Agenda

• Supporting Students in New China Partnerships

Notes

• Supporting Students in New China Partnerships (Jill Stoffers, Steve Snyder)
  • Introduction (Steve Snyder)
    • We started a China Working Group early this semester as a space to bring together colleagues with a wide range of ideas and contacts and discuss growing partnerships with new Chinese institutions. We hope that we might be able to replicate this model in the future for other areas where we have a significant number of contacts and potential opportunities.
    • We wanted to bring this conversation to the Institute Leadership Group because we know there are ways in which everyone here can help us think through how our relationships with Chinese institutions can be expanded to support a greater number of enrolled students.
  • Partnerships Overview (Jill)
    • MIIS-China Enrollment Partnerships: Policy Programs
    • Chinese national priority is to have Chinese citizens hold positions in global governance organizations.
      • Asked top schools to offer master’s curriculum in ‘global governance’ or something similar.
      • China Scholarship Council (CSC) creating bi-lateral scholarships with international universities to support master’s students in related fields
      • CSC creating bi-lateral scholarships with Chinese universities to support students on 1+1 programs
  • MIIS Engaged in 2 ways:
    • CSC-MIIS Scholarship
      • Funds up to 20 students annually for next three years: 5 students/year in IPD, EPM, NPTS and Trade (full-degree program)
      • This partnership is for three years and if this goes well, we could have the option to renew for three additional years.
    • 1+1 MA Programs for IPD and Trade
      • Zhejiang U, China Foreign Affairs (AE program)
      • Renmin starting FA25, F26
    • Key goals of program: career outcomes
      • OPT/CPT for internships
      • Internship support from MIIS
      • Students landing internships
    • Growth expected: Could reach 120 cumulative students.
    • Discussion/Q&A:
      • Really encouraging to hear about these opportunities
      • Would like this group to brainstorm areas for alignment and ways in which we can all support a potential increase in enrollments through these partnerships.
      • Can we be promoting this throughout the year? In a more normal year what are some of the key dates?
        • This year the application for the CSC opened April 1 and closed April 10. Not sure if that will be the typical window, but we will get clear on the key dates and timelines. 
        • Students have to apply to both MIIS and CSC.
      • What do we need to be doing institutionally?
        • Our degree programs in this partnership need to stay available and relatively stable.
    • Experience and outcomes will be key to success  
• Updates on Student-Facing Office Moves (Barbara)
  • I am sure many of you have been walking through McCone and can see the activity that is going on there.
  • We are running ahead of schedule. All faculty offices have been vacated at this point. 
  • The facilities team is focusing on deep cleaning and paint touch-ups, and there are several things being staged in McCone.
  • There are a few TBDs on the current map, but the plan is largely in place.
  • Most moves are happening during July.
  • The reception area is under construction right now, it might not be ready by August 1. We need to make this area ADA compatible which involves lowering a counter that may take just a little longer.
  • We are still working on the name of this new area, and will be putting the ideas forward to the group so everyone can vote. 
  • We are also trying to look to refresh this area with some new art and ensure it is new, fresh, welcoming, and appealing.
  • We have tried to accommodate as many things as possible, the facilities team has been incredible with their help moving and supporting our colleagues.

