University of West Georgia Campus Plan Update 2025

The University of West Georgia, a charter member of the University System of Georgia, is a comprehensive, residential institution providing selectively focused undergraduate and graduate education primarily in the West Georgia region. The University is also committed to regional outreach through a collaborative network of external degree centers, course offerings at off-campus sites, and an extensive continuing education program for personal and professional development. Intellectual and personal development opportunities provide quality teaching, scholarly inquiry, creative endeavor, and service for the public good. 

The University of West Georgia has 117 active programs of study, including nine certificates of less than one year, four Nexus, 48 at the bachelor’s level, 33 at the master’s and specialist levels, five at the doctoral level, and 18 at the advanced certificate level (Fall 2024).  The university conferred 3,372 degrees and awards in fiscal year 2024, which includes 34 second majors on degrees conferred. This is a 6.2% increase over the number awarded in fiscal year 2023 (3,175) and a 57.9% increase over the number awarded in fiscal year 2012 (2,136), the baseline year for the Complete College Georgia initiative.

There were 14,394 students enrolled in Fall 2024: 9,157 at the undergraduate level and 5,237 at the graduate level. Overall enrollment at UWG has grown 12.7% since the Fall 2023 UWG has a diverse student population: 52.61% Caucasian, 29.92% African American/Black American, 8.08% Hispanic, 4.39% two or more races, 1.52% Asian, 1.89% did not declare any race, 0.14% American Indian/Alaskan Native, and 0.09% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. 1.36% U.S. non-resident (formerly “non-resident alien”).  The student body is 68.4% female and 31.6% male (Fall Semester 2024).

Ninety-four (93.64%) percent of the student body was from Georgia and represented 152 counties. Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Cobb, and Fulton were the counties with the largest student populations at UWG. There were 682 out-of-state students representing 40 of the 49 remaining states (plus Puerto Rico and Guam), Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, and California were the top states sending students to UWG. Additionally, there were 233 students from 54 countries. Nigeria, India, South Korea, and Mexico were the countries sending the largest number of students to UWG.^*

The University of West Georgia has long been committed to providing students with access to college in the western region of the state and students from across the state of Georgia and the nation. Student success is at the center of UWG’s 2021 Strategic Plan, which advances UWG’s Momentum work by prioritizing essential elements in developing student success: a growth mindset focused on a stronger sense of purpose and belonging through engaged mentoring and extra-curricular involvement; experiential / applied learning through High Impact Practices (HIPs) and co-curricular experiences that are connected to students’ future personal aspiration and professional goals; and stronger alignment and coordination of student support–inside and outside of the classroom–to strengthen recruitment, retention, and graduation. The strategic plan is also aligned with UWG’s proposed Quality Enhancement Plan (Career Readiness through Experiential Learning), which began implementation in 2025.  Through the strategic planning process, the university has identified and is now implementing high-impact strategies aligned to USG Momentum to help students successfully obtain a degree. In the following report, these student success strategies are described.**

* Updates based on Fall 2024 enrollment.

**The counts provided are based on the geographic ORIGIN variable in banner as of Fall 2024 census date. This information may differ from variables related to tuition, waivers, residency or citizenship.

Current USG Sector & Peer Institutions

The University System of Georgia (USG) Research and Policy Analysis (RPA), in cooperation with the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS), devised the methodology and established parameters for clustering IPEDS data for the selection of comparator Peer Institutions for all USG institutions. As a result of this process, UWG identified fifteen (15) peer institutions, as required. The UWG Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) team further refined the initial list of institutions. The selections were reviewed and approved by the UWG President, Research and Policy Analysis at the USG Office and subsequently approved by the USG Board of Regents. An updated list of UWG peer and aspirant institutions appears in alphabetical order below. The institutions benchmarked select Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) as UWG works to achieve the goals set forth in its strategic plan.

