A Systematic Overview of the Role Student-Facing Personnel Play in a Higher Education Ecosystem

This strategic research project was designed to provide an overview of the important role student-facing personnel play in the higher education setting and offer viable solutions to improve the personnel infrastructure. The organization analyzed is a public university located in Southeast Florida. In the process of identifying the organizational gaps in this strategic research project, a series of analysis were conducted including a Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, Strengths Analysis (SWOT), an Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) and External Factor Evaluation (EFE). The analysis revealed that a significant problem the organization was facing focused on the inadequate staffing of student-facing roles, especially in decentralized units such as academic advising. In exploring possible solutions to address the personnel challenges, four areas were identified: competitive salaries, professional development, student outcomes, and talent management. After thorough analysis and investigation, talent management was selected as the suitable solution to address the lack of personnel infrastructure. Upon selection of a suitable solution, an evaluation of strategies was conducted and identified two viable strategies: adopting a new human resource technological platform and conducting a job analysis for student-facing positions. Additional analysis was conducted employing a Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) for both internal and external factors previously identified in the SWOT. A total of 40 factors were assessed against each strategy. Adopting a new human resource technological platform was identified as the first alternative strategy with a total sum of 3.88. To implement the selected strategy, an action plan was developed outlining six key steps, identifying responsible department/ representatives, identification of needed resources, timeline, and desired outcomes. Future recommendations include strengthening stakeholders alliance and reallocation of financial resources.