Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College 2024

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) is a small campus with big opportunities. Since 1908, ABAC has provided unique, hands-on learning for students as the South’s premier destination for Agricultural studies. Our offerings have grown a great deal since our founding, now including a wide range of more traditional 4-year degrees and paths to success, including a highly sought-after nursing program, innovative arts and science tracks, and an ever-growing list of learning opportunities and majors for our students. A member of the 26-member University System of Georgia, ABAC is proud to support enrollment of over 3700 students from 151 of Georgia’s 159 counties, 14 states, and 21 countries as we help create a more educated Georgia.

ABAC’s mission is to provide excellent education by engaging, teaching, coaching, mentoring, and providing relevant experiences that prepare the graduate for life.

Fall 2023 Student Demographics	Total
Fall Enrollment	3,768
Full-Time	66%
Bachelor’s Degree-Seeking	69%
Females	61%
Underserved Minoritized Population	19%
Pell Eligible	34%
First Generation	25%
Adult Learner (age 24+)	10%
On-Campus Resident	35%
Intercollegiate Student Athlete	4%
Dual Enrolled	14%
Freshmen (< 30 hours)	38%
First-Year Retention Rate	69%
Six-Year Graduation Rate	38%

A central tenet of ABAC’s mission is to “provide excellent education by engaging, teaching, coaching, mentoring, and providing relevant experiences that prepare the graduate for life.” To that end, ABAC’s Complete College Georgia (CCG) plan provides the framework to allow the College to commit to student success through proactive and adaptive academic, career, and student support services that enhance student achievement and prepare the student for life beyond graduation. ABAC’s involvement with CCG has allowed the College to expand successful initiatives beyond a student’s first year to increase graduation rates and prepare ABAC graduates for a career.

ABAC’s CCG team is a collaboration and partnership between Academic Affairs, Student Success, Financial Aid, Student Affairs, Housing & Residence Life, faculty, and students. The core objectives of CCG are to support and implement strategies and policies so more students can reach their goal of attaining a college degree while preparing to join the workforce or continue their educational journey. Our continued successful CCG strategies, which have positively impacted ABAC’s retention and graduation rates, include fully implementing the Momentum Year (15-to-Finish, Pathway Maps, and Learning Support Transformation) and, recently, applying techniques of the Momentum Approach to career development. These successes are highlighted in the data below and in sections two and three.

ABAC’s evaluation of its CCG plan focuses primarily on retention and graduation rates. One means of assessment utilized when determining the level of success with student achievement is by comparing ABAC’s retention and graduation rates to those of other state colleges within the USG. The list of peer institutions is as follows:

Atlanta Metropolitan State College
College of Coastal Georgia
Dalton State College
Georgia Gwinnett College
Gordon State College
East Georgia State College
Georgia Highlands College
South Georgia State College

ABAC monitors the range of retention and graduation rates from the peer cohorts as well as the average for the cohort for both measures. The College determines an acceptable threshold for achieving student success for retention and graduation rates from these ranges and averages.

ABAC’s minimum threshold of acceptability or goal for its first-year retention rate is to exceed the average retention rate of ABAC’s comparison peer institutions. ABAC aspires to have a first-year retention rate that is at least comparable to or better than the average of its peer institutions. Because ABAC is heavily committed to improving its first-year retention, it has been implementing various supportive Momentum Year initiatives, as described in this document.

Pertinent outcomes data on the first-year retention rates at ABAC and its peer institutions are shown in Table 1. For Fall 2023, ABAC’s first-year retention rate was 69%, the second highest rate within the USG’s State College Sector, and exceeded the peer group average of 61%. ABAC’s Fall 2021 retention rate was close to the peer group average. For Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Fall 2020, and Fall 2019, ABAC’s student achievement outcomes in terms of first-year retention were higher than the average retention rate for its peers, indicating successful goal attainment.

Table 1. Institutional First-Year Retentions for ABAC and Peer Institutions

Cohort Semester	Retention Semester	Cohort Size	ABAC’s Retention Rate	Peer Group Average Retention Rate (and Range)
Fall 2023	Fall 2024	639	69%	64% (45% - 71%)
Fall 2022	Fall 2023	559	69%	64% (48% - 69%)
Fall 2021	Fall 2022	533	62%	65% (44% - 67%)
Fall 2020	Fall 2021	548	65%	61% (56% - 72%)
Fall 2019	Fall 2020	533	74%	64% (52% - 79%)

Note. Data are from USG by the Numbers and include First-Year, Full-Time bachelor’s degree-seeking students.

