An Application of Proactive Organizational Communication in Support of an Institutional Objective: Increasing Enrollment At Springfield Catholic High School

Beginning in the late sixties and early seventies, Catholic Schools began to see a continuing patteron of falling enrollment. Concurrent with the loss of enrollment were rising operational costs resulting in higher tuition costs to parents. These two critical factors combined to challenge the viability and future of a value-oriented Catholic education. In the fall of 1986, an Enrollment Committee was formed to address the question, "How can enrollment at Springfield Catholic High School be increased?" In an attempt to gather data to provide insight into answers to this question, an opinion survey was conducted of 138 Catholic families during the spring of 1987. The results of this survey were compiled and analyzed. Subsequent findings revealed a valid argument that the enrollment problem could be related to a communication problem and hence be addressed with a communication solution. Survey findings indicated that one major issue, and three sub-issues were critical to the value-orientation concept: (1) Cost vs. value; (2) The quality of education; (3) Extracurricular activities; (4) Sports and transportation. Since the primary purpose of this project is to offer a specific test of D'Aprix's proactive organizational communication model, a communication plan was designed to address the five issues and to meet the communication and/or information needs of the parental audience. The plan is described and explained including criteria for evaluation.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts in Communication

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Communication

Year

1987

Author dc:creator

• Eiffert, Stephen D.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Herbert Jackson

• Communication

Statement dc:rights

• © Stephen D Eiffert

Repository record dc:identifier

https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/360

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:bearworks.missouristate.edu:theses-1361