Augusta University Campus Plan Update 2019

INSTITUTIONAL MISSION AND STUDENT BODY PROFILE

Founded in 1828, Augusta University (AU) is one of Georgia’s four comprehensive research institutions and has the unique designation as the state’s only public, academic health center. With its charge to serve the entire state, AU offers a broad range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional academic programs in liberal arts, allied health sciences, cyber studies, business, education, nursing, dental medicine, and medicine programs – making AU one of a handful of institutions in the United States with this curricular array. This portfolio and the university’s proximity to NSA Georgia, the U.S. Army Cyber Protection Brigade, the soon-to-be relocated U.S. Army Cyber Command, and the Georgia Cyber Center provide AU a unique opportunity to provide strong pathways for health and cyber sciences. In its sixth year of institutional transformation, AU continues to find guidance in its strategic plan, Beyond Boundaries, which places student success at the core of its vision to become a top-tier university that is a destination of choice for education, health care, discovery, creativity, and innovation. AU leverages this transformation to attract highly talented students and faculty, and provide students a course to discover their potential.

More than 6,700 faculty and staff members serve over 9,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students enrolled in 10 schools or colleges. AU delivers 45 undergraduate majors, 60 undergraduate and graduate certificates, and 55 graduate and professional programs and is home to the state’s flagship public medical school and only dental school. In fall 2018, Augusta University enrolled 5,463 undergraduate students at the institution, representing an increase of 172 students from fall 2017. The vast majority of AU’s undergraduate students are from Georgia (91% vs. 8% out-of-state and 1% international). Most undergraduate students (81%) were enrolled full time, 61% were from the local area, and 65% of the undergraduate student body was female. The average age of the undergraduate student body was 22.3 years. The six most popular majors were Biology/Cell and Molecular Biology, Computer Science, Health Services, Nursing, Kinesiology, and Psychology. The ethnic diversity of the undergraduate student body remained comparable to previous years (45% racial/ethnic minority status), with slight increases in multiethnic and Asian student populations: 55% White, 20% Black (Non-Hispanic origin); 7% Hispanic, 5% multiracial, 10% Asian; <1% American Indian or Alaska Native; <1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander; and 2% unknown or non-disclosed. These enrollment patterns and demographics of undergraduate students continue to inform the development of Augusta University’s student success initiatives. 

MOMENTUM YEAR UPDATE

To maximize opportunities for successful implementation of Momentum Year, the initiative was completed as a project. As such, a Core Team and functional teams were developed, consisting of faculty and staff from Academic and Faculty Affairs, the College of Science and Mathematics; Institutional Effectiveness; Instruction and Innovation; Pamplin College of Arts; Humanities, and Social Sciences; Enrollment and Student Affairs; Student Success; and selected students. The project launched on September 7, 2018.

The Core Team worked with academic departments to create focus areas for AU and align academic majors to appropriate focus areas. Faculty workgroups identified the common courses appropriate for their assigned focus area. Special sections of INQR 1000, a required first-year course, were created and all-new “undeclared” freshmen were enrolled in the “Charting Your Academic Course” sections in their first term of the 2018-2019 academic year. The course fostered the exploration of purpose, pathways, and potential. The Core Team also began work with the Division of Communications and Marketing to design a website promoting the Momentum Year and Approach. The Core Team created three functional teams, led by Core Team members, to focus on the three main Momentum Year elements, Academic Mindset, Pathways and Programs, and Purposeful Choice.

The Academic Mindset Team oversaw administration of the USG Mindset Survey to the 2018 freshman class. The initial response rate was 26%. While not a diagnostic tool, the survey provided useful information, and the team recommended programming to promote a growth mindset for students, faculty, and staff. The team created a plan for faculty and staff workshops (face-to-face and online), developed and piloted a peer coaching program managed by the Academic Success Center in spring 2019, and made recommendations to develop First Year Interests Groups.

The Pathways and Programs Team worked with academic departments to utilize a common template as they created or refined consistent four-year degree plans, one for each undergraduate major offered at the university. All maps contain a minimum of 30 hours, including English and math in the first year and three courses (up to nine hours) that connect across all majors in each focus area. The maps integrate the course requirements for each degree in the appropriate terms across the four-year plan of study. Also included are both recommended and required co-curricular activities, as identified by the Purposeful Choice Team and academic departments, designed to enhance the students’ academic experiences.

