University of North Georgia 2024
Institutional Mission
The University of North Georgia, a regional multi-campus institution and premier senior military college, provides a culture of academic excellence in a student-focused environment that includes quality education, service, research, and creativity. This is accomplished through broad access to comprehensive academic and co-curricular programs that develop students into leaders for a diverse and global society. The University of North Georgia is a University System of Georgia leadership institution and is The Military College of Georgia.
Institutional Profile (Undergraduates)
|
University of North Georgia Fall 2024 Census Demographics
|
|
Undergraduates only
|
Enrolled
|
Percent of UNG
|
|
Enrollment
|
18,329
|
100.00%
|
|
Full-Time
|
12,244
|
66.80%
|
|
Part-Time
|
6,085
|
33.20%
|
|
Male
|
8,044
|
43.89%
|
|
Female
|
10,285
|
56.11%
|
|
Adult Learner (age 25+)*
|
1,577
|
8.60%
|
|
First Generation
|
2,992
|
16.32%
|
|
Low-Income (Pell)
|
6,081
|
33.18%
|
|
Black
|
695
|
3.79%
|
|
Hispanic
|
3,273
|
17.86%
|
|
Asian or Pacific Islander
|
877
|
4.78%
|
|
Native Hawaiian or Pac. Isla.
|
17
|
0.09%
|
|
Amer. Indian/Alaska. Native
|
37
|
0.20%
|
|
Underserved Minorities**
|
5,080
|
27.72%
|
|
FT Vet
|
391
|
2.13%
|
|
PT Vet
|
96
|
0.52%
|
|
*Undergraduates Only ** Asian-Americans Excluded
|
|
|
Enrollment
UNG’s overall enrollment for fall 2024 rose by 6.7%. This growth included the largest first-year class of students in UNG history, up by 10.6%. UNG also experienced growth in its Corps of Cadets (8.5%), graduate programs (16.5%), and in dual enrolled students (30.4% see Table 4 below).
Benchmarks & Goals
As a regional, public institution of higher education, UNG strives to deliver quality educational opportunities to the region it serves. The dual role of providing access (Associates) and selectivity (Bachelors), the institution endeavors to graduate students “on time.” UNG performs well compared to both the state university and comprehensive university sectors (see Table 2).
|
Table 2: Institutional Peers (Benchmark, Aspirational, Competitor) *
|
|
Institutional Peers (Benchmark)
|
USG State Universities
|
UNG
|
|
One Year Retention—All Degrees (2023)
|
69.7%
|
70.2%
|
|
One Year Retention—associate degree (2023)
|
59.0%
|
60.4%
|
|
One Year Retention—bachelor’s degree (2023)
|
72.3%
|
72.8%
|
|
Associate 3-Year Graduation Rate (2021)
|
9.6%
|
6.4%
|
|
Bachelor’s 4-Year Graduation Rate (2020)
|
23.4%
|
28.0%
|
|
Aspirational Peers
|
USG Comprehensive Universities
|
UNG
|
|
One Year Retention (bachelor’s only)
|
75.8%
|
72.8%
|
|
Bachelor’s 4-Year Graduation Rate (2020)
|
23.6%
|
28.0%
|
|
Competitors
|
Kennesaw State University
|
Georgia Gwinnett College
|
Georgia Southern
|
UNG
|
|
One Year Retention (bachelor’s only—2023)
|
75.8%
|
61.2%
|
76.9%
|
72.8%
|
|
Bachelor’s 4-Year Graduation Rate (2020)
|
20.2%
|
7.5%
|
29.8%
|
28%
|
* Source USG CCG Retention & Graduation dashboards
What’s Your 30?
Concerted efforts supporting a strategy of “What’s Your 30?” along with changes to orientation, advanced scheduling and advising of incoming students has increased the number of students enrolling in and earning credits to build program velocity as noted in Table 3.
|
Table 3: Fall First-Time Freshman, credits earned by academic year (Source: End-of-Term Earned Hours) |
|
Academic year
|
# Fall FTF earned less than 24 credits
|
# Fall FTF earned 24-29 credits
|
# Fall FTF earned 30 or more credits
|
Total fall FTF enrolled in both fall and spring terms
|
|
2020-2021*
|
1,802
|
1,620
|
898
|
3,586
|
|
2021-2022
|
1,856
|
1,212
|
999
|
3,463
|
|
2022-2023
|
1,536
|
1,144
|
1,194
|
3,316
|
|
2023-2024
|
1,272
|
1,458
|
1,184
|
3,391
|
Dual-Enrolled Students
For fall 2024, UNG experienced a surge in Dual-Enrolled students, growing by thirty percent. UNG also had a moderate increase in matriculating dual-enrolled students.
