Enhancing male enrolment through improved recruitment strategies at XYZ university
ENHANCING MALE ENROLLMENT THROUGH IMPROVED RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES AT XYZ UNIVERSITY
To: Director of Admissions
From: Tondelya Nekeisha Beaton, Policy Analyst
Date: October 6, 2024
Concern/Problem: XYZ University’s[TE1] [TE2] recruitment strategy is not effectively attracting male students, resulting in gender imbalance and affecting campus diversity and learning dynamics.
Executive Summary
[Type your text here.]
Statement of the Issue/Problem: What underlying causes contribute to the gender imbalance in student enrollment at XYZ University, and what policy adjustments can address this disparity in recruitment practices?
Policy Problem: Recruitment Strategy and Male Enrollment
Data reveals that male student enrolment in XYZ University has been declining in the last five years; thus, the increase in gender imbalance in learning institutions affects the mixing up of students in class and the universality of the university campus. Recruitment methods such as campus tours, visiting high schools, and putting up advertisements, though used, only attract a few male students, suggesting that the strategies employed may not fully capture the requirements and anticipation of male learners (Carlsson et al., 2021).
Deficit and Excess Framework
Applying Bardach and Patashnik’s (2024) principle of Deficit and Excess, the issue can be articulated as follows: The shortage is the missing niche in the recruitment approaches that do not target male learners, which is accompanied by the surplus of general recruitment bias, which consists of women. It may also prejudice the university in a way that may help to worsen the enrollment imbalance since there may be a lack of especially recruitment personnel who can address these issues effectively from the outlook of male prospects.
Qualitative Analysis of the Root Issue
Qualitative feedback from stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff, and alums, has raised issues with the current recruitment strategy. Faculty members are also aware that gender imbalances, either within a classroom setting or in a group setting for a group assignment, hamper inter-group interactions and diverse opinions during group discussions (Carlsson et al., 2021). The respondents explained that men should be given more attention to brochures and other promotional material that does not reflect their interests and concerns. Such feedback indicates that there could be a problem with how male students are being recruited.
Current State of Recruitment (As-Is Condition)
However, it will be noted that the recruitment team at XYZ University is predominantly female, which may impact the effectiveness of the marketing efforts, mainly where the students being targeted are male. Existing recruitment strategies like conventional advertising methods and other normal extramural appeals have not increased male enrollments. It is a cross-cutting factor in the extent of conformity to the demographic strategic recruitment (Klysing et al., 2022).
Desired State of Recruitment (To-Be Condition)
The purpose is to introduce an equal and non-sexist recruitment method that involves male students without making assumptions or rushing to specific solutions. It entails a systematic evaluation of an organization’s ongoing practices to consider new prospects for change to support students’ diversity.
Rationale for Analysis
The rationale for addressing gender imbalance at XYZ University is deeply connected to the lived experiences of students and faculty, highlighting the need for a more nuanced approach to recruitment. Qualitative feedback from male students makes them feel a sense of underrepresentation compared to the current recruitment strategy, and hence, lesser enrollment makes them less engaged. From interviews, faculty pointed out that the gender makeup of a class affects class dynamics and a variety of thoughts that may adversely affect the quality of the curriculum. These ideas indicate the necessity of changing the hiring process approaches to meet students’ demands and diversity and thereby improve the university’s educational effectiveness and multicultural image.
Evidence or Pre-Existing Policies[TE3] [TE4]
[TE2]As with your first submission, we still need to identify the root issue.
Root issue
Answer this question: What has caused this issue? What is the underlying problem?
In Teams Meeting 1 of 3, I discussed the idea of expressing the root issue using the principle of deficit and excess (Bardach & Patashnik, 2024, p. 2).
Using the word “too” to express the problem.
Too big
Too small
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