Marketing Plan for Programs in the College of Technology, Engineering & Management

University of Wisconsin-Stout
August 2001
Updated 2003

Market Summary

UW-Stout’s programs have historically been closely aligned with the present and future needs of business, industry and education. Within the College of Technology, Engineering & Management, programs in industrial technology and technology education have been offered since the creation of the Stout Institute. Other programs have emerged, and been discontinued, over time, based on the demand for graduates in those fields.

UW-Stout has been a leader in developing and delivering innovative programs; over the past 10 years graduate placement has ranged between 92-99 percent, in positions related to or directly in the major. Faculty and staff have in-depth work experience and the academic credentials related to their fields of expertise. Recognition of a Stout education is positive and well known throughout the state and region; many programs are perceived as national leaders in their specific disciplines.

The major competition for prospective students includes other UW schools and private institutions. Tuition and lodging costs are competitive with other public institutions and well below the cost of attending a private institution.

Over the past 10 years, enrollment within the College has fluctuated between 3300 and 2800 students. Currently enrollment is increasing in a number of programs where others have seen a decline. Many of the newly developed programs have seen a very positive response from target populations, with enrollments steadily, and in many cases, rapidly increasing.

Sixty percent of the student population comes from communities within 100 miles of the university, 30 percent come from communities within 100-500 miles of the university and 10 percent come from communities further than 500 miles from UW-Stout. With the program specialization that exists at Stout, opportunity exists to recruit students to Stout from throughout the country.

Product Definition

Two types of programs are offered within CTEM: technical and business oriented degrees. Those that are technically oriented include: Apparel Design & Manufacturing, Construction, Graphic Communications Management, Industrial Management, Engineering Technology, Manufacturing Engineering, Packaging, Telecommunications Systems. Business oriented programs include: General Business Administration, and Retail Merchandising & Management.

Graduate programs in technical areas include Management Technology, Risk Control, and Training & Development. Graduate programs in education include: Industrial/ Technology Education, and Career & Technical Education.

All of the programs are delivered using the hands-on approach that is unique to UW-Stout’s mission. A combination of instructional techniques includes classroom and laboratory experiences, research projects, and experiential learning through co-ops; field experiences, internships and professional student associations result in exceptional placement of graduates.

Accreditation of programs has been achieved by the following organizations: ABET, IACBE, NAIT, DPI, and NCA.

CTEM's Mission

The mission of the College of Technology, Engineering & Management:

Providing consistent leadership in developing and offering quality undergraduate and graduate programs in technology, business, industry, management, communications, education and training which meet the needs of our students and a global society.

Competition

Due to the special mission of UW-Stout, competition from other institutions is varied and goes across the country.

Based on discussions with college recruiting firms, students select universities based on two major factors: program and location. Therefore, students choose Stout because of the specialized programs being delivered. In addition, reputation and costs to attend are positive influencers on enrollment decisions.

Positioning

The many programs housed in CTEM are distinctive and differ from offerings of most universities. For example, the General Business Administration degree differentiates itself from other business programs by offering a technical component of the student’s choice. These technical components represent many of the majors offered at Stout, such as packaging and telecommunications, and provide the business student with a competitive edge. The education majors are distinctive because they are the largest of their kind in the country. Typically, most programs have no competition among other state universities.

Communication Strategies

Each major pursues several target markets. Within each a variety of communication strategies are used.

Target market one: high school students.

1. Presentations to related classes, career fairs and college night activities. Using college ambassadors and student teachers, deliver program and college specific presentations.
2. Program propaganda. Develop a mailing list of high school teachers. Systematically distribute program information in the form of brochures, post cards and web site information.
3. Student organization conferences. This includes DECA, VICA, and the High Mileage Vehicle competition. Increase promotion and visibility of all programs at these conferences.
4. Letters to prospective students at various stages of enrollment: pre-enrollment, pre ACT/SAT career profile ACT/SAT career profiles, application, and acceptance and follow up.
5. Foster relationships with national associations and organizations to elevate the national profile of Stout and its programs.
6. Emulate STEPS and develop new pre-college programs for middle and high school aged students.

Target market two: technical college graduates

7. Participation in career fairs offered at each institution.
8. Direct mail to college graduates. Letters to prospective students at various stages of enrollment: pre-enrollment, application, acceptance and follow up.
9. Program propaganda. Develop a mailing list of technical college instructors. Systematically distribute program information in the form of brochures, post cards and web site information.
10. Student organization conferences. Most technical college programs have related student organizations. Connect with and provide a presence at regional and state activities.
11. Print advertisements used for specific programs targeting degree completion opportunities.

Target market three: returning adult students and master’s degree seeking adults

12. Direct mail to technical college graduates, 3-5 years after graduation.
13. Promotional and informational pieces at targeted industries and businesses.
14. Complement university promotional efforts, emphasizing degree completion opportunities.
15. Increase presence in local, regional and state professional associations related to undergraduate degree completion and graduate programs (e.g. ASTD, SME, AMA, etc.)
16. Print advertisements used for specific programs targeting degree completion opportunities.

Target market four: secondary and postsecondary educators and business partners

17. Encourage and facilitate professional association membership for all CTEM faculty. Connect memberships with majors.
18. Increase technical faculty involvement with graduate programs including advisement and thesis advising.
19. Ensure Stout faculty presence at professional conferences where secondary and postsecondary educators and business partners participate.
20. Invite secondary and postsecondary educators and business partner’s involvement in program advisory committees.

Target market five: graduates of CTEM programs

21. Develop and maintain a positive relationship among alumni. This includes feature articles in the Stout Alumni News, CTEM presence at alumni reunions and professional conferences related to the majors, and participation in program advisory committees.
22. Invite graduates back to campus to serve as mentors for students.
23. Include graduates in recruitment activities.

