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Partnership
Academics
Marketing and Recruitment
Student Support
Course and Faculty Developement
Partnership
What's the value of working with Compass rather than doing this on our own?
Compass is the pioneer in the marketing, recruitment, and retention categories of e-learning. We have spent a decade building and perfecting these services and have an impressive infrastructure and staff. Most institutions do not have the expertise or resources to replicate the services Compass provides. As competition grows intense, most organizations find that successfully addressing all the categories of the value chain is an overwhelming task and distracts them from their core mission to deliver a quality academic experience.
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We know Compass does not accept every institution and every program. What are your criteria? What are you looking for in your Knowledge Partners and new programs?
We partner with institutions that sincerely want to be in online education, but feel as if they are missing some critical element or elements to make that happen. Our ideal partners are committed to maintaining high academic standards, yet are entrepreneurial in terms of educational delivery, and recognize that success in the e-learning arena means being flexible, market-driven, and performance-based. Before we start, we give our Knowledge Partners our best assessment of the market potential of their e-learning opportunities to better ensure success for both parties.
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How do you predict if a program will be successful?
We have identified over 20 Critical Success Factors for predicting viable e-learning programs in a variety of disciplines based on assessing over 150 potential programs. We have also managed the day-to-day details of over 50 fully online degree and certificate programs. This experience gives us an intricate working knowledge of what it takes to be successful in this market. If we are unsure if a program will be successful, we will tell you.
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How long does it take for a typical program launch?
In the best of all possible worlds, from the time that a contract is signed until students are in the classroom is four months. Rarely does that happen because the institution must ramp up to a launch. No matter how much Compass pays for or does, there are always processes at the institution, which we respect and work within, that may cause the timeline to be longer. Once a relationship is established and processes are standardized, programs can be launched, marketing to first course, in six to nine months.
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We are afraid of growing too fast and having our academic quality and reputation deteriorate. What kind of growth do you expect if we partner with Compass?
Every organization has different growth expectations. Discussing these fully prior to establishing a long-term relationship is one key to a successful relationship and manageable growth. Together we will establish goals and benchmarks, and then we will generate the infrastructure and marketing plan to meet those goals. Typically, both parties are comfortable with an initial enrollment of 20 to 30 students and progressive growth to at least 150 steady state students within two years.
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How long does it usually take to put a program online once we decide?
Some partners are eager to get to market. In those situations we can comfortably get them to market (fully enrolled students in their first course) within four to six months if all things fall into place. Most institutions prefer a longer run-way and the opportunity to build a solid pipeline for their first class.
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Who is your competition?
There are many providers in the e-learning space. What sets Compass apart is the comprehensive set of services we provide and the manner in which we provide them. We do not offer a menu of one-size-fits-all services, but rather build deep and lasting relationships with each Knowledge Partner, customizing our services to fit the institution's needs and culture. We exclusively serve not-for-profit higher education institutions, so we understand the mission and culture of higher education. We understand who our customer is and seek to support and enhance your reach to students, remaining invisible to the market.
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If we sign a long-term contract with you, what recourse do we have if Compass does not meet our recruitment and retention goals?
The agreement will include performance criteria that the University expects and that Compass has determined are attainable within a specified timeframe. If Compass does not perform to that level, either side can exercise their right to terminate the partnership. Of course, if Compass does not satisfactorily perform its services, then the University can dissolve the relationship.
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Academics
Will we retain academic control? Who determines academic policies?
The institution plans and administers the educational experience. Compass faithfully represents and supports that educational experience. The same academic policies and control that govern on-campus programs generally apply to e-learning programs. Compass staff become well-acquainted with the institution's policies and work closely with the institution's student services departments to be consistent in representing them to students.
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What is your academic model? Do we have to conform to that model?
Obviously, courses delivered completely online have certain requirements that are different from courses delivered on campus. The difference is not one of academics, but one of delivery format. Compass's e-learning experts work closely with your faculty to understand your program's curricula and recommend a model that meets your academic requirements. Ultimately, academic decisions are yours and we will support whichever model you choose. Our partners appreciate the e-learning pedagogy expertise of our e-learning professionals.
