Transforming Transfer Enrollment and Budget Processes at Rutgers University-Newark
Impact at a Glance
Cut transfer credit evaluation from several weeks to 1–2 days
Centralized enrollment and financial data in one dashboard
Improved access to budget information and guidance
Connected budget decisions more closely to equitable student outcomes
Strengthened collaboration across budget, enrollment, and institutional effectiveness
The Challenge
Rutgers University–Newark (RU-N), one of Rutgers University’s three campuses in New Jersey, faced declining transfer enrollment along with broader enrollment and budget challenges. Leaders needed to better understand gaps in stakeholders’ knowledge of the budget process while improving the experience of transfer students.
RU-N wanted to:
- Improve the enrollment process for transfer students
- Identify gaps in stakeholders’ understanding of budgeting
- Break down silos across budget, enrollment, and institutional effectiveness
- Better connect student outcomes with budget decisions
- Improve access to enrollment, financial, and budget information
A key opportunity was the transfer credit evaluation process, which could take several weeks and create inefficiencies for students and advisors.
The Action
RU-N used NACUBO’s Budget Process Assessment, along with a modified networked improvement community approach, to examine its budget processes and support improvements in transfer enrollment.
The university:
- Created cross-functional teams of budget, institutional effectiveness, and enrollment experts
- Used the Budget Process Assessment to identify stakeholder knowledge gaps
- Funded a new transfer evaluation team and transfer center
- Implemented an in-house transfer credit evaluation solution at no additional cost
- Developed an enrollment dashboard combining enrollment and financial data
- Created a centralized SharePoint hub for budget processes, guidelines, and data literacy resources
These efforts connected improvements in the student experience with broader changes in data access, communication, and budgeting practices.
The Results
Immediate Impact
- Established a shared decision-making process involving finance, academics, enrollment, and student services
- Positioned finance as an earlier strategic partner in institutional planning
- Launched a program-level cost-of-instruction analysis through Rutgers Business School
- Improved transparency around data definitions, assumptions, and methodologies
Process Improvements
- Strengthened consistency in how institutional data is defined and interpreted
- Increased collaboration and trust across departments
- Shifted discussions from retrospective financial reporting to strategic planning
- Created a framework for connecting program economics with student success priorities
- Established a foundation for expanding program-level analysis across the university
Ongoing Momentum
- Continue refining the enrollment dashboard
- Keep student outcomes at the center of budgeting decisions
- Align budget requests with equitable student outcomes
- Strengthen strategic communication and budget literacy
- Reinforce responsible budget stewardship across the institution
“With NACUBO's support, RU-N transformed the budget process into one that places the needs of our students at the forefront of our priorities and aligns our budget requests with a commitment to equitable outcomes for all.”
Amber RandolphFormer Senior Vice Chancellor for Administration, Economic Development and Chief Financial Officer
