THE CASE

The provost at SWC, based on anecdotal evidence, is convinced that the student-faculty ratio (# of students divided by the number of faculty) is an important determinant of student success after graduation. The university president believes the overall prestige of the university is a bigger factor, and other administrators believe it is largely the academic quality of the students admitted that matters most. SWC has purchased some data that shows students' starting salaries along with various characteristics of the universities the students attended. The data set (found on the first tab of the provided spreadsheet, "Case Report #2 Data") contains the following variables: the per semester cost of attendance, the region of the country in which the school is located, the total students enrolled, the number of faculty at the university, the average high school GPA of students admitted, the size of the school's library, and the school's national rank. Additionally, the university provost has compiled historical enrollment data from SWC, which can be found on the second tab in the provided spreadsheet ("Enrollment data"). Specifically, the administrators want answers to the following questions:

• What is the appropriate quantitative technique to determine how the variables are related?
• Based on your analysis, how are students' starting salaries related to each of the explanatory variables in the data set?
• Which variables are statistically important determinants of starting salaries? How did you arrive at this answer?
• In your opinion, are any important variables missing from the data set?
• Based on your analysis, what strategy or strategies would you recommend for improving the starting salaries of SWC graduates? Explain in detail, justifying with evidence from your analysis.
• What techniques can SWC use to forecast enrollment for the next academic year?Can you show us several techniques in detail?
• Which forecasting method do you recommend given the historical enrollment data provided?How is this determined?

In addition to the questions above, SWC has requested a data visualization component in the report. You are to use multiple diagrams and appropriately formatted charts following the principles you learned in this course to help illustrate key findings. The data SWC has purchased and compiled can be found in the Excel file "Case 2 Data" located in the D2L course shell.

