UM invested in 16 Strategic Enrollment Planning (SEP) strategies in 2022. Ten investments were for new or enhanced academic program strategies, two were co-curricular strategies, and four were recruitment and retention strategies.

Academic Program Strategies

 Anthropology

This investment funds a faculty line in anthropology to increase the enrollment capacity in a department with growing undergraduate and graduate programs. Currently enrollment demand, especially at the graduate level, exceeds what faculty can deliver.

Computer Science

This investment funds a strategic pivot in the computer science curriculum to focus on software development and quality assurance, the areas with the greatest student demand and job growth. The strategy includes the hire of two new faculty members with expertise in these areas, the addition of two instructors, and a program-specific, multi-channel recruitment marketing campaign.

Creative Writing

The investment supports the development and implementation of a national targeted recruitment marketing strategy that leverages the existing reputation and strength of creative writing at the University of Montana as well as the extensive networks of the faculty. The funding also provides for a half-time administrative support position, increases in instructional capacity to deliver the core curriculum as enrollment grows, and enhanced experiential learning opportunities.

Criminology

This strategy reconfigures criminology, currently a concentration within the sociology major, as a stand-alone major. This investment provides funding for instructional design, three new tenure-track positions, an instructor position, and an online program coordinator. With this investment, the sociology department can modernize its course offerings, offer the bachelor’s degree in criminology in-person and fully online, and execute a program-specific, multi-channel recruitment marketing campaign.

Cybersecurity

This strategy creates a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity in the College of Business.  Faculty in the College of Business, Missoula College, and the computer science department in the College of Humanities and Sciences will deliver the program. The investment supports instructional design, two new tenure-track positions, one in cybersecurity and one to teach additional sections of the business core required with enrollment growth, and the execution of a program-specific, multi-channel recruitment marketing campaign.

Davidson Honors College

Enrollments in the Davidson Honors College are growing. This strategy provides for additional instructional and administrative capacity to support that growth. This investment funds additional administrative staffing, a new full-time staff member with recruitment, advising and student development responsibilities, stipends for faculty teaching DHC courses, and additional student learning assistants.

Game Design and Interactive Media

The game design and interactive media concentration has grown four-fold in just two years. This strategy creates a stand-alone game design and interactive media major and increases the program’s enrollment capacity. The investment funds the addition of three tenure-track faculty members over a four-year period, supports one-year appointments of non-tenure track faculty to fill instructional gaps, and allows for the execution of a program-specific, multi-channel recruitment marketing campaign.

Museum Studies

This strategy creates a museum studies certificate in the College of the Arts and Media.  The certificate is delivered in a hybrid model that relies heavily on field work in a museum setting.  The investment funds the faculty who will deliver the program as well as a budget for promotion through faculty networks and professional organizations.

Physics and Astronomy

Interest and new student enrollments in physics and astronomy are growing, but the current number of faculty are not able to deliver the necessary coursework and mentor the students in the program. This investment supports the hire of a non-tenure track faculty member and the execution of a program-specific, multi-channel recruitment marketing campaign.

Sound Design and Media Technology

This strategy creates a stand-alone BFA in sound design and media technology and provides opportunities for students to create marketable pathways in interactive technologies and systems, sound for games, sound for films and TV, experience design, audio design, sound technology, experimental sound arts, audio engineering, and creative coding. The investment supports the execution of a program-specific, multi-channel recruitment marketing campaign.

Co-Curricular Strategies

eSports

The UM eSports staff supports 250 students, recreational opportunities, five competitive varsity and junior varsity teams, practice and tournament schedules, in-person events, and online tournaments with student broadcasters. This investment provides the resources necessary to successfully maintain a rapidly growing program.  Funding allows for a full-time staff position to supervise and administer the new UM eSports space, recruitment travel, and the execution of a program-specific, multi-channel recruitment marketing campaign.

Pre-Medicine

This investment provides for a pre-medicine advisor/program administrator to improve the recruitment, support, and professional school preparation of UM pre-medicine and pre-health students.  The strategy improves coordination between the College of Health, the College of Humanities and Sciences, UMHM, and advisors across campus, and the funding supports the hire of a professional advisor/program coordinator.

Recruitment and Retention Strategies

Enhanced Engagement and Communication - DEI

This investment provides for the creation of a Director of DEI Outreach and Education to work in collaboration with the Student Advocacy Resource Center (SARC), Title IX/EO, Human Resources, the Office of Organizational Learning and Development, and the director of inclusive excellence to plan, implement, and assess diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programming and education to students, faculty, and staff. 

Graduate Recruitment and Marketing

This investment provides for the creation of a director of graduate program marketing and communication to implement and enhance existing strategies, develop new strategies for expanding the applicant pool, and collaborate with graduate programs to develop communication plans during upcoming Slate implementation. Timed to coincide with the full rollout of Slate, this position provides a crucial resource for developing communication and marketing strategies for graduate recruitment in Slate's full suite of options.

Native American Enrollment: Financial Aid Position

The investment funds a new position, a financial aid program specialist, to specifically support the nuanced financial aid needs of Native students.

Summer Enrollment

This investment provides additional marketing resources to support the UM Summer enrollment growth strategy.