Recruitment & Retention

These guidelines describe the Recruitment & Retention in Higher Education newsletter, what we’re looking for, and how we work with our contributors.

Download a pdf of these guidelines

About the newsletter

Recruitment & Retention in Higher Education newsletter was founded by Magna Publications in 1986.

Unlike news services that simply inform readers about issues of the day, we ask authors to go a step further and explore applications or offer advice readers can use in their work.

Our Editorial Focus

Our editor and advisory board have created a list of topic priorities. They include:

1. Effective use of recruitment media: print and electronic.
2. Enrollment trends: what they are and what they mean.
3. Retention: models of successful programs and examples of targeted initiatives, particularly those that focus on at-risk student populations.
4. Recruitment: trends, case studies, developing pipelines, and special programs for low-income, first-generation students.
5. Parents: the role of parents in both recruitment and retention - examples of plans and trends.
6. Returning, non-traditional, commuter, historically under-represented, and international students: research, new developments, and analysis.
7. Admissions criteria and methods: shifts in criteria, new methods, and new resources for managing the admissions process.
8. Successful marketing models: examples of marketing models, with commentary on results.
9. College access: helping students and their families enroll in and pay for college.
10. Financial aid: creative strategies to help students afford and remain in college and to help educate families about their aid options.

The following chart summarizes how our newsletters compare in format and style to journals and news magazines:

	Academic Journals	News Magazines	Newsletters
Purpose & Audience	Report on new research to academic audience.	Report on new events to general audience.	Offer advice, best practices, or analysis/application of current events/research.
Review Process	Blind review by editorial board.	Editors select and assign stories to staff.	Editors base content decisions on guidelines developed by advisory board.
Article Length & Scope	Long. May include abstracts, in-depth background, and reviews of literature.	Length and scope vary.	Articles typically 800-1600 words. Tight focus. Include background only when relevant. Jump right into matter at hand.
Style & Assumptions about Readers	Standard academic style. Assumes readers share educational background.	Standard journalistic style: short sentences, general vocabulary, short paragraphs. Assumes readers have basic background only.	Accessible, useful, more informal. Charts, tables, and other visual guides are helpful; they pack a good deal of information into a tight, easy-to-access format. Assumes readers have student affairs background.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Working with the editors

After you have decided that your idea fits our publication, priorities, and format, it is time to consult with the editor by sending an email to Editor, Therese Kattner, tkattner@magnapubs.com. 

You may choose to present just your article idea or a draft of a manuscript. Either way, we will work with you in a respectful, timely manner.

Editors may edit for length and clarity.

We will likely offer some editorial suggestions--for example, ideas about how to make your article more focused on readers’ needs.

We enjoy working with contributors and assisting in the development of articles that are fine-tuned to meet the needs of our readers; we often request revisions.

It’s a privilege to publish ideas and information from submitters who share our passion for enrollment, admissions, and student success.

Frequently asked questions

Q: How long does it take to get an article accepted for publication?

A: We aim to respond to queries and submissions within a week. However, the answer may be something like “We would be interested in this piece if it included … ” The revision process may take a month, and it may take several additional months for publication.

Q: How much do you pay for articles?

A: We provide copies of the issue in PDF format, and we mail hard copies to authors. We can even provide complimentary copies to distribute at conferences. However, we do not pay for articles.

Q: Would you be willing to look at an academic paper?

A: Sure! We convert academic research into newsletter articles on a regular basis. Sometimes, we will interview authors of research and then write an article in-house about the research, including commentary by the researcher.

Q: What about copyright?

A: Articles should not have been registered for copyright or published elsewhere (either on paper or electronically) prior to publication in our newsletters. However, revisions and rewrites may be used under certain conditions. Typically, the author assigns all copyrights for the submitted work to Magna Publications unless other arrangements are made. Articles published in Magna newsletters may be reprinted with permission from Magna Publications.