Prior to becoming President of El Paso Community College in El Paso, TX, last year, William Serrata, PhD, spent his entire higher education career in enrollment”much of it at South Texas College in McAllen, TX. His introduction to SEM came early and almost by accident, Serrata says. Now, he's the director of the nation's definitive SEM Conference.
What's so special about Aspen?
In 1996, just two years into his career, Serrata received a postcard inviting him to AACRAO's SEM Conference, held in Aspen, Colorado.
I'd heard amazing things about Aspen,┬" he said. The conference looked interesting, the location looked even better”so I asked my boss if we could go.┬"
At that time, Mike Dolence was the face of SEM and a featured speaker at the conference. I went to the preconference workshop ˜The ABCs of SEM,' and it just made so much sense to me. It all clicked,┬" he said. So much sense that”even though Aspen is incredible”I didn't even leave the hotel for the remainder of the conference. And I haven't missed a conference since.┬"
Serrata was an obvious choice as director of the conference, according to Bob Bontrager, EdD, AACRAO Senior Director of Consulting and SEM Initiatives. "William brought a long-standing reputation as a leading SEM thinker," Bontrager said. "His work in the community college sector has been exemplary on several levels, as demonstrated by his more recent ascension to the presidency at El Paso Community College."
From rookie to veteran
Even at that first conference, Serrata could see the value in executive staff's participation in SEM.
On the first day I was already thinking: Our Vice President should be here listening to this. Our President should be here,┬" Serrata said. SEM is all about what the focus of the institution should be and how the different segments can work in unison, hand in hand, to help the student through the system.┬"
Through his career, Serrata has used SEM concepts to great success. SEM can be used in different ways, to meet different purposes,┬" he said. As I've moved through my career, I've tried to take the things I've learned from the conference and implement the best practices that suit my institution.┬"
Statistics show SEM = Success
Currently, many state and federal education initiatives are focused on assessing institutions based on student success and completion. And all of these initiatives are integrally related to SEM, Serrata notes.
I have absolutely seen benefits first hand with regard to implementing SEM,┬" he said. We increased enrollment by 67 percent, retention by 12 percent and increased completion”the raw number of graduates”by over 250 percent [at South Texas College]. All thanks to SEM principles.┬"
SEM is so in-line with the goals of higher education. And SEM principles have always been so ahead of their time,┬" Serrata said. For example, we've expanding the field now into financial aid, provosts and academic offices, and now we're seeing presidents being part of the SEM team.┬"
Just beginning his second year as president of El Paso Community College, and now as AACRAO SEM Conference Director, Serrata is a testament that SEM is indeed emerging as the most effective paradigm for integrating all of the offices on campus in a meaningful way to facilitate student success.
For more information on how to use SEM principles on your campus, register for the 23rd AACRAO SEM Conference in Chicago and join in the conversation.