IACAC Summer Institute 2012 Tony Bankston

1. Understanding Ethical
Standards in College
Admissions
Tony Bankston
Dean of Admissions
Illinois Wesleyan University

2. Opening a Dialogue
 Why do we do things the way we do?
 What considerations do we make when
establishing different policies and practices?
 Is it most important for a practice to benefit the
institution or the student? Who do we think of
first? Is there a middle ground?
 Have we truly established the ethics that help
guide the decisions we make?

3. Competition and Survival
 Someone in your office bears the direct responsibility
and pressure of “bringing in the class.”
 Nearly 4,000 institutions of higher learning are
competing for a finite number of college bound
students, and that number is shrinking.
 Many colleges are facing tremendous financial
challenges and are heavily dependent on tuition
revenue, which is directly tied to the job you do.

4. Nuts and Bolts of Ethics In
College Admission
 NACAC Statement of Principles of Good
Practice (SPGP)
 NACAC Students Rights and Responsibilities
 IACAC Statement of Practices and Courtesies
 NACAC Admissions Practices Committee
 IACAC’s Admissions Practices Committee

5. Statement of Principles of Good
Practice (SPGP)
 SPGP serves as the college admission counseling
profession’s ethical code of conduct to which all
members are expected to subscribe.
 Mandatory Practices
 Interpretations of Mandatory Practices
 Best Practices
 Core Values: Professionalism, Collaboration,
Trust, Education, Fairness and Equity, and
Social Responsibility

6. IACAC Admission Practices
Committee
 Admissions Counselors, Deans of Admission,
High School Counselors (8 members strong).
 Represent public/private schools, 2-year/4-year
 Committed to the well-being of the students we
serve, the colleagues we support and the
admissions profession as a whole.
 Rely on the diversity of perspectives and
opinions to strengthen the work of our
committee

7. Admissions Practices Committee
(Cont.)
 Resource for you and any admissions professional,
parent, student in Illinois.
 The work that we do is educational and not judicial.
 Confidential
 Collaborative

8. Violations of the SPGP
 A majority are compliant
 When violations do occur, they are rarely
deliberate or intentional.
 Most often unbeknownst to the member,
institution, family, etc.
 Educational opportunities
 Formal process for reporting violations

9. Reporting Process
 Admissions Practices Inquiry Form
 Inquiry versus Allegation
 Contact the AP Chairs in your State and Regional Association.
 Inquiry is brought to and discussed by the AP Committee to
determine compliance
 If an allegation is determined, AP committee follows formal
procedures for notification
 Inquiry is kept strictly confidential. The person filing the inquiry
is kept in the communication loop with the AP Committee, but
at no point is that person’s name revealed to whom the allegation
is made.

10. The Application Game
 Maybe more is better, but at what cost?
Your job is to generate interest and applications, but how are
you getting them, and is it good for the students?
 Recruiting to Deny – Are you really helping a student or your
institution by encouraging an unqualified student to apply for
admission?

11. The Application Game
 What exactly is an application?
 Completing applications over the phone
 Two-part applications
 Counting transcripts and/or official test scores as applications
 Counting on-line application accounts as applications, even if
nothing is ever submitted
All applications should be actionable. If a student would be
surprised to get an admission decision from you, they are most
likely not a legitimate applicant.

12. The Application Game
 How early is too early?
To: Prospective Student
From: Earlybird University
Date: March 18, 2007
Subject: Application for the Class of 2012
Did you know that you can apply to Earlybird University using the Internet?
The application for undergraduate admission for the class entering in the fall of 2008 is
now available on our Web site at http://admissions.eu.edu
From the Office of Undergraduate Admissions home page, click on the link for
“Applications and Guides,” then select “Applications” from the menu.
Earlybird University accepts the Common Application and requires a brief Pre-
Application Data Sheet/Supplement. You may complete and submit the Pre-Application
Data Sheet online and beginning later this spring you may download the Common
Application forms. If you prefer, you may submit the Universal College Application in
place of the Common Application.
We are looking forward to receiving your application so we can learn more about you.