Agenda

• Institutional Research: Data Collection Overview & Reporting Needs

Notes

• Institutional Research: Data Collection Overview & Reporting Needs (Adela Langrock, Melissa Sorenson, Gael Meraud)
  • Reference: Middlebury Institute & Institutional Research: Overview of key data collection points and report distribution
  • We have been working together to compile our Institutional data points and reporting practices with the goal to build awareness of the various data collection points, understand when data becomes available, and how it can be accessed.
  • This work has come back into focus over the last few years through the Student Experience Team as we have been noticing a need for better data to understand how our student population is changing. Toni, Ashley, Gael, and Jill presented to the ILG last spring on the changing student needs.
  • In the meantime, Melissa was also working with the Institute Council to get a handle on what data we have and how it is reported, and she connected with Adela to build an overview of our current surveys and reports.
  • We have three main goals for this project:
    • Increase awareness of the various data that is being collected so folks know what data is available
    • Determine who needs what data amongst all of our departments
    • Centralize our access to the data reports so we have a much better sense of what is available, and reduce ad hoc requests from Adela.
  • While improving awareness and access, we also want to simplify and consolidate the role of Institutional Research in sharing this data. Their department can receive quite a few ad hoc requests, and we might be able to alleviate the number of requests through improved systems.
  • Adela is in the process of creating a Microsoft Teams space as a centralized space where data can be available and accessed. As a result, those who need it will be able to access the data directly. We are not sure yet what the Teams site and access parameters will look like. Where possible, our goal with access is to assign permissions for the Teams site based on the data needs for various departments.
  • Additionally, if there is any data that we do not need, please help us identify those cases. We want to ensure we are being mindful of Institutional Research bandwidth and prioritizing data that is being used.
  • The ILG participated in a silent read to add comments and notes to the reference document.
    • Key themes from comments:
      • Understanding how surveys and data will be differentiated between online and in-person programs
      • Broadening reporting, with several notes for Program Chairs in particular
      • Emphasizing key data points and data usage for different departments (thank you!)
      • Questions about additional data points that would be helpful if available.
      • Security and permissions influence who can have access to which types of information, so there may be additional follow-up to ensure we are not broadly releasing sensitive information.
        • Adela will be reviewing with this in mind and reach out as needed.
  • Discussion:
    • Many schools publish their IPEDS data on their website, do we publish anything, and at what level (Midd-wide, Institute-specific, etc?)
      • For IPEDS the College and Schools fall under one category of reporting. For the Institute we fall under the big Middlebury umbrella but we report that data separately. There is some overall reporting for graduate students, but we don’t run a common data set for the Institute. 
      • Reference: https://www.middlebury.edu/assessment-institutional-research/institutional-data/middlebury-institute-international-studies

Agenda

• Campus Vibrancy: Update on office moves planned for summer and opportunity to ask remaining questions on return to campus policy

Notes

• Campus Vibrancy: Update on office moves planned for summer and opportunity to ask remaining questions on return to campus policy (Barbara Burke, Andrew Hernandez, Hannah Ross)
  • Hannah Ross: Introduction & Rationale for Change
    • Over the last several years, there have been several conversations about co-locating our student-serving offices. 
    • This would allow our staff to have a more positive, vibrant experience of our campus space and make it easier for students to find what they are looking for. This could also lead to opportunities to consolidate GAs and front desk resources, and ensure students can find someone in-person who can help them on the spot or help them schedule an appointment.
    • We have heard significant feedback both from students and staff that students are struggling to keep track of different opening hours on campus and get a hold of the people they need to answer questions.
    • Making student-centered decisions on this is our goal, and we are hoping the happy side effect is having more people together with the ability to engage in side interactions.
    • The timeline for this change is lined up with the return to campus timeframe of August 1.
  • Barbara Burke: Overview of Campus Office Move Plans & Timeline
    • We have been thinking about this transition for a long time. The members of the Student Experience Team have also been talking about this. It is a lot like putting together a jigsaw puzzle, and when we put pen to paper there were some natural opportunities that emerged.
    • Our goal is to make sure it is as painless as possible to help everyone move. We hope there can also be opportunities for refreshed spaces and furniture as a result of this change. 
    • Where: Main and third floor of McCone Building
    • Who: Student-facing departments.
      • Enrollment and admissions
      • Registrar
      • Student Services
      • Munras Staff Member (Starting April 29)
      • Student Financial Services
      • Some academic support services
      • Not moving: VPAA (Segal), ITS/Media Services 
      • Already in McCone: CACS, ISSS, JEDI 
    • We will be moving 15 faculty out of the main floor, and will be doing our best to cluster people with colleagues elsewhere as much as possible.
    • How:
      • Barbara, Andrew, Michelle and Hannah working together to move through a detailed timeline and coordinated effort.
      • Looking at a June timeframe for packing offices and moving offices from the end of June to beginning of July.
      • Barbara spoke to departments in late January to understand needs, which include things like secure storage, supplies storage, furniture needs, and a welcoming environment that is comfortable and inviting.
      • There is some wiggle room based on feedback from managers
      • There will also be a new renovated reception space, manned by Graduate Assistants, and ensuring there will be cubicle space for additional GAs
      • This will be an opportunity to think about our space and support structures in an entirely different way. We may be able to consolidate some of the ways the GAs serve departments.
  • Discussion:
    • Is there a period during which people do not have an office?
      • Some of the faculty will not have access to office space during the summer (many are off-campus during summer). May will be the most critical window for faculty packing up office spaces. After May 31, Facilities will begin moving their items to a holding area.
      • Then student-facing employees will be packing up and moving by department. There is the potential that we could have a day between when offices are packed and when the materials are moved.
      • Andrew will be moving through the offices to touch up paint as needed and clean before anybody moves in.
    • How are we thinking through meeting space?
      • The McCone boardroom can be an option here. It is not big enough for our board and is used as a regular conference room. We will start out by using the boardroom and conference room next to Angie. We have also built in a little swing space – some could be used for smaller conference rooms. Some offices will have a small conference table and chairs.
      • CACS also has a meeting room that gets reserved for employers, but we could make that more broadly available.
    • Do managers have a say in where departments will be?
      • There is a little bit of wiggle room but the assignments are done for the most part. Getting people close to their storage area or other department needs, and keeping departments together, is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. It came together really well.
      • Barbara has done close listening to department needs and has taken that into consideration with office assignments.
    • Michelle sent an email to the 15 faculty that they will be impacted. The vision is to try to get colleagues together, I think we have a really good plan for that. Will be talking with each of them, and have already received emails about ideas for where they might go.
    • Barbara: We did also build offices for staff members who are not here all the time so they have a place to sit when they visit.
    • Our community cares a lot about fair process, appreciate that we are seeing a lot of signs of fair process and engaging people in decisions that impact them. 

