Strategic Plan, Elevate '28,
Objectives and Goals

Office of Enrollment Management and Marketing
Vice President
Andrea Hennessy

Strategic Priority: Student Success  

Objective 1: Increase the number of completions from point of inquiry to first enrollment, creating a positive student experience and connecting potential students to the institution.

  • Goal 1: Increase conversion by 1% from inquiry to first enrollment annually for five years.
  • Goal 2: Increase completion of the FAFSA for incoming matriculated students who still have aid eligibility by 10% over five years.
  • Goal 3: Increase conversion from application to enrollment for our military-affiliated population by 5% over five years.

Objective 2: Develop an enrollment and marketing model to increase degree completion across SUNY Empire and SUNY, enabling learners to meet their academic, personal, and professional goals.

  • Goal 1: Increase the number of returning matriculated students by 2% each year for five years.
  • Goal 2: Increase transfer enrollment from other four-year SUNY institutions by 1% each year for five years.

Strategic Priority: Academic and Inclusive Excellence

Objective 1: Support excellence in workforce development, expanding educational access and upward mobility through enrollment in SUNY Empire’s academic program offerings.

  • Goal 1: Increase non-matriculated enrollments to meet continuing education needs by 2% each year for five years.
  • Goal 2: Increase enrollment through strategic external partnerships by 2% each year for five years by offering PLA/E.

Objective 2: Expand community college partnerships to support SUNY Empire’s commitment to providing access, degree completion, and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.

  • Goal 1: Increase enrollment from community colleges across NYS and the country by 2% each year for five years.
  • Goal 2: Increase new BIPOC student enrollments by 1% from community colleges across NYS and the country each year for five years.

Strategic Priority: Organizational Effectiveness  

Objective 1: Review and evaluate the Office of Enrollment Management and Marketing on a regular, timebound schedule to ensure superior student and university service and alignment with our mission, vision, and values.

  • Goal 1: Reduce number of abandoned calls to below the industry standard of 10% in 1Stop Student Services within five years.
  • Goal 2: Increase traffic to the chatbot, Blue, by 20% over the next five years, enhancing our self-service model.
  • Goal 3: Increase traffic to our financial aid webpages and portal by 2% each year for five years.
  • Goal 4: Implement structure and plan for staff succession, retention, and promotion by the end of 2024.
  • Goal 5: Implement the use of an incident management system to streamline student service resolutions between the 1Stop call center and 1Stop departments by the end of 2024.

Objective 2: Streamline marketing operations, including project management, website development, and enrollment-driving email and text communications.

  • Goal 1: Assess and develop a structured plan to modify existing procedures for marketing project management, T4 website maintenance, and email/text communication outreach for prospective and returning students by the end of 2023.
  • Goal 2: Starting January 2024, follow restructuring plan to set responsive deadlines for enrollment-related projects, especially T4 website pages, digital advertising, and email/text messaging campaigns.
  • Goal 3: Incorporate the revised marketing operations plan into the development of the university’s new website as it is being built in the Omni content management system, integrating streamlined landing pages, targeted content, and student-prospect communications into the structure beginning fall 2023.

Strategic Priority: Raising our Public Profile  

Objective 1: Strengthen Empire State University’s brand as SUNY’s Leading Online University in New York state and beyond.

  • Goal 1: In year one, conduct a complete marketing assessment as part of strategic enrollment marketing planning and implement this marketing assessment over subsequent years.
  • Goal 2: Increase digital advertising impressions by 2% each year for five years.
  • Goal 3: Raise profile through strategic partnerships across New York state, and increase traffic to designated landing pages by 2% each year for five years.

Objective 2: Strengthen the Empire State University website to reflect SUNY Empire’s role as the leading online public university in New York state and beyond.

  • Goal 1: Optimize our existing website to better serve student prospects in year one by reducing the bounce rate on most frequented pages to 25% or below.
  • Goal 2: Focus on search engine optimization strategies to increase unique visitor web traffic from search sites by 2% each year for five years.
  • Goal 3: Launch our new website with a focus on student prospects by Summer 2026.