OBS	SALARY	REGION	Cost	TOTSTUD	FACULTY	HSGPA	LIBVOL	RANK
1	84630	East	32491.2	6855.75	360	3.04	460.6	50
2	120658.2	North	21173.04	7053.75	124.8	3.23	630	22
3	72056.4	South	26208	5816.25	153.6	2.945	294	138
4	166842	East	36944.88	2499.75	264	3.629	1190	4
5	157170	East	38174.64	5890.5	244.8	3.515	756	9
6	73532.16	South	11491.2	3737.25	105.6	3.002	308	125
7	97506.24	North	33618.48	5445	220.8	3.135	427	56
8	71936.28	East	27236.16	16805.25	544.8	2.945	673.4	139
9	162006	North	35686.56	5024.25	292.8	3.42	779.8	15
10	87048	East	28764.96	7548.75	165.6	3.04	572.6	71
11	76650.6	West	16569.84	3861	105.6	3.23	435.4	99
12	62868	South	14846.16	4826.25	108	2.964	309.4	176
13	152575.8	West	23273.04	3960	100.8	3.2775	519.4	28
14	72540	South	26814.48	3836.25	129.6	2.945	352.8	106
15	84388.2	West	30885.12	10147.5	206.4	2.9925	476	76
16	76408.8	East	24398.64	4380.75	160.8	3.23	455	95
17	84146.4	South	18266.64	5271.75	105.6	3.116	366.8	81
18	89224.2	West	23069.76	3935.25	151.2	3.116	343	97
19	145496.52	East	35360.64	2376	216	3.515	630	10
20	71646.12	West	31978.8	6113.25	105.6	2.85	322	157
21	118482	West	19005.84	3663	182.4	3.4485	630	26
22	84388.2	East	32783.52	6657.75	206.4	3.3725	448	51
23	69638.4	North	12803.28	4950	228	3.059	350	164
24	83421	North	23570.4	3836.25	74.4	3.135	266	77
25	82527.12	West	27063.12	5865.75	288	2.983	280	80
26	93698.28	West	29237.04	7078.5	139.2	3.154	294	62
27	125736	West	33075.84	4950	127.2	3.325	462	27
28	89949.6	South	23236.08	4950	180	3.3535	742	60
29	98148.96	South	12544.56	4207.5	84	3.135	364	55
30	133988.4	East	32166.96	9429.75	338.4	3.249	658	24
31	157170	West	22328.88	6657.75	211.2	3.515	840	6
32	72540	North	24568.32	6435	496.8	3.04	392	114
33	94302	South	14180.88	7672.5	297.6	3.135	560	49
34	74232.6	West	24835.44	4653	134.4	3.04	277.2	113
35	151621.08	East	35923.44	15914.25	648	3.344	1019.2	19
36	65286	West	13666.8	2376	57.6	3.0875	204.4	133
37	128581.44	North	30864.96	4331.25	158.4	3.2775	476	36
38	137826	South	33309.36	4628.25	199.2	3.439	460.6	17
39	95511	North	25164.72	4182.75	134.4	3.04	308	41
40	111477.6	South	33875.52	5841	206.4	3.23	364	44
41	87048	South	16477.44	5346	148.8	2.85	364	101
42	72053.28	North	16341.36	7053.75	134.4	2.8595	427	122
43	79310.4	North	20880.72	3316.5	134.4	3.2015	474.6	91
44	83179.2	West	24739.68	4801.5	112.8	3.002	275.8	75
45	79794	South	19620.72	3341.25	127.2	3.135	460.6	93
46	70122	East	27651.12	12870	343.2	3.135	420	109
47	189390.24	East	40993.68	8538.75	266.4	3.42	1029	8
48	75683.4	East	9641.52	7969.5	266.4	2.964	322	146
49	84630	North	12393.36	5791.5	175.2	3.1825	581	68
50	81366.48	East	30782.64	6311.25	189.6	3.135	492.8	73
51	71327.88	South	14904.96	4182.75	492	2.945	483	118
52	68719.56	East	26757.36	2351.25	60	3.135	392	151
53	87048	West	12951.12	7474.5	103.2	3.2585	455	63
54	119258.88	East	25038.72	4405.5	132	3.173	420	18
55	152334	West	23572.08	8662.5	254.4	3.3915	658	14
56	81970.2	South	22622.88	5049	153.6	3.135	484.4	82
57	100347	West	33129.6	5197.5	228	3.04	666.4	42
58	71331	South	24556.56	11484	235.2	2.85	406	169
59	76892.4	East	32069.52	6212.25	132	3.1065	364	128
60	76167	West	13923.84	1955.25	45.6	3.23	243.6	144
61	96236.4	East	21008.4	5989.5	93.6	3.2205	550.2	61
62	62868	South	13399.68	4356	100.8	2.9925	225.4	173
63	75683.4	West	30386.16	9281.25	211.2	3.04	291.2	116
64	71936.28	West	27006	6088.5	264	3.04	455	124
65	62868	East	32266.08	5742	206.4	3.135	392	163
66	71814.6	East	26545.68	4083.75	177.6	3.1445	350	112
67	78101.4	West	26428.08	5791.5	172.8	3.0685	336	89
68	71669.52	South	27760.32	5568.75	160.8	2.945	322	156
69	102281.4	West	29111.04	8439.75	218.4	3.04	385	48
70	71331	East	22263.36	9949.5	271.2	2.9165	338.8	115
71	79552.2	North	27773.76	9231.75	288	3.1065	436.8	83
72	83904.6	East	31563.84	11236.5	391.2	3.002	442.4	88
73	79310.4	East	30366	3291.75	252	3.1255	536.2	85
74	72903.48	South	14831.04	4108.5	108	3.04	344.4	141
75	91884	East	25861.92	6459.75	271.2	3.1825	455	58
76	60450	East	28654.08	7078.5	172.8	2.66	434	175
77	71814.6	South	27857.76	6657.75	182.4	2.85	375.2	152
78	124503.6	East	26735.52	3093.75	127.2	3.2965	415.8	17
79	84630	North	26869.92	4331.25	110.4	3.135	301	70
80	94302	West	23788.8	3687.75	105.6	3.325	407.4	54