ABAC’s goal or threshold for acceptable performance for its four- and six-year graduation rates is to exceed the average graduation rate of ABAC’s comparison peer institutions. For many years, improving the institution’s four- and six-year graduation rates has been part of ABAC and USG’s Retention, Progression, and Graduation (RPG) and CCG initiatives. The data in Table 2 (four-year graduation rates) and Table 3 (six-year graduation rates) show that ABAC has continually achieved its threshold of acceptability goals with respect to the peer group average. ABAC continues to be on the upper end of the graduation rate range for USG State Colleges and exceeds the peer group average for the fall cohorts presented below. A few of ABAC’s CCG strategies that have contributed to its rise in graduation rates include 15-to-Finish, Early Alerts, Academic Intervention Management (AIM), First-year Learning Experience (FLEX), and 90-hour checks.

Table 2. Four-Year (on-time) Graduation Rates for ABAC and Peer Group

Cohort Semester	Graduation Year	Cohort Size	ABAC’s Graduation Rate	Peer Group Average Graduation Rate (and Range)
Fall 2020	2023-24	548	29%	13% (9% - 29%)
Fall 2019	2022-23	533	28%	13% (9% - 28%)
Fall 2018	2021-22	520	28%	13% (3% - 28%)
Fall 2017	2020-21	477	23%	13% (0% - 23%)
Fall 2016	2019-20	478	28%	11% (0% - 28%)

Note. Data are from USG by the Numbers - First-Year, Full-Time bachelor’s degree-seeking students.

Table 3. Six-Year Graduation Rates for ABAC and Peer Group

Cohort Semester	Graduation Year	Cohort Size	ABAC’s Graduation Rate	Peer Group Average Graduation Rate (and Range)
Fall 2018	2023-24	520	38%	24% (15% - 38%)
Fall 2017	2022-23	477	28%	23% (16% - 31%)
Fall 2016	2021-22	478	30%	22% (17% - 30%)
Fall 2015	2020-21	346	34%	24% (21% - 34%)
Fall 2014	2019-20	242	33%	21% (17% - 35%)

Note. Data are from USG by the Numbers - First-Year, Full-Time bachelor’s degree-seeking students.

During Fall 2024, ABAC’s CCG team, in partnership with the cabinet, aligned its CCG work with the institution's ASPIRE (Academic Strategies and Programs for Institutional Relevance and Excellence) work. ASPIRE reinforces institutional work on data-informed practices to achieve academic excellence and meet the strategic goals of the institution and USG. Several of ABAC’s CCG strategies (15-to-Finish and 90-hour checks) have become institutional best practices and are reported under optional updates. The following two current CCG initiatives and three new initiatives, discussed further in Section 2, frame ABAC’s ASPIRE strategies for success:

First Year Learning Experience (FLEX) Program
“Yellow Brick Road”- Creating a four-year plan for career services
Comprehensive Program Living Learning Communities
Local, early, and efficient engaged learning opportunities
Expanding experiential learning through connections with co-curriculars

Success Inventory

FLEX (First-year Learning Experience) (Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College-2024)

Strategy/Project Name:

FLEX (First-year Learning Experience)

Momentum Area:

Purpose

Category:

First Year Experience

Mindset

Summary of Activities:

In the Fall of 2022, Student Success wanted to improve upon its AIM (Academic Intervention Management) program, a CCG initiative implemented in 2012, to work with first-year students who go on academic probation after their first semester. The AIM program is considered reactive and fails to provide the “just in time” support many of our students need. A pilot of the FLEX program was run during the fall 2022 and the fall 2023 semesters alongside the AIM program. The initial retention rate results of the FLEX program seem promising – showing a significant increase compared to the AIM program. FLEX was scaled from an average of 24 students in the pilots to 158 incoming first-year students for the Fall 2024 semester. The AIM program continues to run each spring semester to work with first-time students on academic probation.

During the pilot program, FLEX was for incoming first-year students below a 3.2 high school GPA (HSGPA). These identified students were invited to participate in the FLEX program. For Fall 2024, FLEX was open to all incoming first-year students with targeted outreach to those with a HSGPA below 3.2.

The FLEX program is a proactive approach focused on a productive academic mindset, identifying resources, and providing academic support. Students who participate work one-on-one with an Academic Support Counselor on a weekly, bi-weekly, or as-needed basis to meet students where they’re at, both academically and socially. FLEX essentially provides an individualized first-year experience course. The FLEX program is non-credit-bearing; thus, it is free, and students can opt in or out.

