Tennessee State outlines multi-pronged recruitment push as freshman confirmations lag

Tennessee State University officials told trustees Friday that the university is preparing for a smaller incoming freshman class while stepping up efforts to convert admitted and confirmed students into arrivals.

The Student and Academic Affairs Committee heard an update from Dr. Goldman and outside enrollment consultant Ken Anselman outlining current confirmations, conversion efforts and new systems the university is implementing to improve recruitment and communications.

The university reported 1,094 enrollment confirmations for first-time freshmen two months before the fall term, though officials cautioned that confirmations at TSU are “soft” because the university does not require a deposit. Ken Anselman of RHB/Strata Information Group (SIG) said, “we were at 1,094, and those are enrollment confirmations. Those are students who have said yes.” He and staff said historical patterns indicate only about 50–65% of confirmations translate to students present at the end of term.

Dr. Goldman and SIG projected a wide range for the fall class: a best-case scenario near the university’s five‑year target of 968 freshmen and a downside scenario nearer to 700. Trustee Tarver asked whether the 968 target aligned with the five‑year pro forma; board materials show that target in the pro forma but administrators said current headwinds are pushing projections downward.

Administration laid out several near‑term steps designed to improve yield. Those include implementing the Slate CRM to centralize recruitment communications, simplifying scholarship packages with Alvarez & Marsal, running a “You Belong at TSU” social campaign and targeted, alumni‑led meet‑and‑greets in key markets (Memphis, Atlanta, Chicago). Dr. Goldman said the university had 461 students registered for new‑student orientation “as of yesterday.”

Officials also described operational limitations that have hampered outreach: the current admissions/communications platform cannot reliably track open rates, clicks or deliver texts, and staff numbers for recruitment had been small until recent hires. Campbell‑style outreach — student ambassadors making personal calls and alumni hosting local events — produced immediate spikes in registration this month, administrators said.

Ken Anselman emphasized the national enrollment headwinds and the need for systems: “We’re in the process of putting in place a new CRM, called Slate…that will allow us to do a much better job projecting what the class actually looks like.” He added that the university’s Banner data required clean‑up and that better CRM and marketing will improve conversion in future cycles.

Trustees pressed for more granular reporting: sources of applications (direct TSU application, Common Black College Application, etc.), state and out‑of‑state breakdowns, the number of transfer applicants and the share of confirmed students who are likely to enroll. Administrators said some data exist in the current systems but that Slate will provide clearer source attribution and conversion tracking beginning in August.

The university also reported stronger transfer confirmations, with more than 250 transfer students confirmed for fall; officials said transfer yield is “tracking well ahead of 2023 but behind 2024.”

University leaders framed the enrollment outlook as manageable but urgent: the current recruitment cycle’s results will affect the operating budget but administrators said the slate of reforms (CRM, simplified scholarship matrix, targeted marketing and alumni engagement) is intended to stabilize and then rebuild the pipeline over multiple cycles.