The Office of New Student Relations is responsible for coordinating the student recruitment and retention efforts of South Plains College in order to attract and retain a diverse student body. The employees of New Student Relations reports to the Associate Dean of Marketing and Recruitment.

Marketing and Student Recruitment

New Student Relations is responsible for improving the college’s marketing and student recruitment capabilities. The office helps plan and implement special recruiting projects and promotional activities that support the institutional marketing and recruitment goals of the college.

The college maintains a number of recruiting activities designed to generate prospective student inquiries about South Plains College and its educational programs. Among these are high school visitation, participation at college and career days, booth displays at special events, such as the South Plains Panhandle Fair, direct mail efforts, campus tours, special presentations and other outreach information activities.

The Office of New Student Relations works closely with the Recruitment and Retention Committee in developing and implementing a comprehensive marketing plan for the college. Further, the office gathers marketing and institutional data to be used in the preparation of institutional program marketing and promotional plans.

Student recruitment is everyone’s responsibility at South Plains College and program faculty and staff are encouraged to assist in student recruitment efforts. Specifically, faculty can be most effective by maintaining vital communications links with their counterparts in public schools and in business and industry.

High School Visitation and Articulation

The Office of New Student Relations works to maintain close ties with public schools located in the College’s defined service area. Communication efforts are directed generally to high school counselors, principals and district superintendents. Routine contacts with these individuals are directed by New Student Relations. Faculty can augment the articulation process by maintaining contact with their counterparts in the high school setting. Such contacts can lead to guest presentations before high school classes. Activities of this nature are highly encouraged and should be reported to the Office of New Student Relations.

Departmental Recruitment Activities

The Office of New Student Relations is available to assist in developing departmental programs aimed at traditional and non-traditional student markets. The success of the College’s overall student recruitment program hinges on coordinating all recruitment to promote a unified image. Departments and individual programs are encouraged to develop activities which 1.) generate more awareness of career and educational opportunities in a specific area, and 2.) respond to a prospective student’s inquiry about the program. Faculty is encouraged to share enrollment problems and successes with the Director of New Student Relations.

Campus Tours

The Office of New Student Relations is responsible for coordinating all campus tours requested by prospective students and other visitors to the college. From time to time, faculty and staff are asked to assist with these tours by visiting with prospective students. Once a prospective student makes an appointment for a tour, the office seeks to put the student in contact with faculty in the student’s major area of interest.

Prospective Student Data File

The Office of New Student Relations works closely with the Office of Admissions and Records in maintaining the Prospect and Admissions file which records all prospective student inquiries received at South Plains College. Data from the file is available for use by departments and programs in their recruitment activities.

Campus Ambassadors

The Campus Ambassadors program at South Plains College seeks to provide opportunities for outstanding students to develop leadership and communications skills through involvement in student recruitment and community relation’s activities at the college. Students chosen to serve as Campus Ambassadors assist with student recruitment activities, campus tour guides for prospective students and special guests of the President of the College. Selection for the Campus Ambassadors program is regarded as a high honor for a South Plains College student. The Office of New Student Relations supervises the program.