Target market six: employers of CTEM program graduates

24. Foster positive relationships with employers through periodic newsletters, annual reports and utilization of graduate follow up studies.
25. Invitations to serve as program partners through advisory committees and recruitment activities, guest speaking, and co-op/internship site development.
26. Establishment of program scholarships and endowments.

Target market seven: internal stakeholders

1. Involve faculty in program operation through program committees, curriculum development and recruitment strategies.
2. Increase the role of college faculty as mentors to students.

Target market eight: parents

3. Involve parents in program orientation throughout processes from pre- enrollment through graduation.
4. Communicate with parents via university and college media.
5. Develop college offerings for special events that target parents include opening week while students are moving into the residence halls, family weekend, homecoming, graduation.

Strategies to reach target markets include:

1. Revisiting and commitment to the mission of Stout and CTEM by internal and external stakeholders.
2. A universal belief in the value of and for CTEM programs, courses and faculty.
3. Upgrading of all promotional pieces used by each program, including brochures, flyers, letters, and most importantly, program web sites.
4. A systematic process for submitting press releases, continually work with university relations to obtain media coverage throughout the year.
5. A systematic and consistent process to communicate with students and parents throughout the student’s relationship with UW-Stout and CTEM programs. This includes communication strategies from pre-enrollment through graduation.
6. Resources to accommodate professional development and research opportunities and activities for the faculty.

Packaging & Fulfillment

The undergraduate programs offered within CTEM provide students traditional and nontraditional completion options. Most of the undergraduate programs are delivered via traditional college scheduling, day classes during the fall and spring semesters. However, students have options to enroll in accelerated weekend, interim and winterm and summer sessions. All of CTEM’s programs can be completed within a traditional 8-semester, 4 consecutive year sequence.

Two undergraduate programs are delivered via distance learning and cohort groups in remote locations in Wisconsin and Minnesota, including the Fox River Valley, Sheboygan, Milwaukee, Madison, LaCrosse, and Minneapolis. These programs are targeted toward the placebound, working adult, desiring degree completion through the articulation of Associate Degrees from technical and community colleges.

Graduate programs are delivered for traditional full time and part-time students. Classes are scheduled during the daytime, evening and weekend timeframes. One of the programs, Training and Development, is offered via distance learning at remote sites, incorporating co-hort group delivery.

Launch Strategies

It is proposed that the communication strategies be launched beginning with the fall 2001 semester. Program directors have responsibility for program recruitment. Teaching loads, advisement and curriculum development take up the majority of program directors release time. Implementation of this plan will require the utilization of faculty, graduate assistants and clerical staff to assist program directors, under the leadership of the Dean’s office.

Each program director will need to develop a recruitment plan to implement the recommendations of the marketing plan.

Public Relations

The Office of University Relations has provided assistance to the College with a writer and editor of press releases. Continued utilization of these service occur with this plan, however, a scheduled plan of press releases tied to the target markets and communication strategies will be developed.

Professional journals and newspapers, feature articles about CTEM program and faculty will be included in the Stout Alumni News magazine.

Advertising

The College has a very limited budget for advertising expenses. The University implements print and media advertising campaigns yearly, efforts will be made to articulate and highlight CTEM programs within their ad campaign.

Other Promotion

Direct marketing

The use of direct mail will be key to the implementation of this marketing plan. A variety of promotional and informational formats will be developed to increase interest and provide program information to target markets. A systematic process to engage in and respond to prospective student program interest will be implemented.

To reach prospective students who may not have an affiliation or connection to Stout and CTEM, the use of ACT and SAT Career Interest data will be obtained. This will be done using the Datatel collection system and the purchase of mailing lists through commercial suppliers.

Web Based and On-line Strategies

Key to reaching prospective students is the utilization of on-line promotional strategies. All program and college web sites must be updated and maintained systematically.

Sponsorships

In conjunction with the Stout Alumni Foundation, program directors and faculty can submit proposals to fund sponsorships of special events, especially professional development conferences. Examples include the Annual Print Show in Chicago for the Graphic Communications program, and the National Association of Industrial Technology for Industrial Technology, Construction, Graphic Communications Management and Telecommunications Systems programs.

Pricing

The pricing structure to deliver CTEM programs complies with UW System guidelines. However, in some of the newer program delivery systems, a Customized and Differential Tuition structure has been utilized.

The College of Technology, Engineering & Management has been a leader in the implementation of Customized and Differential Tuition to reach non-traditional and distance learners. The Industrial Management, Training & Development, and Graphic Communications Management programs have implemented customized tuition for off-campus students. This pricing structure has been developed based on competitive analysis for each program.

Distribution

Most of the graduate and undergraduate programs are delivered on campus to UW-Stout students. Programs that have entered into distance delivery distribute classes to remote sites throughout Wisconsin and at the Dunwoody College of Technology in Minneapolis. It is anticipated that more programs, especially graduate programs, will enhance their distribution using distance delivery.

International

UW-Stout’s Office of International Education provides numerous opportunities for students and faculty to participate in study and teaching abroad. Each program needs to address the incorporation of global studies and opportunities for students and faculty.

Success Metrics

The goal of this marketing plan is to achieve enrollment targets and management appropriate for each program with the present and anticipated future staffing. Attached are enrollment histories and desired targets for each program.

Increased involvement by business partners is also desired. Instruments to measure satisfaction need to be put into place that articulated with the goals of each program.

Further success will be measured by accreditation and program assessment by the internal Program Review Process.

Enrollment History

College of Technology, Engineering & Management As of 8/4/03 On-Campus