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Enrollment Mgt. enhanced by reorganization by Cindy Abole Public Relations Managing change through organization and leadership, while utilizing available resources, is a creed Jim Begany, Enrollment Management executive director, has embraced throughout his 15-year career in student services and academia.   Jim Begany  “Coming to MUSC gave me a career opportunity to expand my role in enrollment management and use skills that I’ve acquired and developed in computer information systems, financial aid and other areas to mold and create a technology piece that compliments a student-centered approach to service excellence,” said Begany, a Cleveland native who worked at several small, private colleges in Ohio and Virginia before arriving to the Palmetto State.   Begany replaced retiring director Jim Menzel as leader in MUSC’s Office of Enrollment Services in spring 2004. A year-and-a-half and department reorganization later, Begany heads student registration, enrollment and financial aid now combined under Enrollment Management and under the Division of Education and Student Support Services.   “We’re really more than just a services organization,” Begany said, who spent much of his first year honing relationships with office staff and developing collaborative partnerships to expand student services around campus. “Enrollment Management provides help in numerous areas. We’re counselors, data managers and support personnel who work primarily to support students. With this reorganization, students won’t have to be led through a maze of offices to conduct their business. Students can now count on a single, central source of contacts to get things done.”   To supplement expanded, more centralized services, Begany and his 29-member Enrollment Management team are busy creating a new promotional brochure featuring a university perspective that shares a unified message rather than one focused on any of MUSC’s six colleges. Essentially, it will promote MUSC as a progressive, research-driven academic health science center. The completed brochure will be distributed to career coordinators and advisors within South Carolina and other colleges and universities.      Gaining a technological edge that assists students while incorporating new ideas that distinguishes MUSC within a competitive higher education market are other goals of Begany and the Enrollment Management team. Begany, who possesses a master’s degree in computer information management from Marshall University, is eager to expand technology from recent improvements to their Web site to using iPods to create virtual, downloadable campus tours. Other ideas support a wireless campus with widespread connectivity and supportive technology that would provide Internet access and technical help for students.     “These are technology standards that meet today’s college student’s expectations on any campus,” Begany said.   Currently, the department manages systems that allow potential students to complete their enrollment applications online. They also sponsor systems assistance software to notify students of needed paperwork or student business deadlines, plus Student WebAdvisor, which assists students in managing their courses, registration and financial aid services.     “We are quite fortunate to have someone with Jim’s experience and management abilities here at MUSC,” said Valerie West, Ed.D., associate provost for Education and Student Life. “He is committed to service, which is evident in all his encounters and those of his dedicated staff. Our  educational and student support team has found him to be a wonderful colleague, committed to collaboration and excellence.”   Additionally, Begany is committed to helping MUSC move forward in future planning by playing a leadership role with MUSC’s current accreditation reaffirmation process with the Southern Association of colleges and Schools (SACS). Begany serves as chair of both the Comprehensive Standards and SACS Federal Requirements committees sharing his previous experiences as Marietta College’s former director of institution research. This role gave him the responsibility of managing the college’s reporting requirements throughout the reaffirmation process.   Visit http://www.musc.edu/em.           Friday, Nov. 10, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.