Customer Service	Programs & Courses	Recruitment	Retention
Training Conduct customer service training to enable all employees to handle general questions Conduct cross-training for staff Permit and empower staff to make decisions Conduct phone etiquette seminars All new and existing training should incorporate civility among employees Establish an incentive or award program that recognizes and rewards excellent customer service Information On Campus Establish a central information center (kiosk) that is staffed by a team of cross trained individuals in various areas of student services Improve campus signage Post information on the Paseo Develop up to date publications Standardize departmental publications Off Campus Lists of students taking PSAT as sophomores, High school juniors who took PSAT, so that UTB is considered as an option Communicate with high school graduating seniors about considering UTB as an option Expand recruitment to include malls, churches and community centers Develop a parent handbook, to include campus map, pictures, and statements by administrators, and FAQ’s Create a “refrigerator” magnet with important phone numbers of campus student services Technology Expand the use of electronic message systems to allow for quicker notices to students Purchase and network a facility scheduling software Improve the telephone system (Every person who calls should talk to a person and get assistance immediately) Ask Jeeves on web Develop a Smart Card Develop a CD for recruitment and information Maximize the use of UNO channel Integrate all student services on-line Accessibility Involve the end users in course and class scheduling through surveys and focus groups Base class scheduling on needs of the students Expand Distance Education curriculum programs Establish UTB/TSC Centers in our service area Ensure that the campus grounds and buildings are accessible for all students Establish partnerships with businesses to secure space at their locations Resources Provide adequate resources for staff training & professional development Develop a strategic plan to involve all employees in customer service so that departments function as part of a team Departments that have critical roles in facilitating student success should have extended working hours. Resources could be maximized by planning work schedules and better utilizing part-time staff during peak demand times Assessment Conduct survey to measure customer service effectiveness Conduct survey for transferring and graduating seniors Conduct a survey to assess faculty and staff job satisfaction, attitudes, and willingness to provide customer service Conduct a community survey Install suggestions/complaint box (website) to be used for direct feedback Institutional Effectiveness committee or Legacy committee should evaluate all findings and report annually to Executive Council	Existing Programs Coherent marketing plan Be sure that programs are accessible to target audience (day or evening or both) Increase use of classrooms by scheduling in the time slots currently unused More classes 7 or 8 a.m., mid-afternoon, and Saturday Offer lower division courses at either UTB or TSC, whichever generates most funding Fund, support and advertise growing programs Implement and support Responsibility Centered Management Emphasize Program quality Programs that have a regional, state or national accrediting body should be encouraged to seek accreditations Explore short-term funding to bring programs up to national norms Develop guidelines for accessing sustainability of existing program Increase quality control in upper division and graduate programs New Programs New degree programs are needed to grow and attract new students Increase number of degrees very carefully and deliberately Make an institutional effort to increase funding for existing programs where needed Consider creating an Honors Program Provide financial oversight for new programs that are developed and implemented Develop guidelines for the approval of new programs Explore the expansion of TSC tax district to include Harlingen Develop programs only where we have a differential advantage or strength Develop Ph.D. programs cautiously and deliberately	Resources for Outreach Create a Master plan that gives schools/departments both the responsibility and resources for outreach. More personnel for Student Services, particularly Financial Aid, to provide outreach Increase Outreach Staff for Marketing Outreach Center for all outreach programs Develop a university-wide calendar for outreach, education and awareness Parental Awareness Host an annual late fall “Scorpion Night” for parents Host college awareness week for middle school and high school students and their parents Invite parents and senior students on scheduled visits to UTB/TSC Create a Parent Tool Kit Purchase automated telemarketing phone software Send replica Endowment Dollars to qualified students and parents Relationship with Students Host field trips for elementary students each semester Work closely with GEARUP Support K-16 Initiative Target community organizations High School Counselor Awareness Host all-day workshops for high school counselors Provide frequent updates to counselors via e-mail Provide UTB/TSC CD’s and videos to inform and assist counselors Community Partners Create learning partnerships with community institutions Disseminate more information to the community about UTB/TSC Image and marketing Use ISD internal channels to run outreach information Increase community involvement by including community members in campus events Increase number of programs for non-traditional students Use successful alumnae to interface with community Use streamers for advertising on CNN type channels Encourage deans to include one factor related to outreach quality service image during appraisal of faculty Outreach to all surrounding ISD’s (e.g. Harlingen, Port Isabel, Los Fresnos, Rio Hondo) Scholarships Consistently inform donors of the impact of their contributions Stress the importance of all donations (large & small) Outreach to Mexico Aggressively market our programs in Matamoros Seek partnership agreements with schools and businesses in Mexico Put increased emphasis on bilingual programs and certifications Market courses and programs in the interior of Mexico Market courses offered in Spanish to Mexico & U.S. Outreach to US Non-traditional students Emphasize web based and distance education courses Partner with nearby schools (e.g. Longoria and Porter) to have after school and evening enrichment programs Encourage parents to return to college Encourage all technical programs to be certified Graduate Programs Increase emphasis on recruitment in Mexico Increase emphasis on recruiting current under graduates Provide on-campus housing to attract out-of-district/international students	Institutional Issues Operations Develop a strategic retention plan and connect it to the UTB/TSC strategic plan, Include campus wide retention efforts in the budget process Define retention for the UTB/TSC Partnership Establish a permanent Retention Task Force Committee Establish the Office of Student Retention Services Hire a Director for Student Retention Services Establish a Student Courtesy Information Center Academic Advising Revise academic advising to include retention efforts Classroom Teaching Establish an organized campus-wide plan that documents classroom instructional strategies aimed at improving retention Publications Establish campus-wide procedures that produce course schedules accurate and timely Establish campus-wide procedures that produce timely & accurate catalogs Establish policies that govern recruitment publications and departmental programs of study Classroom Setting/Facilities Conduct a systematic review of campus classrooms that ensures students and curricular needs are met Academic Issues Under-Prepared Students Establish a developmental studies plan for under-prepared students Provide advising for pre-med and pre-law students Enhance the Developmental Reading program Life Issues Financial Circumstances Establish a financial aid retention plan Health Issues Establish an institutional health care plan for students Student Acculturation to Campus Incorporate into retention efforts and plans greater efforts to acculturate students into campus