Before undertaking any major, large-scale implementation, it is imperative to identify and understand the root causes of the system’s past and current performance.  By looking at the data and using basic problem-solving, systems can identify areas of improvement and possible weaknesses in the “delivery chain,” which may result in underperformance of system activities.  Through the analysis of past and current performance, systems are then able to develop more well-informed and effective reform strategies, targets and plans for implementation.
 
Context and Challenge
 
In 2006, the University of Puerto Rico System (UPR) was faced with a major enrollment challenge.  Despite a significant track record of success –  highest graduation rates in the island, increased research output, and a high matriculation of low-income students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) degree programs – the Puerto Rico Legislative Assembly expressed concern with the system’s declining enrollment levels.  At the time, enrollment was approximately 62,000 students. 
 
Legislators were also concerned that even though approximately 2 out of every 3 students were eligible for Pell Grants, students graduating from private high schools in Puerto Rico were twice as likely as those from public schools to gain admission to a UPR campus.  They stated their expectation that UPR admit more students in exchange for the 9.6% of total state revenues that the legislature assigned to the system by virtue of current law.
 
In response to these concerns, UPR stated its intention to increase student enrollment to 65,000 students over the next three years. 
 
Dr. José Cruz, then Vice President for Student Affairs of UPR, was charged with helping the system reach this ambitious target.  Dr. Cruz, familiar with the concerns of campus officials and faculty, knew that whatever interventions the system would implement to meet the mandate could not involve lowering the admissions standards of the institutions nor could the strategies increase the enrollment limits established by individual academic programs, as these strategies would be at odds with decisions made by faculty and campus officials.  Therefore, Dr. Cruz decided the best way for UPR to meet its commitment was to consider strategies and system-level interventions that would increase the number of applications received and the yield of admissions.
 
Key Actions
 
Knowing the challenges before them, the UPR system leaders needed a strategy for increasing the number of applicants and improving yield rates.  Dr. Cruz took the lead to investigate why performance of the system had not been optimal in these areas.  In order to understand the root causes of past and current system performance, Dr. Cruz conducted focus groups directly with the front-line managers of the admissions and financial aid offices, to get a better sense of the common challenges both offices were facing.  Additionally, he held focus groups with outside stakeholders, such as public K-12 officials and high school guidance counselors.  These actions, while seemingly simple, were quite powerful and effective in retrieving on-the-ground information, and equipped UPR with the information needed to develop highly effective system-level interventions.
 
As a result of engaging with front-line managers and the appropriate stakeholders, the system identified various “drivers” of performance, including:

• Many public high school students were unable to afford the College Board entrance examinations and the admissions application fees, which are required for admissions; therefore, students would not apply.
• Public high school guidance counselors were self-selecting students to provide with UPR admissions applications, which limited the number of applicants into the system.
• Students from public high schools would apply to programs for which they were ineligible, despite there being several other programs in which they were qualified; therefore applicants would not be admitted into the university.  This resulted in a number of unfilled seats at the institutions.

 
Results

Once these and other “drivers” of performance were identified, the UPR was able to design interventions to increase their performance.  Actions included:

• Working with the Puerto Rico Department of Education and the College Board to provide free entrance exams at high schools for all students
• Deferring the admissions application fee until after a student has matriculated into the university
• Disseminating UPR student ambassadors to distribute admission applications to high school students
• Creating an online system that offered other programs to students that did not meet the eligibility requirements for their first choice program

As a result of these interventions, along with establishing effective routines to monitor progress, UPR was able deliver on its 65,000-student enrollment commitment.    Most importantly, the strategies enabled the system leaders to develop relationships with the frontline managers, those that do the work and directly interact with the students.
 
This success would not have been possible if UPR did not take the time to identify the root causes for the low enrollment of public high school graduates.
 
For More Information

Deliverology 101, Section 2B