By Jennifer Powell, Director of Programs and Community Engagement,
Brainstorm Strategy Group
4-minute read
Strategic enrolment isn’t a job for one office—it’s a campus-wide mission.
When people hear the word strategic, they sometimes assume it belongs to senior leaders. In reality, every department, program, and student service contributes to SEM success.
In today’s shifting post-secondary landscape, Strategic Enrolment Management (SEM) can’t rest on the shoulders of a single office. To drive meaningful progress in recruitment, retention, and student success, SEM must become a shared responsibility, embedded into both institutional culture and structure.
How can colleges and universities make that shift? By breaking down silos, broadening ownership, and fostering a sustainable SEM mindset.
1. Shift the Mindset: SEM is Everyone’s Business
SEM isn’t just about recruitment or budget targets—it’s about creating an optimal student experience by aligning academic offerings, student services, and institutional goals.
Every department plays a role:
- Faculty and student success teams guide academic and personal development.
- Registrarial services and finance support enrolment stability.
- Marketing and senior leadership shape institutional identity.
- Even student governments help foster engagement and retention.
To build this culture:
- Expand SEM conversations beyond traditional enrolment offices.
- Frame SEM as a student success strategy, not just a numbers game.
- Socialize SEM as a campus-wide priority, reinforcing collective ownership.
2. Design Structures for Cross-Functional Collaboration
It’s not enough to say SEM is everyone’s business—institutions must create the structures to make that real.
Cross-functional governance models help break down silos and create alignment across enrolment, faculty, student affairs, and leadership. While these discussions may surface competing priorities, they also lead to stronger, student-centered solutions.
Ways to build these structures:
- Establish SEM committees or councils with representation from multiple departments.
- Hold transparent meetings to review data, challenges, and opportunities.
- Shift from annual to term-by-term planning, ensuring agility in decision-making.
3. Create a Lighthouse, Not a Rigid Plan
Culture change takes time and flexibility.
SEM planning should serve as a guiding beacon, offering direction without stifling innovation or local adaptations. Institutions with multiple campuses or diverse units benefit from:
- A common SEM framework that provides clarity.
- Localized approaches tailored to student demographics and academic strengths.
- Knowledge-sharing resources to foster joint problem-solving.
Unity matters—but not uniformity.
4. Bring Students Into the Conversation
SEM isn’t just about dashboards—it’s about real students. Institutions must actively seek student perspectives to shape enrolment strategies that prioritize success.
Ways to integrate student voices:
- Partner with student government to gather insights.
- Consult students on financial aid, admissions processes, and communication strategies.
- Encourage feedback loops that strengthen engagement.
Students don’t just benefit from SEM—they can be its biggest advocates.
Final Thought: Culture Follows Communication
Embedding SEM into culture and structure isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress.
The shift happens when institutions:
- Invite more people into the conversation.
- Share data and success stories openly.
- Reinforce that SEM is everyone’s work, from faculty to frontline staff.
When institutions make this shift, SEM evolves from a plan to a campus-wide ethos, where real transformation happens.