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Marketing and Recruitment
Will you support competing programs from competing institutions? Isn't this a conflict of interest?
Yes, we will support competing programs from competing institutions if we feel that the potential market is large enough to sustain multiple programs. Remember, we succeed only if our partner succeeds. We do not see this as a conflict of interest because each program is assigned a dedicated team that only works with the leads generated specifically for that program. A prospective student must have expressed an interest in a particular program for Compass enrollment advisors to follow up with that prospect. Each program is marketed separately and inquiries and leads are never shared among programs.
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How will you insulate our leads from other partners' leads that you represent?
When we become partners with you, we assign an exclusive team to your program. That team includes marketing and recruitment personnel. Inquiries (or leads) from interested prospects are segmented in our database by specific program and Knowledge Partner. An individual must express an interest in a particular program offered by a particular university. We do not cross sell a lead from one program to another or from one Knowledge Partner to another. Once we start to market for you and receive leads, those leads are not shared with other programs of other schools.
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What kind of pressure is there on students in the recruiting process?
An unfortunate by-product of the rise of for-profit education was the car salesman approach to attracting students that some of these institutions utilized. Our approach could not be farther from that reality. Our recruiters are really education counselors. To begin, they only call on prospective students who have inquired about a program. They shepherd those individuals through a two-staged process. First, they guide prospective students through the process of determining whether the program and distance e-learning are right for them. Then, the recruitment advisors help them navigate the often-confusing admissions process from a distance. There is no high pressure, only high touch. We represent the institution and are calling on its behalf. It is the institution's reputation on the line, and we are very serious about protecting it.
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How do you insulate the institutions from the for-profit, diploma mill sector?
As you know, online education advertising is everywhere. While we try to avoid it, choosing forums where target audiences will see an advertisement sometimes takes us in the path of for-profit, mass advertising. However, because we represent multiple not-for-profit universities, we get the buying power that is not possible when universities try to go it alone. We have been successful getting listings for top-ranked universities in separate categories and insulating them with other traditional institutions. Compass' business model is based on working with highly ranked institutions whose brand stands in stark contrast to those of for-profits.
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Who determines where and to whom you market?
The Compass Partnership Director and Marketing Manager create a marketing plan at launch. They then collaborate with the program administrators at the institution to finalize and implement the plan. All marketing initiatives and materials are approved by the Knowledge Partner before being launched to prospective students. Each week we update University program staff about our progress and enrollment prospects. Each term the Partnership Director and Marketing Manager create a new marketing plan based on performance data from the previous term and share this with the Knowledge Partner. It is an ongoing, collaborative process.
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Where do you find students?
This answer is different for every program. The extensive research we perform prior to signing a partnership agreement includes information on how best to reach the target audience. These channels include professional organizations, web advertising, print ads, direct mail, and a plethora of other areas and tactics. But one thing is for sure; we know going in how and where to find qualified students and we test and re-test strategies to find the best and right media mix.
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Once we sign on, do we have any say in what programs you offer and what students you accept?
Compass does not offer programs or admit students. The institution does. We only help with all the details. We will make recommendations about programs or admission policies based on our experience in the market and the competitive research we conduct. The institution dictates which programs to launch and which students to admit. Compass will support those standards and policies.
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Who determines how many students are admitted into the program?
In the upfront planning meetings, even before an agreement is signed, the Steering Committee consisting of decision makers from both the Institution and Compass will determine initial enrollment goals and minimums are specified in the Agreement.
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Student Support
How do the people in my institution who are already working in functional areas such as marketing, admissions, and instructional design interact with the Compass staff?
Compass works closely with individuals across your institution to seamlessly integrate our processes with yours. The last thing we want to do is reinvent the wheel or create duplicate processes. Compass staff see themselves as an extension of your staff, and represent themselves that way to students. They immerse themselves in your institution's processes, policies, and culture. In fact, at launch we bring the entire program team to your campus to begin that immersion process and build long-lasting relationships.
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How do students perceive Compass?
We provide concierge-level service and develop relationships with students and faculty on the institution's behalf. Only the institution's brand is visible to the students; Compass is invisible.
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Does increased retention mean lower quality? Does it mean we are forced to retain students that we otherwise might not? Does it mean grade inflation?
