Refining/Maintaining

MGA admits a significant number of students who need remediation and are enrolled in learning support (LS) coursework.  MGA saw a 107% increase in the number of LS students from fall’22 to fall’25.  In fall’25, 847 students placed into learning support, accounting for 9.6% of enrollment. 

KSU aims to take full advantage of data gathered through the LMS, D2L, for a faculty audience. Our online learning unit, Digital Learning Innovations, has revised their mission to support faculty in using the LMS to manage learning in all modalities and using the data to identify problems, diagnose root causes, and take targeted actions during the semester to impact student success within the semester. The learning analytics solution, uHoo Analytics, is available to all faculty. Additionally, faculty are provided professional development in tool use and data interpretation.

FLIGHT is a class-year connections program designed to support Kennesaw State University students throughout their collegiate journey. Using an innovative four-year framework, FLIGHT fosters community, belonging, and student engagement while helping students build a distinct identity within their class cohort. Through targeted programming and developmental milestones, FLIGHT addresses the social, personal, and academic needs of students, promoting retention, progression, and deeper connections to campus resources and the KSU community.

Students transferring between institutions tend to have unused courses in their new programs. This results in additional time and costs spent at the new institution. There is an articulation agreement for courses in the core curriculum between the University System of Georgia (USG) institutions, but no such agreement exists for private or out of state institutions.

KSU has identified courses that are high enrollment courses with significant DFW rates and will continue to ensure that sufficient sections are offered to meet student demand, offer targeted academic supports to achieve greater impacts, and engage faculty in learning communities focused on course redevelopment.

This project is aligned with one of our “Top 5 Strategies,” which is to expand faculty knowledge and practices that support student success.

The President’s Focused Learner Program (PFL) was a KSU initiative seeking to assist incoming students at risk of “Murky Middle” GPAs with their ability to navigate the academic and personal well-being factors often necessary for a student’s academic success. The PFL Program spanned all majors at KSU.

As of Fall 2024, the services and events previously offered within the PFL program were incorporated into the Academic Coaching and Support office, enabling more comprehensive support for “murky middle” students.

KSU’s “Starting Blocks” project launched in Fall 2024.  Block scheduling serves multiple purposes, all designed to enhance the academic experience and support student success. It streamlines the registration process for easier enrollment, ensuring students make appropriate selections of courses, including introductory English and math, during their first semester. It helps minimize potential credit loss if students change majors, and it provides students with the optimal opportunity to register for a full-time (15 credit hour) schedule.

FIRE 1000: Freshmen Introduction to Reasoning Essentials is a cornerstone of Gordon State College’s first-year experience and a vital component of the institution’s student success ecosystem. Launched in 2017, FIRE 1000 is a required course for all new and transfer students entering with fewer than 13 credit hours. The course is designed to build the habits of mind, self-awareness, and critical reasoning skills that promote long-term academic success, persistence, and personal growth.

The Faculty Mentor Program at Gordon State College is a cornerstone of the institution’s student success and retention initiatives, designed to provide holistic, sustained support for first-year students as they transition into college life. The program pairs first-year students—those with fewer than 30 credit hours—with faculty mentors in their major or area of academic interest. These mentors offer professional and career guidance, encouragement, and meaningful connections to campus resources, complementing the proactive support of the College’s professional academic advisors.

Overview:
Always Alert is Gordon State College’s proactive early alert and academic intervention initiative designed to identify and support students who may be at risk of academic difficulty in one or more courses. The program aims to improve student persistence and success by providing timely, personalized outreach and targeted academic coaching.