{"233351":{"#nid":"233351","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Institute Sets 80 Percent Grad Rate Goal","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStudent retention and improved graduation rates. These are two priorities for any college or university \u2014 including Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn a recent progress update to the University System of Georgia (USG), Tech reported that the Institute is supporting the goals outlined in its Complete College Georgia campus plan, which include increasing student retention and improving graduation rates. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe overall goal of Tech\u2019s plan is to reach and consistently maintain an 80 percent, six-year graduation rate before gradually increasing this rate to 84 percent, which is the mean rate of Tech\u2019s peer institutions. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech has one of the highest six-year graduation rates in the state,\u201d said Sandi Bramblett, executive director, Institutional Research and Planning, and co-chair of Tech\u2019s Complete College Georgia Steering Committee. \u201cFor the 20 percent of students who don\u2019t graduate, we want to know their reasons for leaving, particularly those who left in good academic standing. We know that 10 to 12 percent leave because of academic reasons.\u201d \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn August 2011, Governor Nathan Deal announced the Complete College Georgia initiative, challenging the USG and the Technical College System of Georgia to develop plans for increasing the number of postsecondary graduates. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Georgia, 42 percent of the population holds some type of college degree. The governor wants to raise that number to 60 percent by 2020, which will require the state\u2019s public and private colleges to add 250,000 college graduates by 2020. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2012, each campus developed its own strategy and goals to increase retention. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Tech, that includes: \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPromoting the Complete College Georgia plan to the campus community.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EEstablishing a steering committee to oversee the plan\u2019s implementation.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ETransferring oversight for the coordination of undergraduate academic advising to the Center for Academic Success.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAllocating new financial resources to support priorities.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECreating a comprehensive intervention plan for students who are academically at risk.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EEnhancing programs targeting retention of underrepresented students.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EConducting research studies on retention and graduation.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Office of Assessment, the Office of Undergraduate Education, Enrollment Services, and Institutional Research and Planning took the lead on several research studies in the past year, including a Spring 2013 survey of nonreturning students.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe target population for the survey was students who were eligible to enroll \u2014 in good standing or on academic warning\/probation \u2014 but who have been absent for at least two consecutive semesters.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETech contacted the students to assess their current status (e.g., employed, enrolled elsewhere, etc.), reasons for leaving Tech, and intentions to return to Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOf those who completed the survey, approximately 40 (34 percent of the respondents) indicated they would like to discuss options for re-enrollment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETech\u2019s Vice Provost for Enrollment Services Paul Kohn is contacting students to determine what can be done to support their progression toward obtaining their undergraduate degrees. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELast spring, Tech\u2019s Office of Assessment also conducted a small pilot study with four focus groups of graduating seniors to explore time-to-degree completion factors and potential hindrances to graduation. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cUltimately, we want to come up with intervention strategies and propose resources available to help students graduate,\u201d said Steven Girardot, associate vice provost for Undergraduate Education, and co-chair of Tech\u2019s Complete College Georgia Steering Committee. Girardot and Bramblett both emphasized that retention is a comprehensive and collaborative effort among many offices. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn early October, the USG will submit the status reports from all universities and colleges to the Governor\u2019s Office, and the reports will be available to the public.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStudent retention and improved graduation rates. These are two priorities for any college or university \u2014 including Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Student retention and improved graduation rates. These are two  priorities for any college or university \u2014 including Georgia Tech."}],"uid":"27445","created_gmt":"2013-09-03 10:44:54","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:14:49","author":"Amelia Pavlik","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2013-09-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2013-09-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/c.gatech.edu\/1dtGSni","title":"Complete College Georgia"}],"groups":[{"id":"1259","name":"Whistle"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"43051","name":"complete college georgia"},{"id":"72741","name":"graduation rates"},{"id":"4184","name":"retention"},{"id":"171292","name":"Sandi Bramblett"},{"id":"171196","name":"steven girardot"},{"id":"166847","name":"students"},{"id":"726","name":"University System of Georgia"},{"id":"1966","name":"usg"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:victor.rogers@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EVictor Rogers\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}