Student Leadership Task Force Update (Task Force Members)

• Student Leadership Task Force Members
  • Sasha Kingsley (Director of Student Life and Engagement)
  • Ashley Arrocha (Associate Dean of Student Services)
  • Dr. Nick Creary (JEDI Officer and MIIS Faculty Member)
  • Ola Pozor (First Year IPD/IEM MIIS in-person student)
  • Landry Dohou Bi (Second year MPA/IPD MIIS in-person international student)
  • Eli Drachman (First Year NPTS MIIS online student)
  • Elisabeth Ampthor (Second year TESOL in-person student)
• Student voice/engagement/life is crucial to the future of MIIS and this task force was created in response to students indicating that our current model was unsustainable and discontinuing participation in AY22-23.
• This year the task force has been busy gathering input from stakeholders, primarily students, through focus groups, open meetings, the anonymous input form, interviews with former members, informal conversations, and the American Student Government Association (ASGA).
• Key Feedback
  • Students feel that they must prioritize school work and paid work over service work. Students indicated that ideal service time was 3-5 hours/month.
  • The majority of students think that student rep positions should be compensated in some way. (77% of student government positions are paid nationwide)
  • There needs to be a clarity on the commitment of service before a student becomes a representative of student governance. 
  • Concern about tokenism rather than actual student representation. Do student council positions actually have the potential to create change?
• Proposed Changes of Student Governance
  • Reduce workload and focus on student advocacy
  • Ensure students know what to expect and are in a position to create change.
  • Provide fair compensation for governance work
  • Change the process of selecting students to serve on these boards to ensure distributed leadership
• Model of Student Advocacy Council (SAC) at MIIS
  • Elected Council Positions (proposed stipend positions)
    • Council President
    • Council Vice President
    • Council Historian
    • Communications Officer
  • Council Advisor (Director of Student Life and Engagement)
  • Appointed Program Reps (paid GAs of programs)
    • These positions can be appointed by program chairs and offices if they would like their program/office represented on the council
  • Appointed Office/Department Reps (paid GAs of Offices/Departments)
• We are hoping that this new model can bring about:
  • An increased focus on student advocacy
  • Improved communication and trust among students, staff, and faculty
  • Increased transparency and understanding of Middlebury as a whole
  • More synergy and data sharing across departments and programs
  • Less burnout, more joyful and impactful student representation
  • Diverse representation: inclusion of all student voices with dedicated time to report out at leadership meetings
  • A cultural shift towards positive collaboration and community
  • Sharing tasks instead of siloing tasks (GA training, sharing best practices, town halls, office hours, data collection)
• Issues for Consideration
  • How can Institute leadership financially support student government leaders in serving the student body and campus community?
  • Where are the specific areas where student leaders can affect change?
    • Voting rights? And can one vote actually influence decisions? (ie. how student fees are being used, professional development, etc.)
    • Guaranteed representation on committees and boards?
    • Has the Student Council been written into the bylaws of MIIS, and is this information available to the public?
• Next Steps:
  • Student Town Hall
  • Meeting with Middlebury leaders
  • Hoping to pilot in Fall 2024

