By Teresa Niño (VP for Marketing, Communications, and Engagement)
Earlier this month, in the March 3rd issue of Lake Weekly, President Chávez shared a vision of what Our Lady of the Lake can be. An attainable vision. He also provided a link to a survey that asked seven questions. That same survey was also presented to Cabinet and the Board of Trustees.
Below are the results of the combined surveys. As you read through them, ask yourself, “what do these results mean?” “What do the results say as to where we are today and where we want to be?” and “what will be my role?”
In the next few weeks, whether in a State of the Lake Forum, a Leadership Team meeting, a Faculty and/or Staff leadership meeting, or an email from me, we will learn the answers to these questions together and continue to carve out our path. In the next few weeks, you’ll hear phrases such as “change management,” “models for small, private, catholic universities,” and a lot of “Focus and Differentiation” as well as “Focused Differentiation.” Don’t be alarmed. We will stay in touch and would love to hear from you. This process requires active engagement.
At your end, please attend those meetings or get notes from someone that attended; read Lake Weekly stories that address the status and/or progress that’s being made. Stay tuned in.
Here are the top three responses we heard from the combined surveys:
- In your view, which primary student populations should OLLU intentionally prioritize over the next 5–7 years? Please rank the following options from highest strategic
- 39% First-generation Hispanic undergraduates from South Texas
- 21% A combination of multiple segments
- 19% Catholic Hispanic students seeking faith-integrated education.
- Follow-up to Question 1: If there is a student population not reflected above that you believe should be prioritized, please describe. [This open-ended question prompted numerous varied responses. Below are the ‘top’ responses – those that were mentioned more than twice but less than five times.
- Catholic, service-oriented students
- Working professionals
- Veterans/Military
- Should OLLU intentionally narrow its recruitment geography?
- 39% Yes – Texas Statewide
- 26% No – Maintain broad geographic reach
- 23% Yes – Primarily South Texas
- Should OLLU deliberately deprioritize certain student segments to strengthen focus?
- 48% Yes – Trade-offs are necessary
- 45% Maybe – With data review
- 6% No – We should remain broad
- Which attributes could realistically differentiate OLLU in a meaningful and defensible way? (Select up to three)
- 17% Strong career pipelines in select industries
- 17% Accelerated pathways (3-year degrees, flexible scheduling)
- 11% Personalized, high-touch advising model
- 11% Small-class, faculty-mentored environment
- Which of the following do you believe is most critical to long-term sustainability?
- 31% Target market clarity
- 27% Operational excellence and cost discipline
- 23% Academic program specialization
- Are we currently disciplined enough to execute a focused strategy?
- 58% Not Yet
- 24% Uncertain
- 18% Yes
We hope to see you at tomorrow’s State of the Lake Forum where Interim Head of Enrollment Shirley Caldera will share data on our enrollment trends and our rate of persistence. Why is this important? Because as we proceed to carve out our vision, it is important to know what the market demands. In this case, our market is our students. They vote with their feet and their tuition dollars. What classes, programs and/or degrees are they pursuing? What is it about them or about us that could differentiates us?
Looking forward to it and BYOM … Bring your open mind!