Because of the way that Compass approaches retention, increased retention actually means higher quality. It is at the heart of everything we do from first contact through graduation. We find more students for you, yes, but we also find you better, more qualified students. We identify all the reasons why students drop and put preventative measures in place. Compass staff have no influence over grades and do not pressure faculty to keep under-performing students. If grade inflation occurs, it is not because we are trying to hang onto students; it is because students are better prepared to handle the coursework.
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How do you advise in financial aid situations? Do you have your own financial aid?
Our enrollment advisors are trained in the details of the university's financial aid programs, and they work closely with the institution's financial aid personnel to help answer students' questions. Compass staff only discuss financial aid policies and procedures never the particulars of a student's file. Compass is not an academic institution, so it does not have its own financial aid programs.
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What if we already do well some of the services that you provide?
Many institutions have talents in numerous areas. But sometimes they do not have the capacity to launch programs with growth rates that we typically experience and in the timeframes that the institution's decision makers want. That is when we essentially 'backfill' for the institution in those areas. Our Knowledge Partners appreciate our comprehensive, integrated approach that results in high student retention and satisfaction. We work hard to be a good partner, communicating regularly and in a collaborative spirit with our colleagues in those functions within the institution.
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How are students oriented and supported?
Student support begins with the first contact with a prospective student and ends when he or she graduates from the program. Our recruitment and retention counselors are in constant telephone and email contact with individual students answering questions, providing information, and counseling with them about what it takes to be successful as a distance learning student. They orient students to the program and assist them with the administrative details and paperwork that faculty do not want to, or know how to, deal with.
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Course and Faculty Development
Who builds and maintains the online classroom?
If the institution does not have dedicated instructional design and technology support for faculty, Compass can provide this service. Compass has a team of instructional designers and technologists who are well-versed in online pedagogies. They will work closely with faculty members to design, develop, and deploy online courses. They can provide on-demand design and technology consultation as well as personalized training in managing the virtual classroom.
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Who hires and manages faculty?
In most situations, institutions hire and manage their own faculty. In situations where the program grows quickly and/or the institution does not have the administrative capacity to do handle this function on their own, Compass will upon request, find, train, manage faculty, and act as your fiscal agent. We do so only in close collaboration with the institution, using the institution's recommended qualifications and other standards they deem critical. Anyone hired to instruct or facilitate should hold at least an adjunct appointment to the institution.
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What course management system (CMS) do you use?
Do not confuse us with Compass Learning, Inc. Compass is technology-neutral. We are prepared to design and support courses using any platform that is commonly found on the market today. We do not recommend any one system above another, but we can give you access to one, if needed. We do have years of experience working with most of the major course management systems and can provide expert advice and guidance. Our Knowledge Partners think of us as their 'trusted advisor' for all aspects of e-learning services.
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How are faculty found and compensated?
The institution maintains full responsibility for selecting and managing qualified faculty. They will want to identify potential faculty and facilitators from within their own institution and professional networks. Compass can also assist in the identification of qualified candidates and act as the Institution's fiscal agent, if requested. The final hiring decision rests with the university's Program Director. All faculty should hold at least an adjunct appointment to the institution as required by your regional accrediting agency.
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Do faculty members design their own courses, select their own textbooks, and maintain academic freedom?
The institution and its duly appointed representatives are responsible for the academic integrity of the program. Their regional and professional accrediting bodies determine the academic standards of all programs, including online programs. Faculty are responsible for creating the course curriculum, selecting materials, designing learning activities, and assessing student learning. Compass can support faculty in the instructional design of the course, selection of appropriate technologies and multi-media, and building of course sites.
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Who maintains intellectual property rights to courses if Compass helps with course development?
Compass honors the intellectual property policy of the University. The content of a particular course is owned by the faculty developer or institution, depending upon the institution's intellectual property policy.
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Do you provide any faculty support?
Yes, Compass retention advisors support both faculty and students, including course management system tools training, responding to common technical issues posed by students, assisting students with textbook acquisition, posting announcements, monitoring student participation, and making student referrals. They provide a one-stop link to the critical services of the university so faculty can focus exclusively on teaching and learning, free from program and course logistics.
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