Activity Status:

Scaling

Evaluation/Assessment plan:

Measures of success include the percentage of students who participated in the FLEX program and continued into the next semester in good academic standing and those who returned the following fall semester (first-year retention).

KPIs:

Number of participants per fall
Percentage in good academic standing after the first semester
Percentage retained (First-year retention)
Average GPA of all participants
Average GPA of those retained

	Participants	% Good Standing	% FY Retention	Avg GPA All	Avg GPA Retained
Fall 2022 Pilot	21	52%	52%	2.13	2.79
Fall 2023 Pilot	26	73%	92%	2.42	2.67
Fall 2024	158	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD

ABAC’s AIM program produced results and helped students return to good academic standing as long as they participated regularly in the program. The effectiveness is reduced when enrolled students who did not participate as expected are added in. Below is a glimpse of the five-year average for the AIM program for comparison to FLEX:

5 YR Avg	Avg Student Required	% Return to Good Standing	% FY Retention	Avg GPA All	Avg GPA Retained
AIM	89	13%	11%	below 2.0	below 2.0

KPI goals

For students who participate in FLEX, ABAC would like to see the percentage of students in good standing and retained after their first year exceed the College’s first-year retention rate as described under the Institutional Profile section. Consistent percentages over 70% are the long-term goals of the FLEX program.

Progress and Adjustments:

Initial results of the FLEX program indicate that a proactive approach may help ABAC in improving USG student outcomes of first-year retention and reducing the time to degree completion. Upon completion of the two pilots the following adjustments to FLEX have been made:

Opening the program up to all first-year students
Running FLEX in Fall and AIM in Spring

Combining a reactive program, AIM, with our proactive program, FLEX, can help provide continued academic support to help students with greater academic need be successful.

Plan for the Year Ahead:

KPIs for the Fall 2024 program will be complied and analyzed by the end of Spring 2025, due to the measuring of the first-year retention rate.

The FLEX program is expected to run as planned for Fall 2025. Adjustments to meeting frequency and targeted outreach to participate in the program may be adjusted pending results/data from the Fall 2024 cohort.

Challenges and Support:

Challenges: Sufficient qualified/credentialed personnel is the major challenge facing the FLEX program. Given other programs/initiatives and daily workflow, Academic Support will be challenged in providing adequate intervention if the numbers/demand continues to grow.

Supports: A review of programs and services provided by Academic Support in relation to its staffing to develop a plan that lays out a clear timeline to provide adequate staffing, which is balanced and considerate of budgeting challenges faced by the State College Sector of USG.

Contact email:

lisa.pryor@abac.edu

Primary Contact:

Lisa Pryor, Director of Academic Support

Dr. Nicholas Urquhart, AVP for Student Success

“Yellow Brick Road”- Creating a four-year plan for career services (Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College-2024)

Strategy/Project Name:

“Yellow Brick Road”- Creating a four-year plan for career services

Momentum Area:

Pathways

Strategy/Project Description:

In preparation for the Momentum VI Summit, ABAC’s CCG team identified a data gap in the institution’s ability to capture what its graduates were doing after graduation, including workforce-related data. To help close this gap, the College incorporated Career Services into its Strategic Plan, which is also tied to USG’s Student Career Development initiative as part of their Strategic Plan 2029.

ABAC is committed to developing a proactive approach to career services that engages students, employers, alumni, and faculty in implementing best practices. To help move this strategic initiative forward, ABAC created a centralized Career Center in Fall 2023. The primary responsibilities and measures of success for the Career Center are defined as follows:

Career-related data: Collect and house data related to Career Services (focus surveys, First Destination Survey, Graduate Schools, etc.)
Student Engagement: career advising, workshops, interviews, etc.
Job Search Support: career fairs, employment/internship postings, etc.
Student Success: job placement rates, graduate school acceptance rates, etc.

Utilizing the Momentum Approach, ABAC’s Career Center is currently studying and developing a four-year career pathway, which will run parallel to a student’s academic pathway through the use of milestones. Students will have milestone events/tasks that they need to complete over their four years that build upon the traditional/existing strategies that are already in place. Examples of milestones include joining a professional organization that aligns with the student’s career interests, career and major alignment through exploration, internship experiences, applying to jobs, applying to grad school, resume building, interview preparation, career closet (building a professional wardrobe), etc.