13. SPGP on Applying Timeline
 SPGP II B 13: “Post Secondary members agree that
they will not notify first-year candidates for fall admission
prior to the receipt of a transcript that reflects completion
of the final semester of the junior year of high school or
the equivalent. Institutions that require only an
application prior to extending an offer of admission,
including many community colleges, may accept students
at the time of application.”

14. The Deposit Game
 What is the purpose of a pressured or
refundable deposit?
 Are we expecting students to make a serious
commitment? Do we want them to give serious
thought to the decision, or simply hold a spot?
 Does encouraging “soft” contracts make enrollment
management easier or more difficult?
 Are we truly committed to May 1st as a decision
deadline, or is it just something we have to “deal”
with?

15. The Deposit Game
 How else do we put pressure on students and
their parents?
 Early Housing Deposits
 Early Registration Programs
 Early Orientation Programs
How do we expect them to respond to this pressure?
Does it make our jobs easier or more difficult?

16. SPGP on May 1
 SPGP II. B. 3: “Post secondary members agree that they will
permit first year candidates for fall admission to choose among
offers of admissions, financial aid and scholarship until May 1
and will state this deadline explicitly in their offers of
admission.”
 SPGP II. B. 5: “Post secondary members agree that they will
work with their institution’s senior administrative officers to
ensure that financial aid and scholarship offers and housing
options are not used to manipulate commitments prior to May 1

17. The Financial Aid Game
 Are we providing a clear picture when it comes
to financial assistance?
 Should we be more concerned with making our
institution appear less expensive or providing an
“apples to apples” comparison when it comes to real
costs?

18. The Financial Aid Game
 The University of Illusions Proposal
Cost
Tuition and Fees $16,228
Room and Meals $7,370
Books and Supplies $1,000
Transportation $1,530
Miscellaneous $2,250
Total $28,378
Your Financial Aid Semester 1 Semester 2 Total
Federal Stafford Subsidized Loan $1,750 $1,750 $3,500
Federal PLUS Parent Loan – EFT $11,439 $11,439 $22,878
Arizona Excellence T1 Grant $1,000 $1,000 $2,000
Total $14,189 $14,189 $28,378

19. The Waiting Game
 Snooty College announced earlier this year that
they plan to wait list some 1,400 students,
hoping to maybe admit 25 from that group.
IWU Wait List Formula
Desired # of deposits from the wait list 25
At 70% yield, # to admit from the wait list 35
Desired # of wait listed students to consider 80
At a 20% response rate, # to place on wait list 400

20. When Does Leadership Begin?
 You begin developing your leadership skills
starting on the first day of your career.
 The example you set early in your career will
affect your opportunities for future leadership as
well as how you are perceived as a leader.
 “Lead by example.”

21. Early Opportunities for Leadership
 Student Ambassadors
 Student Workers
 IACAC
 Don’t just do the minimum. Ask the “deeper”
questions. Don’t just settle for being
knowledgeable; be an expert in your field.

22. Effective Senior Leadership
 Good communication, both up and down the ladder
 Get organized, stay organized
 Don’t get emotional; the ship is as steady as the captain
 Watch, listen and learn BEFORE you take action
 Be flexible; be creative (Different Strokes, “blessed be
the peacemaker”)

23. Ethics in Leadership
 The earlier you develop your ethical core, the easier you
will find decision-making as your career progresses.
 As a leader, you set the tone. Is everyone rowing in the
same direction ethically?
 You WILL feel pressure to go against your ethics. How
will you respond?
 If you feel good about what you do, going to work each
day becomes something you really enjoy doing.

24. Where Do We Go from Here?
 The decisions we make not only affect students and
parents, but they also affect our colleagues.
 Once a group of institutions decides to engage in
practices that may not be in the best interest of the
process, it puts greater pressure on other colleges to
respond.
 That pressure can then cause others to adopt, create, and
utilize questionable tactics.
 If we can not provide a strong and uniform example of
ethical practices, and show strong support of those who
choose to do things the right way, then we can not
expect others to act ethically in return.