OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND? Evaluating Regional Representatives from a State University’s perspective

OUR GOAL…Create a successful regional representative experience that is productive and effective for the University and for the employee.

SELECT THE RIGHT PERSON• The foundation must start with a successful

employer/employee relationship

• Traits of a successful regional representative– Reliable– Self-motivated/directed– Trustworthy

SELECT THE RIGHT PERSON • Other traits include:

– Organizational skills– Communication skills– Time management skills– Flexibility– Responsible

• On-campus experience– Not a must, but beneficial

DESIGN POSITION FOR SUCCESS• Provide the employee with physical support

– Vehicle– Telephone– Computer– Access to data

• Define job responsibilities– Aspects that are the same between a small private and

large public• Sharing the message of the institution• Visiting high schools & attending college fairs• Encouraging applications for admission• Building relationships with counselors• Building relationships with students

DESIGN FOR SUCCESS, CONT’D– Aspects that may be different

• Reading Applications• Follow-up with prospective students

– Include other appropriate responsibilities• Special presentations• Responding to emails that come to the office• Follow up with specific groups of students• Scholarship review via document imaging• Professional development/association liaison• Project work

COMMUNICATE! If you do not communicate on a regular basis throughout the year, you will not have a good performance evaluation experience.

• Responsibilities of the Representative

- Keep in regular contact with supervisor via phone or email (nearly daily basis)

- Seek advice from supervisor when there are unique situations

- Share information about the region with supervisor- Be available and responsive

COMMUNICATE! • Responsibilities of the Supervisor

– Keep regional rep updated with information and any changes in University/office policy/procedures

– Be sure that regional reps are part of the team• Regular visits to campus & staff meetings• Participate in programming activities (Open Houses,

First Look, etc.)• Counselor of the week

– Listen for ideas & information from regional reps who have feet on the ground

– Provide training

THE EVALUATION• Supervisor should keep performance logs

– Don’t rely solely on your memory to evaluate employee performance.• Can be very simple & brief• Date the entry• Write observations, not assumptions• Remember to include the positive, not just the negative

THE EVALUATION, CONT’D

• The Representative should also keep a performance log

– Note and date accomplishments– Remember that your supervisor may not see your day-to-day

work– Send this to your supervisor prior to your performance

evaluation

THE EVALUATION, CONT’D• Tangible Activities to be Evaluated

– Performance Log– Travel/Visit Summary

• High schools visited• College fairs attended• Special presentations

– Application performance within territory– Telephone calls made & received, emails answered– Scholarship applications read– Professional development activities

THE EVALUATION, CONT’D• Intangible Traits to be Considered

– Knowledge of work– Quality/Accuracy of work– Professional Judgment– Planning and Organization Skills– Professional Development– Initiative/Innovation– Communication Skills– Customer Orientation– Teamwork– Self-Direction/Self-Motivation– Reliability

SAMPLE PERFORMANCE EVAL.

SAMPLE PERFORMANCE EVAL.

CONTACT INFORMATION• Doris Groves

– Director of Admissions- Illinois State University– dfgrove@ilstu.edu

• Nate Bargar – Coordinator, Chicago Regional Initiatives- Illinois State

University– nabarga@ilstu.edu

And now for something completely different…

… or at least very green

www.nacacconference.orgSlide 18

• Knowledge• Recruiting and Counseling• Service, Teamwork and

Hustle• Communication• Technical Competence, Data

Gathering and Analysis• Creativity, Innovation and

Resourcefulness• Application Reading and

Management

Hmmm. Something’s missing.

The Larry U Crew

Ken AnselmentKen.anselment@lawrence.edu

Carin SmithCarin.smith@lawrence.edu