The Small College Financial Crunch: Using Athletics as a Leading Form of Enrollment Management

Abstract

Alicia Morrison is the athletic director of Northeast Private College (NPC), a small, tuition-driven, suburban National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III (DIII) institution in the northeast region of the United States. Like many small colleges throughout the country, NPC is facing a dire financial crisis if it cannot stem declining enrollment trends. Since athletic scholarships are not allowed at the DIII level, student-athletes at NPC pay tuition in the same way as the general student body. Similar to many small, DIII colleges, student-athlete tuition dollars are relied upon as a primary fiscal solvency strategy for the institution as a whole. As part of a collaborative effort between Alicia, NPC’s President, and its Board of Directors, Alicia will be tasked with developing a strategic plan for growing the size of the athletic department. This case study enables students to gain a better understanding of the DIII athletics environment. Students will use scholarly articles and a real-world financial and enrollment database to help Alicia with her strategic plan. The pressure is high, as, in many ways, the future of NPC relies upon Alicia effectively developing—and implementing—a viable strategic plan for the growth of the athletic department.

Research on the Cultivation Path of Core Competencies of Finance Major Based on Modern Information Technology

“…In order to adapt to this trend, the training of financial management professionals needs to break the traditional disciplinary boundaries, strengthen the cross-fertilization with other disciplines, and cultivate composite talents with interdisciplinary knowledge and capabilities. This not only requires students to master basic financial and accounting knowledge and methods, but also need to have knowledge and skills in data science, computer technology and other aspects [13] .…”