The Purposeful Choice Team worked with Student Life and Engagement (under the Division of Enrollment and Student Affairs) to modify informational sessions (both breakout and mandatory) at orientation so purposeful choice concepts could be introduced to the new students and their parents. Each college modified its orientation presentation to include more information to inform students how to make a purposeful choice and how that process could influence their future options in that college. Some individuals involved in the redesign were recruited into the faculty workgroups created by the Core Team. The Purposeful Choice team also worked with academic departments to identify and document critical academic and co-curricular programming activities and assessments, all designed to help students discern and affirm their program choice “fit.” These activities and assessments were used to create the baseline inventory used to augment the program map redesign work of the Pathways and Programs Team. The Purposeful Choice Team also created an inventory of suggested programming that might be useful for all students across focus areas.

In addition, funding was approved for the “Big Dream Gathering” hosted in fall 2018 to help students devise and map out strategies and identify resources for establishing and pursuing their future goals. Funding was also approved for a new software program, Steppingblocks, which allows students to research future careers based on majors, interests and job title, adding to the inventory of resources available to students for personal and professional exploration and development.

During the 2018-2019 academic year, Augusta University leadership made changes to office structures and reporting lines that would better support work aimed at improving retention and graduation rates. These initiatives include intentional efforts to build academic and student support services in the areas of Faculty Success, Student Success, and Instructional Innovation; the ongoing work with Complete College Georgia and the AU Strategic Plan, Beyond Boundaries; and the completion of university-wide efforts toward Momentum Year and the Gardner Institute’s Gateway to Completion. Existing divisions and reporting structures were realigned. Two new offices were created to promote faculty and student engagement in and out of the classroom: The Office of Instruction, whose mission is to focus on student success regarding high impact practices, curriculum design and instructional innovation, and the Office of Faculty Affairs, whose mission is to focus on faculty development and engagement.

Furthermore, funding was approved for the creation of a Health Professions Outreach Office and a New Student and Family Transitions Office. The former provides more focused academic and career exploration and support to students considering a career in health professions and the latter provides longer-term support to freshmen, transfer students, and their families as they transition from secondary education and other institutions to higher education at Augusta University. The goal is to assist students in establishing best-fit career paths while completing appropriate degree programs successfully and in a timely manner.

OTHER INSTITUTIONAL HIGH-IMPACT STRATEGIES, ACTIVITIES, AND OUTCOMES

Augusta University’s completion strategy focuses on increasing the number of degrees and certificates awarded and improving retention, persistence, and graduation rates for undergraduate students. Efforts targeted faculty, academic program development, specific undergraduate populations, and the entire undergraduate population. In 2018-2019, AU continued to prioritize its CCG goals from the previous year:

Goal 1: Increase the number of undergraduate degrees awarded.

Goal 2: Increase the number of degrees that are earned “on-time.”

Goal 3: Decrease excess credits earned on the path to getting a degree.

Goal 4: Provide intrusive advising to keep students on track to graduate.

GOAL 1: INCREASE THE NUMBER OF UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES AWARDED.

In accordance with CCG’s aim to “rapidly increase the proportion of young adults with a high-quality certificate or degree,” AU established a goal to increase the number of degrees awarded per year. The number of degrees and certificates awarded annually continued its upward trend in 2018-2019.

CREDENTIALS AWARDED PER YEAR BY AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY

The approach for increasing degrees awarded annually is twofold: 1) Increase the number of students entering Augusta University who are seeking a credential (degree or certificate), and 2) Increase the retention and persistence of students once they enter the university. Specific strategies related to approach #1 are described below. Specific strategies related to approach #2 are described in subsequent sections related to Goals 2, 3 and 4.

STRATEGY 1: INCREASE THE NUMBER AND ACADEMIC PROFILE OF NEW UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS.