The underlying “big idea” is that students will connect their degree to their career goals as they progress through their academic program, which will help increase retention rates beyond the first year. Also leading to increased graduation rates.

Activity Status:

Studying

Evaluation/Assessment plan:

The intended impact areas of this initiative are as follows:

Year 1: Engagement – measuring the number of students who engage with the four-year career plan through completion of milestones, which are tracked through various programs (Handshake, appointment bookings, etc.)
Years 2 & 3: Retention – will continue measuring/tracking students who engage with the four-year career plan as well as the second and third-year retention rates (bachelor’s degree-seeking students) of students who actively participate in the roadmap to those who do not engage with the plan
Years 4 to 6 – continued monitoring of program engagement. Will monitor and track internship placements, job placements, and graduate school acceptance of students who actively participate in the career plan to those who did not. Graduation rates will also be tracked.

The Career Center is on track to launch a program pilot Fall 2025.

Progress and Adjustments:

A fully completed four-year career plan will be released Spring 2025. The plan can stand alone, but will have milestones that can be incorporated into the academic program maps.

Plan for the Year Ahead:

Once the four-year career plan is completed and approved, promotional materials and an ad campaign will run for current and new students (incoming Fall 2025). Outreach will include various methods such as targeted text messaging, social media, class visits, flyers, and talks at Orientation to new students and their family members.

Tracking of students who complete milestones will begin Fall 2025. Handshake and other appointment-tracking software (i.e., Calendly) will be utilized.

Challenges and Support:

Challenges: The scalability of the program and the maximum number of students that can be served is limited by the staffing need. Currently, the Career Center is a department of one.

Supports: Partnerships between the Career Center and the College’s Schools may allow certain faculty or School staff to assist with implementing this initiative. Training faculty advisors on the four-year career plan could also help extend the outreach and effectiveness of the program.

Contact email:

rachel.frantz@abac.edu

Primary Contact:

Rachel Frantz, Career Center Coordinator,

Dr. Nicholas Urquhart, AVP for Student Success

Comprehensive Program Living Learning Communities (Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College-2024)

Strategy/Project Name:

Comprehensive Program Living Learning Communities

Momentum Area:

Purpose

Category:

Learning Communities

Strategy/Project Description:

ABAC’s Office of Student Affairs is creating Living Learning Communities (LLCs) for incoming first-year students living on campus. The LLCs will incorporate mentorships and peer support that will focus on academic and social skillsets, communication practices, leadership, empathy, community engagement, and relationship building.

ABAC Housing has a long track record of hosting LLCs over the last decade, in Lakeside, the typical first-year student dorm; however, this new model will be the first that the LLCs will be hosted outside of the typical freshmen dorms.

Activity Status:

Initiating

Evaluation/Assessment plan:

Measures of success will include:

Academic Performance: Students in LLCs often have higher GPAs and better retention rates compared to non-LLC students.
Retention and Graduation Rates: LLCs contribute to higher retention and graduation rates. Students in these communities are more likely to stay
Surveying students to measure:
- Connections: LLC students report feeling more connected to their peers and faculty, which enhances their overall college experience
- Engagement: Participation in LLCs is linked to increased student engagement both inside and outside the classroom. This includes more active participation in courses and a greater sense of community

Progress and Adjustments:

Residence Life, part of Student Affairs, planned to host roughly 150 first-year students at ABAC Place. Three Living-Learning Communities of 50 students each were developed for Fall 2024, and were ran as a small test pilot.

Of the three communities that were planned, only two of them were needed and are currently in progress.

Additional information and data will be made available at the conclusion

Plan for the Year Ahead:

A programming calendar for these students will be set during Resident Assistant Training and all participant attendance data will be tracked. For Fall 2025, ResLife plans to host one LLC for roughly 40 first-year students. These students will live at ABAC Place. The LLC is offered five program/event opportunities. Two of the events are academic, two are social, and one is an off-campus event.

Challenges and Support:

Challenges:

Resource limitations that include funding, enough dedicated staff, and physical space.
Engagement, as not all students may be equally engaged and not participate fully.
Balancing the ability to cater to diverse student needs
Scaling up without losing the essence of community

Supports: A shared LLC Best Practices from the various USG sectors from successful programs may aid in producing favorable results

Contact email:

thester@abac.edu

Primary Contact:

Trent Hester, Director of Residence Life & Housing

Dr. Alan Kramer, Dean of Students

Local, early, and efficient engaged learning opportunities (Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College-2024)

Strategy/Project Name:

Local, early, and efficient engaged learning opportunities

Momentum Area:

Change Management

Category:

Other/Undefined

Strategy/Project Description:

Increase opportunities for experiential learning activities that provide meaningful professional experience to students through private and public partnerships.