|
Table 4: UNG Dual Enrolled |
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
2023
|
2024
|
|
# students
|
1,560
|
1,532
|
1,341
|
1,582
|
2,061
|
|
% of participating Seniors who matriculate to UNG after high school
|
30%
|
25%
|
27%
|
23%
|
24%
|
|
Source: Banner database script
|
|
Online Courses & Adult Learners
The count of students enrolling in online courses to make progress towards program completion continued to grow (Table 5), while the number of students earning a degree by taking at least one online course remains high (Table 6).
|
Table 5: Online course |
Headcount
|
Course Registration
|
|
Fall 2020 (as of Add/Drop)
|
14,107
|
28,405
|
|
Fall 2021 (as of Add/Drop)
|
9,193
|
17,545
|
|
Fall 2022 (as of Add/Drop)
|
9,250
|
18,200
|
|
Fall 2023 (as of Add/Drop)
|
9,897
|
18,759
|
|
Fall 2023 (as of Census)
|
11,752
|
23,358
|
|
Source: Banner database script
|
|
Table 6: Number of degrees conferred to adult-learner students in which at least one course has been fully online
|
|
Academic Year
|
#
|
%
|
|
2019 - 2020
|
712
|
80.7%
|
|
2020 - 2021
|
835
|
95.1%
|
|
2021 - 2022
|
840
|
96.6%
|
|
2022 - 2023
|
877
|
97.3%
|
|
2023 - 2024
|
865
|
96.3%
|
|
Source: Banner database script
|
Success Inventory
Strategy/Project Name:
Academic Alerts/Intervention
Strategy/Project Description:
Academic alert allows instructors to refer students facing challenges in the classroom. The program is designed to proactively intervene with students early in the semester. The program functions utilizing three support programs, including Flight Support and Behavioral Intervention. Alerts are followed by outreach from academic success coaches or academic advisors who work individually with students depending on the individual needs of students.
Evaluation/Assessment plan:
KPIs:
- Increase retention
- reduction in # of students on academic warning
- reduction in # of withdrawals
Alerts reported:
- Fall 2023: 772
- Fall 2022: 593
Persistence, Retention, and Graduation of students with an alert by term:
|
Row Labels
|
Count of ID
|
Sum of Fall-Spring Persistence
|
Sum of 1-YR retention
|
Sum of Graduated in AY
|
|
Fall 2022
|
593
|
347
|
263
|
35
|
|
Fall 2023
|
775
|
500
|
365
|
39
|
|
Spring 2023
|
388
|
187
|
170
|
17
|
|
Spring 2024
|
415
|
242
|
0
|
17
|
|
Summer 2023
|
61
|
34
|
33
|
2
|
|
Summer 2024
|
134
|
90
|
0
|
4
|
|
Grand Total
|
2,366
|
1400
|
831
|
114
|
Count of Students on Academic Warning:
- Fall 2023: 782 (source: Banner COM 550 report data)
- Fall 2022: 764 (source: Banner COM 550 report data)
Count of Course withdrawals:
- Fall 2023: 5,360 (source: Banner COM 2000 report data)
- Fall 2022: 6,121 (source: Banner COM 2000 report data)
Progress and Adjustments:
The processing of alerts was revised this year and resourced differently based on piloting and scaling experiences. Additional personnel resources were allocated to the program for fall 2024, specifically with the assignment of dedicated case managers. The process for supporting students was refined as well by following a defined, step-by-step procedure that includes closing the loop with faculty. These changes were made to improve efficiency and better deploy limited resources to support students.
Plan for the Year Ahead:
Implementation of the changes made to the process; monitoring program effectiveness through spring 2025.
Challenges and Support:
- Resources limit the number and timing of interventions.
- Multiple technologies to support the operation of the program that do not share data/information leads to duplicated effort and less timely data for interventions.
Primary Contact:
Dr. Michelle Eaton, Associate Vice President for Student Engagement & Success
Strategy/Project Description:
Program focused on associate level students, placed in learning communities, an additional requirement of a UNIV transition to college course, and embedded support services. The goal of the program is preparing students to transition or transfer to baccalaureate programs.