Augusta University partnered with Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL) to target and recruit academically qualified students for AU. RNL uses a three-stage approach (Prospect, Inquiry, and Applicant) for recruiting students. In each stage, they employ a statistical modeling approach to identify pools of students for outreach, focusing on those who appear to be a good fit for the university in terms of likelihood to apply and to enroll. At each stage, RNL engages in a multifaceted campaign to connect the university with interested students. As a result of these efforts, AU experienced a 39% increase in new freshman since fall 2013 (see table below). During that same period, the average Freshman Index increased by 7.6% (see table below). By leveraging predictive analytics and focusing recruitment efforts on qualified prospects and applicants, AU has grown its diversity of enrollment and quality of applicants.

NEW FRESHMEN ENROLLED AND AVERAGE FRESHMEN INDEX, BY SEMESTER

STRATEGY 2: INCREASE THE NUMBER OF UNDERGRADUATE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS.

AU continues to leverage its 2013 consolidation to develop a comprehensive portfolio of degree programs and certificates to attract more students and provide them multiple pathways to graduation. Such efforts have been focused on three primary areas:

Creating a comprehensive suite of programs in the liberal arts and sciences;

Developing multiple undergraduate programs and pathways in health professions to leverage the university’s designation as an academic medical center; and

Expanding the portfolio of programs to capitalize on AU’s designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense and the university’s proximity to NSA Georgia, the U.S. Army Cyber Protection Brigade, the soon-to-be relocated U.S. Army Cyber Command, and the Georgia Cyber Center.

Currently, AU offers a total of 160 academic degree programs. This represents a 44% growth for the institution from before its spring 2013 consolidation. Of these programs, 45 are bachelor’s degrees and 15 are undergraduate certificates.

AU’s continuing commitment to the areas outlined above are reflected in the array of new programs approved by the Board of Regents in 2018-2019. Of the seven newly approved programs, five are baccalaureate level. The BS in Health Promotion is housed in the College of Education, and the BA in Health, Society, and Policy is offered by the Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. Both programs embody the first two focus areas of CCG Goal 1 by offering new pathways within the health professions that also expand AU’s suite of liberal arts and sciences programs.

Three new degree programs approved by the Board in 2018-2019 - support the third focus area to leverage AU’s positioning within the field of cybersecurity. The BS in Cybersecurity and the BS in Cyber Operations were previously offered as concentrations within existing baccalaureate programs. The move to offer these concentrations as standalone degrees was a response to the growing interest among prospective students to pursue cyber-related fields as well as increasing employer demand both statewide and within the Augusta metropolitan area for graduates in these disciplines.

Lastly, the Board approved AU’s first engineering program, the BS in Cybersecurity Engineering. This program meets a need recently identified by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) for cybersecurity engineers to integrate cybersecurity principles and understanding of human behavior into the design, building, and use of software, hardware, and systems. The addition of this program to AU’s portfolio also enables the university to pursue the designation by the National Security Agency (NSA) Centers of Excellence in Cyber Operations (CAE-Cyber Operations), a companion to the current CAE-Cyber Defense designation. The institution’s academic leadership continues to explore opportunities to offer undergraduate programs that both attract high-performing students while also meeting the needs of the state of Georgia.

GOAL 2: INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DEGREES THAT ARE EARNED “ON-TIME.”

The primary indicators for this goal are four-year and six-year graduation rates for undergraduate students. These numbers have increased as strategies described throughout this report were employed.

AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE GRADUATION RATES BY COHORT

STRATEGY 3: CONTINUE THE FOCUS TO FINISH IN FOUR YEARS.

Launched in fall 2013, the initiative was initially branded “4Years4U.” By 2016, it was rebranded “I Chose 4 Years” to align with other branding efforts. It was further refined to “Be Boundless, Be Successful” in 2018 to reflect current marketing efforts. During orientation, students are provided with a four-year academic plan. Expectations are reinforced at the opening Freshman Convocation through the awarding of a class pin, which lists their graduating class four years later (i.e., Class of 2024). AU continues to utilize a “flat tuition” model where students enrolled in 10 or more credit hours pay the full-time equivalent rate for 15 hours. Four-year plans are reviewed and updated at each advisement session. There has been a general culture shift on campus where completing 30 credits per year is considered a normal to timely degree completion. This exists both in the Academic Advisement Center where advisement by professional advisors is mandatory for all freshmen and sophomores and continues at the departmental level when they assume advising responsibilities as students attain junior status.