81	94302	South	34596.24	6336	108	3.021	616	43
82	156879.84	East	35903.28	13538.25	494.4	3.135	574	23
83	82212	West	16680.72	4009.5	148.8	3.23	425.6	98
84	77600.64	East	19709.76	4950	153.6	3.135	268.8	90
85	73942.44	West	15624	1881	96	3.249	323.4	140
86	81970.2	South	19163.76	3514.5	103.2	3.04	330.4	94
87	84026.28	South	20129.76	3737.25	93.6	2.85	308	86
88	83904.6	East	30989.28	11063.25	396	2.85	527.8	87
89	69880.2	East	32084.64	5172.75	146.4	3.0685	231	111
90	120900	North	24151.68	5172.75	141.6	3.3155	714	31
91	94302	West	30964.08	5964.75	240	3.0115	343	57
92	79480.44	East	32924.64	6682.5	206.4	3.0875	593.6	35
93	85839	South	8574.72	5742	153.6	2.945	364	102
94	157170	North	37727.76	9429.75	256.8	3.4865	1050	3
95	71811.48	North	32343.36	3440.25	108	2.85	315	137
96	90916.8	East	20880.72	5494.5	98.4	3.059	630	65
97	84630	South	25134.48	6410.25	156	3.135	560	69
98	65286	South	18093.6	5692.5	120	2.5935	420	171
99	118482	West	17041.92	3069	146.4	3.3725	369.6	30
100	72540	East	21036.96	5940	182.4	3.04	456.4	119
101	71936.28	North	18322.08	1905.75	72	3.04	173.6	123
102	163215	East	35795.76	4727.25	148.8	3.3725	560	11
103	68913	East	23340.24	2945.25	93.6	3.04	205.8	172
104	80277.6	South	14747.04	1732.5	115.2	3.477	219.8	92
105	71572.8	North	20430.48	5742	153.6	2.945	364	155
106	89466	East	29984.64	5643	194.4	3.2395	588	64
107	152334	West	36538.32	4455	136.8	3.591	579.6	7
108	99863.4	North	24188.64	5568.75	151.2	3.325	826	34
109	72903.48	South	11497.92	3687.75	120	2.964	322	158
110	101556	West	28062.72	10815.75	232.8	3.078	399	38
111	74958	North	22379.28	6534	165.6	3.135	574	110
112	123516.12	East	31494.96	7029	177.6	3.0875	553	29
113	72781.8	North	23997.12	6484.5	81.6	3.0875	301	132
114	67704	West	27367.2	7548.75	172.8	3.135	421.4	130
115	99138	West	31074.96	8340.75	300	3.0875	448	53
116	72661.68	North	17292.24	3143.25	86.4	3.135	422.8	107
117	69880.2	North	25483.92	4578.75	72	3.04	291.2	142
118	81258.84	West	15617.28	3712.5	148.8	3.211	464.8	96
119	169260	North	36047.76	4405.5	105.6	3.5625	777	5
120	72056.4	North	24538.08	8093.25	93.6	2.9925	280	121
121	65286	South	21013.44	5865.75	127.2	2.8785	302.4	135
122	87048	East	24778.32	4504.5	103.2	3.04	341.6	67
123	84026.28	South	8242.08	7029	124.8	3.1825	756	84
124	84630	West	23261.28	4133.25	163.2	3.1445	392	66
125	75925.2	North	16435.44	5197.5	120	2.9925	302.4	129
126	80031.12	South	13362.72	4702.5	115.2	3.325	358.4	105
127	72540	South	32397.12	5370.75	218.4	3.04	442.4	147
128	67462.2	East	22695.12	6212.25	156	2.926	421.4	136
129	143871	South	16114.56	12944.25	372	3.325	1190	13
130	70934.76	East	23331.84	3316.5	134.4	2.85	260.4	143
131	84630	West	13567.68	3663	156	3.1065	351.4	103
132	81608.28	West	12630.24	3786.75	127.2	3.42	462	79
133	96720	North	23898	5073.75	172.8	3.23	830.2	39
134	72866.04	South	26293.68	4034.25	230.4	3.0685	302.4	149
135	72540	North	12778.08	2920.5	93.6	2.85	280	161
136	147498	East	34038.48	11756.25	518.4	3.3345	564.2	32
137	71694.48	West	13191.36	1905.75	48	3.078	218.4	154
138	70605.6	North	21823.2	3613.5	158.4	2.85	280	145
139	60208.2	South	5250	3687.75	148.8	3.211	295.4	166
140	99138	East	34324.08	7301.25	199.2	3.04	446.6	52
141	154752	East	29154.72	9405	283.2	3.42	980	16
142	120566.16	North	24664.08	6682.5	338.4	3.382	1120	21
143	71089.2	North	21403.2	7425	189.6	3.1825	406	134
144	71331	South	15834	2697.75	127.2	3.04	490	126
145	163976.28	East	35661.36	13686.75	297.6	3.5625	2443	2
146	67704	South	22617.84	4257	124.8	3.1445	327.6	168
147	96478.2	South	33964.56	11929.5	364.8	3.04	548.8	108
148	110959.68	South	13875.12	5964.75	136.8	3.23	638.4	47
149	135891.6	East	37121.28	10642.5	278.4	3.0875	1243.2	12
150	94302	West	33351.36	4603.5	254.4	3.1825	477.4	37
151	71331	East	19306.56	3984.75	110.4	2.7075	336	117
152	99501.48	East	24983.28	9801	501.6	3.135	614.6	46
153	152334	West	19103.28	5766.75	141.6	3.3155	1017.8	18
154	84630	North	27997.2	6088.5	405.6	3.078	399	74
155	149916	West	24570	10370.25	300	3.3725	758.8	20
156	71739.72	East	30211.44	4034.25	139.2	3.04	245	153

Second tab: Enrollment data

Year	Fall Census
2005	5770
2006	6759
2007	6859
2008	7524
2009	7585
2010	8185
2011	7971
2012	8675
2013	8280
2014	8810
2015	8422
2016	9498
2017	8296
2018	9263
2019	7998
2020	8064
2021	7479