us about more than just registering and paying for classes. We will be touching base with our advisees at several points during the semester to make sure things are running smoothly for them and that they are set up for success.”

Another area of change Enrollment Services is working on is in technology, particularly in more efficient response to students and their inquiries.

Blair said this particular change is a response to all the feedback from students who have faced challenges when preparing for school.

“We’ve been getting feedback from students all along,” he said. “That’s what’s precipitated many of these changes, is looking at emails, phone call communications, messages when students have been dissatisfied with their service and thinking about what they’re doing.”

The biggest challenge for Enrollment Services so far has been trying to transition without disrupting student service.

“It is kind of happening all at the same time,” Blair said. “In reality, the Parkville campus was one of the first to change because it’s more localized and was already being done a little bit differently than the other campus centers anyway because of the nature of the daytime programs, the full-time faculty advisors and those different nuances that happen and don’t happen for the evening and online students.”

Harrity agreed and said it is important for students to not be affected while the changes are being put in during this time.

“Our students should be able to come into Norrington and get the assistance that they need, just as they always have, while we work in implementing these changes,” she said.

Blair said the goal is for all the changes to be completed by the beginning of the second semester of this school year.

“Our goal is to really have affected a majority of our students by January 1,” said Blair, “so that by Spring I, things will look different and be done differently for the start of that term.”

Lindsay Noland, assistant dean of students, said she is excited to see these new changes implemented for enrollment.

“We are tailoring our services to students to fit their needs,” she said. “With these changes, we can focus more on retention and not just on enrollment.”

By continuing to keep students in mind, Blair said these changes will greatly benefit Park students.

“From the student’s perspective, the things you have to do to get enrolled aren’t changing,” he said.

“You still have to complete your FAFSA, you still have to get a financial aid package if you’re using financial aid, you still have to register for students. What we want it to be is faster and easier, and hopefully the students will see that.”