Agenda

• Marketing Update
• Advancement Update

Notes

• Marketing Update (Muchadei Zvoma)
  • Presentation: In-person Program Enrollment Growth
  • In-Person program new student enrollments include Online TESOL/IEM since supported by MIIS and not Wiley.
  • U.S. Enrollment Growth
    • U.S. enrollment is our biggest opportunity for growth, we cannot rely only on targeting niche markets. 
    • The U.S. market has been our most variable market over the last several years.
  • U.S. Enrollment: ROI Perception
    • Market: Interest in international affairs
    • Work vs. school: 50% of U.S. declines choose to stay in workforce
    • Competition:
      • Scholarship + TA positions help subsidize education
      • Cost of living
      • Other competitive regions(D.C., Europe)
  • Top 5 States for U.S. citizen enrollment (2019-2023)
    • State: CA , NY , U.S. Students Abroad, Texas, Virginia
    • When we are thinking about our travel and advertising we are focused on feeder schools and feeder states.
  • U.S. Enrollment Growth: Marketing
    • Career trajectory by program
    • Eduvantis: 84% increase in inquiries
    • LinkedIn (organic and paid): This is our most important platform
    • Short-form video (<60 seconds)
    • U.S. Enrollment Growth: Target Key Regions
      • Recruiter and faculty travel
      • Webinars
      • Preview Days
      • Middlebury brand recognition
      • D.C.-based recruiters
    • U.S. Enrollment Growth: Partner Organizations
      • Partner pipeline replenishing: back in the field post-COVID
      • Increased scholarships for key partners
        • Peace Corps Fellows
        • TAPIF
        • JET
        • Auxiliares de Conversación
    • China Enrollment Growth
      • China = 15% of MIIS enrollments (2019-2023)
      • Primarily in TI and TLM
      • China Enrollment Growth
        • China Scholarship Council Partnership (100% scholarships 20 students annually)
        • 1+1 MA programs with partners in China
        • Faculty travel to partner schools in PROC and Taiwan
        • China working group (across big M)
        • MIIS social media channels: WeChat, Weibo, and Bilibili
      • Program/Market Fit
        • ROI Perception
        • Simplicity of value proposition: The simpler to convey, the more effective and efficient our marketing can be.
        • What are prospective students saying and why?
        • What are employers looking for and why? (key part of the market)
        • Research via EAB, Lightcast, ad vendors, competitors
      • New Feeder Regions
        • Longer-term growth
        • We have to diversify our regions and avoid over-reliance on any one area
        • India, Middle East, U.S. Midwest and South
      • How you can [continue to] help
        • Much will be sending an email next week to ILG and program chairs to spell out opportunities to help.
        • Program/market fit
        • Connections at feeder schools/organizations
        • Preview Days
        • Webinars
        • Engage with our social media content (like, comment, reshare!)
        • Speak to prospective students (facilitated by EAs)
        • Publications, employers, etc: high concentrations of potential students
• Advancement Update (Allie Ladio)
  • An update on the ‘For Every Future’ campaign was shared in January for the MIIS Board of Advisors, and we are reprising that presentation today (with some updated numbers)
  • Campaign Impact by Pillar
    • Access: 60% of $215M goal
    • Academic Excellence: 70% of $120M goal
    • Experience 50% of $70.5M goal
    • Unrestricted: 82% of $77.5M goal
    • Capital: 28% of $117M goal
  • MIIS Focused Campaign Commitments
    • $26,835,541 – Leading categories within this fund are Academic Excellence $15.2M and Access $8.7M
  • MIIS Campaign Commitments by Constituency
    • Foundation/Corporation/Organization 36%
    • Estate 18%
    • Parent 17%
    • Friend 14%
    • Trustee 12%
    • MIIS Alumni 2%
    • UG Alumi 1%
    • LS or BLSE Alumni 0% ($92k)
  • Upcoming launch activities and campaign events
    • Purpose and Place: San Francisco Launch hosted by Parker Harris at Salesforce Tower on March 28, 2024 5:30-8:00pm
      • An evening of storytelling to celebrate the launch of for every future: the campaign for Middlebury
      • Storytelling is a key component of our campaign
    • Celebrating Your Commitment Event, Thursday, April 11, 2024 – Noon-1:30pm
      • Luncheon honoring legacy and Cane Society members and scholarship donors in appreciation of support for local donors
    • Additional Notes:
      • We have a new Advancement team member out of San Francisco with the leadership gift team. It is exciting to have a new colleague who can easily visit the Institute and understand what we are all about.
      • Allie is working to connect and reconnect with a long list of prospective donors by setting up meetings and opportunities to share why it is an exciting time to be part of philanthropy at the Institute.
      • Part of this is keeping exciting Institute updates front and center with the Advancement team and ensuring the team knows how to talk about the exciting work happening here. We also have detailed fundraising plans that can help Advancement team members understand key opportunities (naming centers, professorships, etc.) The goal is to continue building these plans out in every category.
      • Everyone can support Allie by sharing articles and highlights that she can use to bring her team in on opportunities to spotlight and support MIIS.