The university uses two measures of success for this strategy:

1) The percentage of students who attempt 15 or more credit hours in the fall term of their first year,  

% OF FRESHMAN COHORT ATTEMPTING > 15 CREDITS IN FALL TERM OF FIRST YEAR  

2) The percentage of students who earn 30, 60 and 90 credit hours by the start of their second, third, and four year, respectively  

% OF FRESHMAN COHORT EARNING 30, 60, 90 CREDITS BY 2ND, 3RD, 4TH FALL  

Over time, AU has adjusted its emphasis regarding 15 credits in the freshman fall semester. Many degree programs have sequenced their courses so that degree plans have 14 credit hours in the fall term and 16 in the spring. In addition, more and more freshmen are entering with college credit already completed in the form of AP or Dual Enrollment Credit. As a result, the percentage of students completing 30 credits by the sophomore year has continued to increase, even though the percentage of students completing 15 credits in the first fall term has decreased. There is still work to do with the first-term enrollment of 15 credits. While it is beneficial that these students enter the university having already been exposed to the rigors of post-secondary study, the need to understand and experience the balance of a full course load of study each term is crucial to continuing efforts at improving retention and graduation rates. The additional programming and intentionality of the Momentum Year work being done at the university should positively impact first-term enrollment in 15 credits.

STRATEGY 4: AUGMENT SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE ACADEMIC SUCCESS CENTER.

The core mission of the Academic Success Center (ASC) is to provide tutoring, academic coaching, and programming, primarily for students in their first two years of enrollment. In its second full year of operation, the ASC saw continued growth and data indicates that it has provided a positive impact on student outcomes. ASC’s goal is to encourage students to develop strong academic foundations that prepare them well for their major coursework. In 2018-2019, the ASC employed 63 student workers to tutor in more than 60 subjects and work as peer coaches.  

The 2018-2019 academic year recorded more than 19,000 student visits to the ASC. About 50% of both the 2017 and 2018 freshman cohorts used the ASC for tutoring, study sessions, programming, and coaching. For the 2017 cohort, 50% of the students who visited the ASC improved their cumulative GPA compared to 46% of those who did not. For the 2018 cohort, 44% of students who visited the ASC improved their cumulative GPA compared to 37% who did not. Retention data to date also supports the positive impact the ASC has had on student outcomes.

RETENTION RATE AND ASC VISITS BY COHORT

The African-American Male Initiative (AAMI) is housed in the ASC. In 2018, they received two grants, totaling $23,500, to support programming for AAMI. Of the optional participation, 22% of the target group took part in programming, which included monthly mentoring with students from the Medical College of Georgia, a series of seminars on wellbeing, and culminated in a successful Black Male Leadership Summit, organized and hosted by students with more than 150 participants. The program also hired and trained 10 peer coaches to work in the ASC.  

In 2018-2019, the ASC added programming and services designed to support specific populations. A staff member was made the single point of contact for student-athletes and developed programming to encourage participation. Over 1500 hours were dedicated to working with student-athletes over the academic year. RxSuccess was developed to support students on academic probation. Of the participants, 21% were students on probation in fall and 13% were students on probation in spring. Participants earned higher term grade point averages than those who did not participate, averaging 2.41 versus 2.37. Programming for transfer students was also introduced in 2018. Data demonstrates that for transfer students, the first transfer semester is key to retention. Transfer outreach started with Transfer Student Appreciation week to introduce them to the services of the ASC and culminated in the creation of a new chapter of Tau Sigma, the transfer honors society. Transfer students with 60 or fewer hours earned who visited the ASC during the 2018-2019 academic year were retained to fall 2019 by a margin of more than 15% over those who did not visit the ASC.

GOAL 3: DECREASE EXCESS CREDITS EARNED ON THE PATH TO GETTING A DEGREE.

Augusta University embarked on two initiatives to decrease excess credits earned by students on degree paths. These include implementing a course-redesign self-study process and furthering a summer bridge program.

STRATEGY 5: CONTINUE CURRICULUM REDESIGN THROUGH G2C PROJECT.