2025 UWG Momentum Planning Process Timeline

The University of West Georgia’s development of the 2025 Momentum Plan was organized around the following strategic actions: 1) In December 2024, the Momentum Council considered specific campus priorities for the 2025 Momentum planning cycle. The council recommended that the 2025 Momentum plan focus on actions that would align with UWG’s National Institute for Student Success (NISS) priorities. 2) The Momentum Council coordinated with the Office of the Provost to identify members of the 2025 campus planning team. The planning team included 35 administrative leaders, staff, and faculty from across academic and student support divisions (Appendix I). Campus planning team members participated in the virtual panel sessions during the live USG Virtual Sessions week in preparation for the campus planning symposium. 3) The campus planning symposium was held on March 4, 2025 (Appendix II). The team members utilized the information from the MomentumU course, the live virtual sessions, and the planning team presentations to identify student success priorities for the 2025 campus plan. Jonathan Hull, USG Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Development and Student Success, participated in the campus planning session. A summary / overview of the campus planning team recommendations can be found in Appendix III. The Momentum Council uses these recommendations in the development of other action priorities for the next academic year. 4) The Momentum Council drafted the 2025 Momentum plan with feedback from the campus planning team and the provost. UWG’s Momentum Plan was submitted to the USG in April. UWG’s assessment of its student success actions and processes for 2024-2025 is included in Appendix IV.

Student Success Priorities

2025 UWG Student Success Achievements: In August, UWG welcomed its nineth president, Michael Johnson, to campus. President Johnson has outlined several important institutional priorities; however, student success has been his major focus, emphasizing increases in student progression, graduation rates, and a vibrant, on-campus culture. UWG is positioned well to meet these challenges. In Fall 2025, UWG’s student enrollment grew to 16,072 students—an institutional record and a 26% increase since 2021 (12,718). This growth is evident at all institutional levels, including dual enrollment (2,048—a 122% increase since 2021). Other positive indicators aligned with UWG’s Momentum and student success priorities include an increase in first-year retention (78.8%--up from 68.7% in 2020), an increase in degrees conferred (4,453—up from 2,915 in 2021), an overall increase in six-year graduation rates, including an increase for PELL eligible students (45.7%), an increase in attempted and earned credit hours by first-year students, and an increase in on-campus housing occupancy (72.4%--up from 64.5% in 2021). External measures of UWG’s student success achievements include its intuitional ranking (#203) in the U.S. News & World Report (2026 National Universities) and its national ranking on social mobility (#87), which is second highest among all USG institutions and highest among all USG Regional Comprehensive Universities (U.S. News & World Report, 2026 Top Performers in Social Mobility). These positive achievements are the result, in part, of UWG’s Momentum and ASPIRE priorities, which elevate student success as an institutional cornerstone. The updates on UWG’s Momentum and ASPIRE priorities that follow reflect this ongoing work to support student learning, graduation, and professional achievement.

2025-2026 Momentum Plan: UWG’s 2025-2026 Momentum Plan focused on alignment with and support of UWG’s National Institute for Student Success (NISS) Initiatives. In addition to continuing its work to support and evaluate UWG’s core Momentum priorities (Focus Areas, Core English & Math, Credit Hour Completion, Corequisite Learning Support, etc.), the Momentum Council has engaged in conversations with campus partners about how UWG’s four major student success priorities are purposely aligned and coordinated. The infographic below outlines the relationships between USG Momentum, NISS, UWG QEP, and ASPIRE.  

UWG NISS Strategic Goals:

• Empower academic and student affairs to make proactive data-informed decisions

• Strengthen and scale structured pathways to include summer success programs and first-year structure

• Coordinate student support efforts across campus and systemize early alerts, program maps, and other technologies (high level of advising care)

• Provide proactive outreach to students to strengthen financial aid and wellness

• Boost campus presence and promote in-person student engagement

Momentum Priority Action 1: Proactive Data-Informed Decisions

Strategy: Empower academic and student affairs to make proactive data-informed decisions.

Update: Proactive, data-informed decision-making at UWG is driving institutional improvements through cross-divisional collaboration and enhanced data infrastructure. Student success data analysts are supporting units such as Greek Life, housing, and student engagement with timely insights, while tools like a course prediction model and a faculty workload dashboard are guiding Academic Affairs in more effective course scheduling. These efforts are complemented by in-person sessions for academic leadership to review and utilize these models. In addition, the development of a comprehensive data dictionary and strategies for data warehousing and reporting are promoting consistency and long-term scalability. Institutional decisions, such as evaluating changes to admissions GPA requirements, targeting graduation rate improvements, and predicting student progression, are being guided by data in impactful and strategic ways.

Momentum Priority Action 2: Strengthen First Year Pathways  

Strategy: Strengthen and scale structured pathways to include summer success programs and first-year structure.