Increase institutional capacity and support for experiential learning opportunities that are local, cost less money, and have significant impact by connecting students earlier to relevant engagement opportunities by working closely with Downtown Development Authority to create local internship opportunities, and partnerships with local industry to create more structured local internship pipelines. Also, smaller companies that align with majors and inter-programmatic internships should be looked at, as well as those that provide access to industry options for any majors at ABAC. Collaboration between entities at ABAC (Academic schools, ABAC Foundation, Student Affairs, and other administrative units) to identify, promote, and provide funding support for a wider range of student engagement and experiential learning.

Activity Status:

Studying

Evaluation/Assessment plan:

Measures of success will include:

Tracking the number of experiential learning opportunities
Retention rate of those students who participate in these experiential learning activities
Graduation rate of those students who participate in these experiential learning activities
Evaluating the impact on career readiness and employment outcomes. Metrics include job placement rates, internship completion rates, and employer feedback on student performance

Progress and Adjustments:

While in the research and development phase:

Employers that can offer professional experiential learning (i.e., internships) have been identified
Development of the Student Engagement Advisory Group has been developed

Plan for the Year Ahead:

Downtown Development Authority (Tifton)
- Establish internships for summer
Look at smaller companies that align with majors and inter-programmatic internships that provide access to industry options for any major at ABAC.
- Develop a partnership with the Career Center to aid in this goal
Collaboration between entities at ABAC (Academic schools, ABAC Foundation, Student Affairs, and other administrative units) to identify, promote, and provide funding support for a wider range of student engagement and experiential learning.
Meet with The Student Engagement Advisory Group contains to review progress, generate ideas, and identify and resolve obstacles.

Challenges and Support:

Challenges:

Limited resources can restrict the availability and quality of experiential learning opportunities
Measuring the outcomes of experiential learning can be complex.
Successfully integrating experiential learning with traditional academic curricula requires careful planning and collaboration between faculty and program coordinators
Ensuring that all students have equal access to experiential learning opportunities is crucial. Barriers such as financial constraints, disabilities, or personal obligations can limit participation
Support from faculty advisors via the School Deans and Department Chairs is needed to help ensure success of this initiative

Supports:

Financial support from external sources, such as grants, scholarships, and donations, can help cover the costs associated with experiential learning programs.

Contact email:

mjohnson@abac.edu

Primary Contact:

Dr. Mark Johnson, AVP for Academic Affairs

Expanding experiential learning through connections with co-curricular (Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College-2024)

Strategy/Project Name:

Expanding experiential learning through connections with co-curricular

Momentum Area:

Mindset

Category:

Mindset

Other/Undefined

Strategy/Project Description:

Increase opportunities for experiential learning activities that provide meaningful professional experience to students through private and public partnerships.

Which will be done through expanding the scope of the definition into the RSOs (Recognized Student Organizations) to include real-world learning experiences offered through a co-curricular club or organization to help students further connect skills learned in the classroom to skills relevant to post-college success. Engaging the student in discipline experiences from a perspective that is different (more relaxed) than the classroom or structured internships. We have 23 co-curricular academically allied clubs and organizations on campus. Engaging club/organization faculty advisors to recognize and then align opportunities offered by those groups to experiential learning.

Activity Status:

Studying

Evaluation/Assessment plan:

Currently looking at the following metrics to measure success:

Measuring levels of student engagement and participation in experiential learning activities. This can include attendance rates, participation in discussions, and involvement in related projects
Evaluating the impact on career readiness and employment outcomes.
Collecting feedback from students about their experiences through surveys and focus groups. This can provide insights into how the activities are perceived and their overall impact on student satisfaction

Progress and Adjustments:

The expanding experiential learning through connections with co-curricular is a new initiative for Student Affairs. Progress thus far includes researching best practices, development of a committee, and the development of an implementation plan.

Plan for the Year Ahead:

Moving into Spring 2025, Student Affairs is working to identify opportunities for the Office of Residence Life & Housing to fund experiential learning opportunities for faculty and students.