In 2018, Augusta University, as part of the second cohort of University System of Georgia institutions, began the three-year Gateway to Completion (G2C) process to improve teaching and learning in Gateway courses. This process is done in conjunction with the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education, a non-profit organization dedicated to partnering with colleges, universities, philanthropic organizations, educators, and other entities to increase institutional responsibility for improving outcomes associated with teaching, learning, retention, and completion.

AU developed a work committee comprised of faculty, chairs, deans, and university senior leadership. After reviewing USG data regarding courses with high rates of students receiving D/F/W grades, the committee selected five Gateway courses which could most benefit from the G2C process. Identified courses were BIOL 2111 (Human Anatomy and Physiology I), CHEM 1211 (Principles of Chemistry I), ENGL 1102 (English Composition II), HIST 2111 (The United States to 1877), and MATH 1113 (Pre-calculus Mathematics). Beginning Summer 2018, a Steering Committee made up of faculty members from the five content areas as well as chairs, associate deans, and deans began meeting monthly to review course success rates, analyze results from the Student Learning Gains Survey, review and assess syllabi and course materials, investigate key demographic data of students enrolled in the selected courses and discuss findings as a result of Key Performance Indicator analysis.  

Based on this work, the Steering Committee made recommendations to leadership, which would begin being implemented in the 2019 academic year. These recommendations included changes that would be managed by the faculty who teach the courses, changes managed by the college/department, and policy-driven changes managed at the university level. The recommendations have been approved by the Provost. A comprehensive report of these recommendations and insights was completed and submitted to the John Gardiner Institute. Feedback was received and used to influence the planning for Year 2 of the project, which began in September of this year.

STRATEGY 6: GROW THE JAGUAR JUMPSTART SUMMER BRIDGE PROGRAM.

Augusta University’s Jaguar Jumpstart (JJSP) is a five-week summer bridge program designed to foster success for students who do not meet AU’s minimum freshman index. The program’s goal is to make the transition from high school to college as seamless as possible by promoting academic success and building community among program participants. Students enroll in six credits of coursework and are supported academically through tutoring and academic coaching. Community is developed through a program of speakers, workshops, and service-learning. Summer 2019 marked the program’s fourth year.

JAGUAR JUMPSTART PROGRAM GROWTH

Reviewing assessments from prior cohorts, academic planning, programming, and assessment were revised for the 2019 cohort of JJSP students. These revisions include:

Academic Planning:
Course offerings were expanded to include one of three social science courses, a wellness course, and an Inquiry course. This allowed for flexibility in scheduling appropriate to the strengths, interests, and backgrounds of the students.

Programming:
Freshman Interest Groups (FIGS) were established to foster a sense of belonging. Students self-selected into one of four thematic groups: Art and music, sports and outdoors, health careers and volunteering, or food and culture. JJSP student leaders created thematic activities for the summer term, which continued into the 2019-2020 academic year. A structured communication plan was developed for FIGS regarding ongoing follow up through both the freshman and sophomore years.

Assessment:
A pre-assessment of the students’ mindset and sense of belonging was administered before their summer classes began. Students will be given a post-assessment at the end of their first year, which will better inform programming for future cohorts. In past years, JJSP student retention was compared with the rate of all university students. However, it is more reasonable to compare JJSP retention with students in the lowest quartile of the Freshman Index. It is evident that JJSP students are retained at higher rates than students who have lower freshman index scores but have not experienced a program designed to create academic confidence and a sense of belonging.

RETENTION TO FALL 2019 BY FRESHMAN INDEX  

GOAL 4: PROVIDE INTRUSIVE ADVISING TO KEEP STUDENTS ON TRACK TO GRADUATE.

Primary indicators for this goal are retention and progression rates for undergraduate students. The table below shows the percentage of students from the original freshman cohort who enrolled in subsequent fall semesters.

% OF COHORT ENROLLED IN SUBSEQUENT FALL TERMS

STRATEGY 7: ENHANCE ACADEMIC SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS.