Update: UWG has taken several strategic steps to strengthen first-year pathways and enhance the overall first-year experience. Much of the work on first-year pathways and institutional support for students is described in more detail in other sections of this report, including the following key strategies:

• Advanced course scheduling in the first semester, which has been in place for several years, is being extended to the second semester. This focus helps strengthen students’ ability to attempt and complete first-year English and Math and attempt / complete 30 hours in the first year.
• Faculty review of corequisite learning support courses in English and Math to improve student progress and completion of core English and Math. This includes a new proposed survey of first-year students to better determine which students might need corequisite courses based on mindset evidence.
• Offering more First-Year Cornerstone Seminars so that more students have the opportunity to take the seminar in the first semester. In Fall 2025 the number increased to 43 sections offered (775 students enrolled the seminar connects academic topics with opportunities for students to engage in academic mindset assessment and major and career exploration.
• A review of Academic Focus Areas to assess how these support students who are uncertain about their major or future career. For example, surveys and direct interviews with students in UWG’s Health Professions Focus Area resulted in changes to the program map for the Health Professions focus area. New focus areas in Communications, Film, and Media and in Pre-Engineering are proposed for next year. 

In addition to the ongoing strategies that are connected to USG Momentum, UWG also implemented actions this year that were specific to its NISS-aligned work.

The summer pre-college summer JUMP! Program, developed in partnership with University College and Student Affairs, welcomed 66 students back to campus early for academic and student life programming centered on college readiness and connection. JUMP! is UWG’s alternative to the traditional Summer Bridge Program. It provides students with an opportunity to return to campus early and participate in academic and student programming with a focus on college readiness. UWG’s goal is to increase the number of students participating in JUMP and to improve their experience based on feedback from last year.  

Additional efforts include the launch of the Connect West Experience, designed to support first-year and first-generation college students through campus engagement and peer mentorship. The peer mentoring program currently serves 50 mentees and mentors, helping to foster a sense of belonging and community from the outset of students' academic journeys. Student Success is also collaborating with University College to revive Phi Eta Sigma, an honor society for high-achieving freshmen. Originally chartered at UWG in 1973 and inactive since 1994, the reinstatement of this chapter reflects a renewed commitment to recognizing academic excellence and supporting student success in the first year.

Momentum Priority Action 3: Proactive Advising Strategies 

Strategy: Coordinate student support efforts across campus and systemize early alerts, program maps, and other technologies (high level of advising care).

Update: UWG is actively collaborating with academic partners to strengthen advising strategies and improve student engagement and retention. In partnership with NISS, proactive advising campaigns and conversations are being developed to support student success. One such campaign focused on increasing MWF campus engagement and improving retention by ensuring that first-time, full-time Fall 2025 students living in residence halls were enrolled in at least three MWF courses for Spring 2026. This initiative required coordinated efforts with the Office of Student Accounts and Billing to assist students with outstanding fees, and with Health Services to resolve immunization holds that could hinder registration. As a result, 847 students were enrolled.

Academic Advising Collaborative (ACC): As part of its NISS initiatives, UWG established in 2025-2026 the Academic Advising Collaborative, a cross-functional group of academic advisors, faculty, and administrators committed to improving advising practices, policies, and student support services across multiple colleges and schools. UWG began this initiative in mid-April and spent the summer meeting with Deans from each college to identify student barriers, course bottlenecks, curriculum concerns, and other challenges impacting student success. These conversations proved highly productive, allowing us to strengthen existing partnerships, repair strained relationships, and build new connections between advising and academic leadership. The meetings also created space for open dialogue, resulting in a clearer understanding of shared challenges and opportunities for collaboration. The AAC hosted annual college meetings with advising teams, academic leadership, and Student Success to identify and address the specific challenges faced by each college’s student population. All college meetings were completed by the end of July, and UWG plans to continue hosting these meetings annually to discuss student challenges specific to each college in collaboration with college leadership, Advising, and Student Success.

