DEAN JAY GOFF AN INFLUENTIAL LEADER AT UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI - ROLLA  

Jay Goff has been serving as Dean of Enrollment Management at the University of Missouri – Rolla since 2001.  As Dean, his primary goals are to help UMR develop student-friendly administrative services, grow and stabilize the enrollment of highly qualified students, and increase the University’s retention and graduation rates.  He came to UMR with over 12 years experience in university admissions and communications work.  He completed his undergraduate and graduate degrees in communication studies from Southeast Missouri State University and the University of Kansas, respectfully. His doctoral work focuses on leadership development. 

At UMR, Goff was charged with organizing a new five-unit division of enrollment management. In its first years, the division worked to promote campus-wide collaboration with the recruitment and retention efforts.  The plan has ultimately resulted in a 29 percent increase in new student enrollment and an 18 percent increase in overall enrollment. The average national test scores in the fall 2003 ranked UMR students among the top 7 to 9 percent in the nation. In the summer of 2003, the University met its student retention goals and was forced to close freshmen admission for the first time in the school’s history. In the fall 2003, UMR will achieve its four-year strategic plan goal of enrolling 5,500 students in just the second year the new enrollment plan. Only 4,626 students enrolled at UMR in the fall 2000. 

Dean Goff is active in helping higher education professionals and students develop leadership skills and engage in strategic planning. He has written articles for and presented workshops at the many regional and national programs, mostly focusing the values of team building, quality student service systems and data interpretation. 

Over the past few years, Jay has also been elected to various leadership roles in Missouri’s professional associations. Currently he is Chair of Missouri’s ACT Council and serves as a college representative on the State School-College Relations Commission. Most recently he has served as President of the Missouri Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and as the state college delegate for the National Association for College Admission Counseling. 

Jay, his wife Suzanne, daughter Mia and son Vaughan live in Rolla, Missouri.  He is an active photographer and enjoys struggling on the golf course.