During the 2018-2019 academic year, additional support offices and academic departments were trained and began using EAB Navigate in support of the students with whom they work. The Honors Program now uses the appointment campaign feature to schedule appointments with their students and maintain notes for the academic advisors to use when advising for course selection. The Chemistry and Physics Tutoring staff use the check in system to monitor student use of their study space. The Office of Experiential Learning began using Navigate to track research conducted by students. Three additional academic departments, Art and Design, Communication, and Biological Sciences are also using various components of the system to enhance their support for their majors.

In the spring 2019, Augusta University engaged additional support from EAB to review processes and procedures for sending Progress Reports to faculty teaching the two most current First-time, Full-time Freshmen cohorts, as well as all athletes. A faculty workgroup was created to review the process, the alert reasons included in the Progress Report campaign, and associated outreach. A Student Success Toolkit was created that outlined the Progress Reports Program and how faculty could use them to help keep students on track. A workshop was held for department chairs and administrators to showcase the toolkit and encourage increased faculty participation. Through this effort, faculty participation in spring 2019 reached 73%. The highest prior participation rate had been 60%. Data analysis shows that students who were reported through the Progress Report Campaigns as being in academic difficulty who visited the ASC after the campaign were retained at a higher rate (3.7%); had a higher positive percentage change in their cumulative GPAs; and had a higher percentage change in credit completion in spring term as compared to fall term than those who didn’t access services.

STRATEGY 8: IDENTIFY, IMPLEMENT, AND REVISE SPECIFIC TACTICS FOR PROVIDING INTRUSIVE ADVISEMENT AND SUPPORT TO TARGET POPULATIONS.

In 2018-2019, several programs launched in 2017-2018 were continued and additional programs were implemented or planned for future academic years. The Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences led its first Living Learning Community (LLC), Arts Incubator, spanning 13 majors from five separate colleges, in a year-long program designed to introduce students to the arts and to art-engaged faculty and community leaders.  

The School of Computer and Cyber Sciences (SCCS) finalized details for its LLC, named JAGByte, that launched fall 2019. SCCS worked with the Office of Academic Admissions throughout 2018-2019 to identify and recruit candidates for the program, finalized details with Housing and Residence Life, and created a calendar of programming events for the fall 2019. The College of Science and Mathematics created a new program coordinator position in the fall 2018 to strengthen its first-year Learning Community experience for new freshmen who have declared majors in the college. In addition to thrice-weekly study sessions supported by peer mentors and social activities, the coordinator added volunteer service opportunities which became a popular feature of the program.

The College of Science and Mathematics submitted a National Science Foundation S-Stem Grant proposal ($905,000 over a five-year period). The proposal is directed toward work that will aid in increased retention and graduation rates in STEM majors. At least 60% of the funds must be used to provide scholarships for low-income academically talented students with demonstrated financial need pursuing a major within the college. The proposal is designed to positively impact student self-efficacy, stimulate and support a sustained interest in STEM courses of study and STEM careers, create a sense of belonging through a strategic mentoring program and learning community, and improve the quality of STEM classroom instruction.

In 2018-2019, Housing and Residence Life began requiring housing students dropping below 12 credit hours to meet with a staff member to develop an academic success plan to address what they would do during the hours they were no longer in class. Housing tutors conducted formal programs to introduce themselves and provide information to students about their services.

The university hired a Career Advisor embedded into the Hull College of Business and jointly managed with Career Services to foster unique career development needs of students and employer engagement needs of the university.

In January 2019, the university hired the first full-time Director of the Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship to grow opportunities for high impact scholarly research between faculty mentors and undergraduate students. This dedicated director will ensure the development of research opportunities for students. To further more broad feasibility and research involvement, CURS has created Student Travel Grants and an Undergraduate Research Fair to begin in the 2019-2020 academic year.