Advising + Registrar Collaborative: UWG also established an advising and registrar partnership this year to utilize data to address challenges and barriers faced by students by strengthening academic guidance, enhancing advising, and streamlining enrollment processes in support of student success. This partnership has proven to be highly effective, fostering consistent and open communication between our teams. Through this collaboration, UWG has been able to address challenges, develop solutions, and improve processes that benefit Registrar staff, advising staff, and, most importantly, our students. The collaborative meets regularly to maintain progress and ensure ongoing improvements. Looking ahead, UWG will enhance its EAB Navigate platform by integrating it with D2L, enabling advisors to more easily identify at-risk students and provide timely, targeted interventions to support academic success and retention.

Additional updates on UWG Advising can be found in Section IV.5 (Advising) below.

Momentum Priority Action 4: Proactive Outreach for Financial Aid and Wellness

Strategy: Provide proactive outreach to students to strengthen financial aid and wellness.

Updates: In response to the new SACSCOC recommendation for institutions to provide guidance on student debt management, faculty from the Accounting and Economics departments in the Richards College of Business led financial literacy sessions during Orientation to equip students with essential knowledge for making informed financial decisions. UWG is also developing programming to support students who lost the HOPE Scholarship for the first time, aiming to help them regain eligibility by the next checkpoint. One such initiative under consideration is the Keep HOPE Alive program, which would provide both financial and academic support to students who lose HOPE after their first year. Additionally, Financial Aid and the Center for Academic Success have partnered on proactive outreach, using early alerts issued at the start of the semester to identify students at risk of losing financial aid and connect them with timely resources.

University Advising at UWG has launched an initiative to strengthen academic advisors’ financial aid literacy, with the goal of better supporting students through closer collaboration with the Office of Financial Aid. We are partnering with ITS and EAB to ensure that students’ SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress) status is easily accessible to advisors. With this information, advisors can proactively identify students who may be at risk of losing financial aid and provide timely guidance. Advisors are also gaining a deeper understanding of SAP policies, which allows them to coach students on how academic outcomes—such as receiving a “W” or an “F”—can affect their eligibility. Many students are unaware of these implications, and by increasing awareness through advising, we aim to help more students maintain their aid, stay enrolled, and successfully progress toward graduation. This work aligns with Momentum Priorities #3 and #4.

To further enhance financial aid support and access, UWG partnered with EdAmerica in June 2025 to manage inbound call support for the Financial Aid phone line. This strategic move allowed the Student Solutions team to redirect its focus toward proactive student success initiatives while improving service quality. As a result, call volume capacity more than doubled by August, greatly expanding access for students seeking assistance. Average response times improved by up to 71%, significantly reducing wait times, and call abandonment rates dropped by as much as 76%, indicating stronger engagement and more effective issue resolution.

Momentum Priority Action 5: Support and Enhance Campus Presence Experience for Students through Placemaking & Belonging

Strategy: Boost campus presence and promote in-person student engagement

Update: While not originally included in the NISS outcomes, UWG added a goal focused on increasing campus presence and fostering in-person student engagement to strengthen the overall student experience. As seen in other NISS initiatives, we implemented proactive advising strategies and introduced MWF course schedules that included intentional afternoon programming—including on Fridays--with events sponsored by Academic Affairs and Student Affairs to encourage students to remain on campus and engage with the community.

On-Campus Courses: Over the past two years, academic programs have been committed to increasing the number of in-person classes offered on campus at UWG. As with many colleges and universities, online courses increased during COVID, and now UWG is committed to helping students return to the on-campus residential experience that distinguishes UWG. This initiative has yielded positive results with a 24.8% increase:

UWG also took steps to improve campus wayfinding by creating student-centric zones and enhancing signage and navigation tools. These changes reduce stress for students and help foster a greater sense of belonging across campus.

Standardized Course Schedules: UWG identified inconsistencies in course scheduling as a barrier to student success, especially for students who are navigating between classes on campus. Depending on the day of the week, classes started at different times. This often meant that students had difficulty getting from one class to another or students were unable to enroll in a course because it conflicts with the start/conclusion of another course. Course scheduling is complicated because of accreditation and course requirements in different colleges and schools. UWG established a scheduling task force in 2024 that consisted of representatives from the colleges and schools, faculty senate representatives, and university leaders. The task force surveyed both faculty and students to get input for both scheduling needs and interests. In Fall 2024, the task group presented recommendations to the faculty senate, which included new scheduling templates. The purpose of the scheduling revisions is to reduce the number of start times, align start times, and mitigate class time conflicts. The new course schedule was approved was implemented in Fall 2025.