My ideas are after the question. Please add to them or comment.
Assume that you represent the top administrators of a large university with 15,000 students. Over the past three years there have been an increasing number of applicants to the school. However, the school’s staff and physical facilities have remained the same. The school is under pressure from students and their families to admit more students.
The state, which approves over half of the school’s funds, is responding to this pressure by asking the school to increase enrollment by at least 3000 students. However, they are unwilling to increase funding to pay for this expansion.
1. List as many possible alternatives that the school can take?
• The school could hold a conference or meeting with state officials to negotiate. Perhaps the school could persuade the state officials to increase funding by a certain percentage for every additional student admitted.
• The school could hold a city or town meeting that would be open to all community members to explain its difficulties. Later, a voting day could be held, which would allow the community members or taxpayers to have an input. The options would be increase enrollment and raise taxes or keep the enrollment rate as is and leave taxes alone.
I'd be careful about the second one. Voting implies that the community members will actually be deciding something. If all you want from them are ideas (input), then don't have a vote -- distribute and collect a questionnaire or something.
The school could do what many have done -- increase tuition. It could also save money by decreasing the amount of college-funded scholarships.
Due Day 7 – Pay Raise Exercise – Post to Assignments link as Word.doc attachment
Complete the exercise 10.2 “The Pay Raise” at the end of Chapter 10. You are the supervisor and you must determine the pay raise allocations. Explain your rationale and decisions in detail. What feedback would you provide to each employee in the performance review meeting?
• The school could explore the possibility of increasing revenue through other means, such as increasing tuition fees for out-of-state students or implementing new programs and services that could generate income.
• The school could consider optimizing the use of its existing facilities by making scheduling adjustments, maximizing classroom capacity, or utilizing alternative spaces for teaching and learning.
• The school could explore partnerships with other educational institutions to share resources and facilities, allowing for increased enrollment without significant additional costs.
• The school could prioritize admissions for students who meet specific criteria, such as high academic achievements or specific program requirements, ensuring the enrollment increase is balanced with the quality and suitability of students admitted.
• The school could invest in technology and digital infrastructure to expand online learning opportunities, potentially increasing enrollment capacity without requiring additional physical facilities.
• The school could consider implementing a phased approach to increasing enrollment, gradually admitting more students over a period of time to allow for adjustments and planning.
• The school could analyze and optimize its operational processes and systems to improve efficiency and productivity, potentially enabling the existing staff to manage the increased workload more effectively.
• The school could explore options for fundraising or seeking private financial support to supplement the state funds and cover the costs associated with increasing enrollment.
• The school could consider collaborating with local businesses and organizations to provide internships, apprenticeships, or job placement opportunities for students, potentially offsetting some costs through external partnerships.
• The school could evaluate the feasibility of expanding or renovating existing facilities to accommodate the increased enrollment, seeking grants or loans for funding if necessary.