Applicant Communication Policy

An applicant is defined as a student that has submitted an application but has not yet received a decision. Therefore an applicant audience includes students that will unfortunately be denied. Due to the sensitive nature of applicant communications, colleges and units are not allowed to communicate with applicants. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions manages an applicant communications plan to ensure students continue to receive touch points from Illinois while awaiting a decision.

2022-03-04T09:08:17-06:00Training|

How to Add a Text Message to Slate

Text messages are sent by our data team through Slate. If you haven't used Slate before, learn how to request access on our new member page; please note that privileges vary. If your college/unit hasn't sent a text message before, some additional setup is also required. For details, review our texting policy and how to submit a text request in Basecamp. 1. Log into Slate. Navigate to the deliver icon at the top menu bar (the megaphone). 2. Select the "New Mailing" button at the top left. 3. Next, you will see the "New Mailing" screen. Enter a name for [...]

2023-05-22T16:14:49-05:00Training|

How to Create a Communications Plan

It is important to make a communication plan. Having all of your messages in one place, with brief descriptions, timelines, and send dates will make planning for the rest of the cycle much easier. These plans will also help you evaluate your message holistically, focus your messaging, and target the right audiences. Think about your audience. What are their needs? What do you need to tell them in order for them to be successful? You can always refer to the suggested key messages for colleges and academic units: unique academics, post-graduate success and rankings, and differentiating experiences. Remember, messaging from OUA [...]

2022-03-10T12:54:29-06:00Training|

Data Request Policy

Colleges and units may submit a data request to obtain information regarding audiences or general student trends. Data Request Restrictions Requested data should be about the college or academic unit's audience, or general student trends. Data requests should present efficient solutions to straightforward problems or questions. They should not be used to create specialized workarounds to solve niche problems. Requested data and reports will be presented in Tableau or in a live Slate report. Data will not be exported from Slate unless absolutely necessary. This protects student data and ensures information is as recent as possible. Data Request Requirements Data requests [...]

2023-05-23T13:18:44-05:00Training|

College/Unit Marketing & Communication Plan Policy

Marketing Plan Requirements Before each admissions cycle, colleges and other strategic partners are required to submit a comprehensive marketing plan to OUA-Contact by August 1. Marketing plans are shared with the R&Y Network and reviewed by Enrollment Management. Not only does this allow for transparency, but it also optimizes coordination of activity. Learn more about marketing plans, including the Office of Undergraduate Admissions marketing plan. Communication Plan Requirements Before each admissions cycle, colleges and other strategic partners are required to submit a communication plan to OUA-Contact by August 1. The communication plan should include all of the upcoming cycle's emails, mailings, [...]

2023-05-22T16:37:46-05:00Training|

How to Add an Email to Slate

In most cases, emails are sent by our data team through Slate. For more details, review our email policy and how to submit an email request in Basecamp. If you haven't used Slate before, learn how to request access on our new member page. Please note that privileges vary. In Slate, go to Deliver (megaphone icon), then Mailings. On the right, select the folder/subfolder where your email belongs. Units are categorized by college or department. Select New Mailing. (In some cases, you may want to make a copy of an already-existing email. To do so, select the email, then Copy Mailing. Be sure to [...]

2023-05-24T15:06:37-05:00Training|

Program Explorer Edit Policy

What is the Program Explorer? The Program Explorer is an interface on the Admissions website that allows users to explore undergraduate majors. What information is editable within the Program Explorer? College staff may request an edit to the following information: Description—Descriptions are carefully crafted to be informative and understandable for those who do not yet have a high school degree. Please consider these factors when submitting an edit suggestion. Career options Sample employer destinations—You can select up to three sample employers from your program's full employer list. If an employer isn't included in your full list, we can't add that employer [...]

2023-05-24T14:59:00-05:00Training|

Texting Policy

Requirements All text messages should be sent via Slate in cooperation with the Office of Enrollment Management. This ensures that student statuses are up to date, reduces the risk of texts being filtered as spam, and enables centralized metrics and functional tracking. The college/unit sending the text message must have staff online for at least two hours after sending a text message to handle responses, since communication expectations with text messages are immediate. You must have consent to text the people on your list. When a student or parent fills out an inquiry form, they have the option to opt-in to [...]

2023-05-24T13:51:17-05:00Training|

How to Request Edits to the Program Explorer

We present our programs of study through an interface called the Program Explorer. This tool allows students to see what we offer and learn more about each program of interest. Some program explorer information comes directly from data sources; however, some information is provided by the college. You can read more about what information colleges can edit within the Program Explorer on our policy page. If you have program information that needs to be edited, please submit a request. Submit edit

2023-05-24T15:03:41-05:00Training|
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