Evaluation/Assessment plan:
Improved retention of Associate level students. Measured by 1- year full-time Associate Retention
| |
Student count
|
1st Semester persistence
|
2nd Semester (1-YR retention)
|
|
Fall 2022
|
240
|
206 (85.8%)
|
140 (58%)
|
|
Fall 2023
|
512
|
414 (81%)
|
295 (58%)
|
|
Spring 2023
|
200
|
135 (68%)
|
115 (58%)
|
|
Spring 2024
|
427
|
288 (67%)
|
0
|
Progress and Adjustments:
To date the program has been scaled to two campuses (Oconee and Gainesville) serving ~650-700 students annually. Changes in progress for next year focuses on student placement in appropriate math courses and those with corequisite requirements.
Plan for the Year Ahead:
In AY 2025-2026 UNG will attempt to more accurately place students in MATH courses. The math program is proposing a change to the scores used to place students into the core curriculum mathematics courses and additional alternative placement options in order to place students into the correct course to improve student success.
Challenges and Support:
Challenges:
Revisions to UNG policy and resources to support students use of adaptive learning technology.
Support Needed:
Consider allowing institutions more flexibility in the testing platforms used to place students into first mathematics courses.
Primary Contact:
Dr. LaJuan Simpson-Wilkey, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs & Dean of University College
Strategy/Project Description:
We will increase the number of students experiencing High Impact Pedagogies as part of their curriculum across all five campuses and improve our ability to track these experiences for students.
Evaluation/Assessment plan:
Number of courses with HiPs embedded; count of students participating in a Hipp.
| Yearly Breakdown
|
Course Sections |
Enrolled Students |
|
Fall 21
|
290
|
2281
|
|
Spring 22
|
477
|
4398
|
|
Summer 22
|
188
|
676
|
|
Year Total
|
955
|
7355
|
|
Fall 22
|
667
|
4690
|
|
Spring 23
|
465
|
1602
|
|
Summer 23
|
304
|
997
|
|
Year Total
|
1436
|
7289
|
|
Fall 23
|
403
|
1833
|
|
Spring 24
|
579
|
3958
|
|
Summer 24
|
323
|
1310
|
|
Year Total
|
1305
|
7101
|
|
Fall 24
|
619
|
3708
|
Progress and Adjustments:
UNG has focused on accurately capturing HiPs courses and scaling the number of hip opportunities available to students. The Director of the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Leadership (CTLL) has worked with the academic departments to auto-code some course by HiP in Banner. CTLL has also developed an additional training course based on the MomentumU course to certify faculty in the teaching of HiPs.
Plan for the Year Ahead:
Work with academic departments to certify all faculty teaching a HiP designated course. Continue to scale HiPs until all students participate in at least two HiPs.
Challenges and Support:
Challenges:
Consistency in coding courses, faculty completion of training modules, and accuracy in data entry.
Primary Contact:
Dr. Roger Runquist, Director of Center for Teaching, Learning and Leadership
Strategy/Project Description:
Improve coordination and consistency of advising in the first year by requiring all departments and programs to use the model developed in the Advising Center and by increasing the number of professional advisors.
Evaluation/Assessment plan:
Increase the number of students served by professional advising.
Professional Advising Appointments by month and Campus
|
2023
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Yearly Totals
|
|
Cumming
|
95
|
76
|
111
|
138
|
178
|
137
|
94
|
62
|
73
|
230
|
279
|
108
|
1581
|
|
Dahlonega
|
542
|
642
|
945
|
706
|
248
|
202
|
210
|
546
|
617
|
1530
|
1130
|
274
|
7592
|
|
Gainesville
|
480
|
558
|
692
|
608
|
529
|
265
|
310
|
498
|
363
|
1232
|
953
|
373
|
6861
|
|
Oconee
|
228
|
202
|
245
|
228
|
173
|
102
|
143
|
317
|
138
|
500
|
415
|
156
|
2847
|
|
Totals
|
1345
|
1478
|
1993
|
1680
|
1128
|
706
|
757
|
1423
|
1191
|
3492
|
2777
|
911
|
18881
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2024
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Year To Date Totals
|
|
Cumming
|
86
|
89
|
133
|
197
|
218
|
125
|
119
|
126
|
107
|
|
|
|
1200
|
|
Dahlonega
|
431
|
755
|
881
|
768
|
266
|
246
|
274
|
724
|
1022
|
|
|
|
5367
|
|
Gainesville
|
498
|
523
|
618
|
728
|
507
|
339
|
486
|
700
|
632
|
|
|
|
5031
|
|
Oconee
|
205
|
205
|
221
|
295
|
182
|
94
|
183
|
357
|
193
|
|
|
|
1935
|
|
Blue Ridge*
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
1
|
42
|
|
|
|
43
|
|
Totals
|
1220
|
1572
|
1853
|
1988
|
1173
|
804
|
1062
|
1908
|
1996
|
|
|
|
13576
|
*Blue Ridge Campus had no professional advising until September
Progress and Adjustments:
An Institutional Advising Council (IAC) has been formed to standardize policies, procedures, and practices for all advisors – professional and faculty – and ensuring all UNG students receive a standard quality of support from academic advising across institutional units, colleges, and campuses.