OBSERVATIONS AND NEXT STEPS

Upon reflecting on the work completed and next steps, Augusta University seeks to:

Extend the work in the Gateway to Completion Initiative in continued collaborations with faculty who teach in courses where large numbers of students are not successful. In that collaboration, AU intends to align successful teaching approaches that lead to student achievement,

Launch a Health Professions Advising Center and a New Student and Families Transitions Office,

Expand access to AU’s advising platform (i.e., Navigate) to the larger living and learning community,

Introduce early, and with intention, freshman INQR courses to help students develop an academic mindset, engage in purposeful choices, and build an academic pathway that leads to successful graduation, and

Host faculty and staff advisory committees focused on Student Success

EXTEND GATEWAY TO COMPLETION

Augusta University will progress with Year 2 of the G2C Initiative. During Year 2, recommendations from Year 1 will be incorporated by faculty into redesigns and action plans for each course. These redesigns/plans will be implemented during the academic year. Faculty will track, monitor, and assess progress in order to determine progress and develop recommendations for future course changes.

LAUNCH HEALTH PROFESSIONS OUTREACH AND ADVISING CENTER AND NEW STUDENT AND FAMILIES TRANSITIONS OFFICE

Augusta University will launch a Health Professions Outreach and Advising Center with professional advisors to develop pre-admission and transition advising materials and programming focused upon purposeful choice for students in health profession focus areas, create program pathways materials including retention strategies for students interested in health professions, and advise students as they apply for professional programs.

Additionally, Augusta University will launch a New Student and Families Transitions Office to focus on the transition of students from admission to attending classes to enhance orientation and existing transition programs. It will engage parents and family members in the support of students to increase retention.

EXPAND NAVIGATE ACCESS

Augusta University will expand Navigate access to members of Housing and Residence Life staff so they can record and view notes about students, as well as to intervene (as appropriate) with those students noted “at risk” in the system. Housing staff interact daily with the residential students and organize programming for students around academic success (in conjunction with the Academic Success Center). During the 2018-2019 academic year, Housing and Residence Life conducted intervention meetings with first-year students placed on academic probation for the spring semester, and provided follow-up to ensure they registered for fall classes. Housing and Residence Life tutors provided 1,024 hours of tutoring for first-year students living on campus. As such, connecting existing Housing and Residence Life interventions with the Navigate tool will more fully optimize wrap-around support for students.

TRANSFORM INQR COURSE

Augusta University will transform its freshman, required Inquiry course into a platform for transformational thinking and engagement. Course content will include academic mindset and goal setting, examining the concept of purpose, encouraging students to explore and hone in on a career choice, and developing clear pathways to success through our newly developed major maps. Within the course, students will work in teams to explore a research topic related to the content. These projects encourage students to connect with each other and faculty, increasing their sense of belonging and developing a bond with our university. AU intends to integrate focus areas more deliberately into all sections of the course in collaboration with colleges and departments. The goal is to provide students with an opportunity to develop an individualized success plan that maps out their path to graduation.  

ESTABLISH ADVISORY COMMITTEES

Augusta University will establish three Advisory Committees to focus on the central theme of student success. Those committees are:

A new Instructional Innovation Advisory Committee to provide guidance and advice on matters related to the delivery of instructional design services that support classroom instruction across all modalities: Face-to-face, hybrid, and online formats,

A new Student Success Advisory Committee to provide guidance and advice on matters related to programs created to support  students' development of an appropriate academic mindset including but not limited to academic advising, early alerts, supplemental instruction, peer tutoring, peer mentors, and a guided but purposeful program choice, and

A High Impact Practices Advisory Committee to provide guidance and advice on matters related to each of the areas promoted by the American Associate of Colleges and Universities in their LEAP initiative. This committee will also serve as the QEP curriculum advisory body. 

STUDENT SUCCESS AND COMPLETION TEAM

The following individuals are responsible for coordinating, administering, and evaluating Augusta University’s efforts towards student success and completion:

Dr. Gretchen Caughman, Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost

Dr. Zach Kelehear, Vice Provost for Instruction

Dr. Susan Davies, Vice President for Enrollment and Student Affairs

Dr. Kathy Browder, Associate Provost, Faculty Affairs

Ms. Mickey Williford, Interim Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness and Associate Vice President for Planning and Accreditation

Mr. David Barron, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Services

Ms. Holly Goodson-Rubio, Associate Vice President for Institutional Research and Analytics

Ms. Katherine Sweeney, Assistant Vice President for Student Success

Dr. Lorraine Evans, Executive Director, Academic Success Center

Dr. Elizabeth Huggins, Director, First and Second Year Experiences