Plan for the Year Ahead:
- The IAC will set advising caseloads/practices, maintain degree maps, and ensure seamless transition of students between departments/majors.
- Prescribe and track data-driven key policies and practices:
- establish standards for tracking students, proactive outreach, and record keeping;
- ensure all advisors and coaches leverage the common advising system in the same way across each advising unit;
- update DegreeWorks to help students track their own degree progress and allow for advisors and coaches to coordinate a student’s plan of study through graduation.
- Establish regular training for first-time advisors and annual training for all continuing advisors – professional and faculty – on rotating topics, such as the standard use of technologies.
- Deploy standardized degree maps proactively to guide students to make informed decisions about the costs and time-to-degree for different academic options
Challenges and Support:
Challenges:
Full implementation of this objective will require human resources and will need to be phased in over time.
Primary Contact:
Dr. Eugene VanSickle, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Programs
Strategy/Project Description:
Increase the number of nursing graduates by growth and development of accelerated pipelines into the BSN, adapting delivery methods for improved compatibility with the Corps of Cadets, and expanding program delivery to additional campuses
Evaluation/Assessment plan:
|
Nursing graduates
|
AY 2023-2024 (Fall 2023/Spring2024)
|
AY 2022-2023 (Fall 2022/Spring2023)
|
AY 2021-2022 (Fall 2021/Spring2022)
|
| |
76/109
|
77/86
|
98/90
|
|
Total
|
185
|
163
|
188
|
The Department of Nursing is implementing an aggressive growth plan for undergraduate admissions over the next five years to address the evolving healthcare needs of our community. This plan includes launching an Accelerated BSN track, developing a specialized military cohort, and expanding campus facilities.
The primary key performance indicator (KPI) for evaluating the success of this initiative will be the total number of BSN nursing graduates, which will be tracked each semester. Progress will be assessed against both baseline figures (current graduation rates) and our target growth goals. Regular evaluation will ensure the program remains on track to meet its targets and can be adjusted as needed to optimize success.11
Progress and Adjustments:
The Accelerated BSN track (ABSNT) was launched in Spring 2023 with an initial cohort of 16 students. Since then, the program has experienced significant growth, with the 2024 cohort increasing to 51 students and the 2025 cohort projected to reach 80 students. To further support student success and retention, a dedicated Student Success Coordinator was hired.
In May 2024, 15 ABSNT students successfully graduated, marking a significant milestone for the program. This achievement, combined with a rebound in enrollment in the Traditional BSN track following the COVID-19 pandemic, reflects the overall growth and success of the department.
Looking ahead, continued focus on enhancing student retention and academic support will be critical as the program expands. We will continue to assess student progress, refine support services, and adjust program offerings as needed to maintain momentum and ensure long-term success.
Plan for the Year Ahead:
In Fall 2025, the BSN program will expand to the Cumming campus, with an initial cohort of 20 students. Enrollment will increase by 10 students each year, ultimately reaching a maximum capacity of 60 students. Additionally, planning has already begun for the expansion of the BSN program to the Blue Ridge campus, slated for Fall 2026.
Further expansion initiatives include launching the Accelerated BSN track (ABSNT) at the Cumming campus in Summer 2026, followed by the introduction of a military cohort in Dahlonega in Fall 2027. These steps are part of our ongoing efforts to increase access to nursing education and address the growing healthcare needs of our community.
Challenges and Support:
The rapid expansion of the BSN program faces several key challenges, primarily related to securing sufficient funding for faculty, capital improvements, and ongoing operations. While a building project for the Cumming campus expansion was completed in Summer 2024 and construction is underway at the Blue Ridge campus, additional financial support is still needed. Although grants have been secured for some of the required funding, the Department of Nursing (DON) is actively negotiating with community partners to secure further financial resources.
Another challenge is the ongoing shortage of qualified nursing faculty, which could impact the implementation and scaling of the expanded programs. In particular, the rising salaries for nurses in the private sector create a competitive environment, making it necessary to offer attractive faculty compensation packages in order to recruit and retain highly qualified instructors.