Examples:
- Funding a field trip to Chehaw Park for Biology students to work with animals
- Working with the Nursing faculty to take residential Nursing students to the Bodies Exhibit in Atlanta, GA

Partnering with Writing & Communications/Business Faculty to take students to a Braves game to work with their event management team.

Challenges and Support:

Challenges:

Clubs and organizations often operate with limited budgets and resources, which can restrict the scope and quality of experiential learning activities
Maintaining consistent engagement can be difficult. Students may have varying levels of commitment, and balancing club activities with academic responsibilities can be challenging
Measuring the impact of experiential learning within clubs and organizations can be complex. Developing effective assessment tools and ensuring that students reflect on their experiences are essential
Ensuring that all students have equal access to experiential learning opportunities is important. Barriers such as financial constraints, scheduling conflicts, and personal obligations can limit participation

Supports Needed:

External organizations can offer workshops, training sessions, and professional development opportunities for student leaders and members. This support can help students develop the skills needed to manage projects and lead effectively
Financial support from external sources, such as grants, sponsorships, and donations, can help cover the costs of experiential learning activities. This includes funding for materials, travel, and event organization

Contact email:

douglas.burnette@abac.edu

Primary Contact:

Shawn Burnette, Coordinator of Student Activities

Dr. Alan Kramer, Dean of Students

Campus Plans Supplemental Sections

15-TO-FINISH

ABAC continues to preregister first-year students before their scheduled orientation session. Academic Support preregisters all full-time first-year students for 15 hours; however, several of these students choose to take less than 15 hours. The importance of 15-to-finish begins with the information given to interested students before admission and is incorporated into orientation and new faculty advisor training each fall and spring semesters. Financial aid counselors also encourage students to take 15 hours a semester to graduate on time. Plus, the program maps incorporate the 15-to-Finish initiative. Below is a chart showing ABAC’s progress toward this goal for our first-year students (FYS) both associate and bachelor’s seeking:

Fall Cohort	Total FYS*	FYS registered for 15+	Percentage of FYS 15+	Avg. Credit Hours
2024	567	296	52%	13.79
2023	550	278	51%	14.03
2022	508	253	50%	13.69
2021	532	306	57%	14.22
2020	562	286	51%	14.18

Note. Data are from Argos Banner Reporting.

Measures of Success

The number of first-year students taking 15 or more hours in their first semester increased slightly by one percentage point for Fall 2023 and Fall 2024 over the previous Fall cohort.
The average number of credit hours taken per student increased slightly for Fall 2023 over Fall 2023; however, the average number of credit hours per student slightly decreased for Fall 2024 but is still within an acceptable range.

Lessons Learned

ABAC has consistently delivered the message 15 hours a semester to graduate on time. The 15-to-Finish initiative began in 2012 and has become part of the ABAC culture and a norm for full-time first-year students. Data disaggregation shows that 60% or more bachelor’s degree-seeking students take 15 or more hours in the first semester and average closer to 15 credit hours.

90-HOUR CHECKS

ABAC realizes that the path to graduation should be easy for students to navigate; however, changes in policies and programs can occasionally throw a student off track. ABAC has helped remove barriers to graduation by implementing 90-hour checks for all bachelor’s degree-seeking students who have earned 90 or more credit hours. The checks ensure that each student is on track to graduate within one academic year as students apply for graduation the semester before they graduate. An additional check of requirements is done by both the student’s advisor and an Academic Support Counselor, thus further easing the graduation process and reducing potential barriers to graduation. Below are the updated results for the 90-hour checks:

Semester	Off Track	Graduated within one year	Percentage graduated
Spring 2023	95	68	72%
Fall 2022	324	267	82%
Spring 2022	309	219	71%
Fall 2021	372	336	90%
Spring 2021	189	177	94%

The table above shows the number of students identified as being off-track for the term given, the number that graduated within one year of being off-track, followed by the percentage. This high-impact strategy continues to be a success for the students and the institution by keeping students on track to graduate.

Measures of Success

Increase in third-year retention rates.

Institutional Third-Year Retention Rates for ABAC and Peer Institutions

The graph above indicates that ABAC’s third-year retention rates have continued to exceed the average of its peers per cohort year since 2014. Data were pulled from USG Qlik.

Another measure of success is the growth in the number of students graduating within one year after being identified as off-track. The table above indicates an overall increase in students who graduate within one year after being identified as off-track.
An overall increase in the conferment of bachelor’s degrees is also a measure of success.

Number of ABAC Degrees Conferred in the Past Five Fiscal Years

Fiscal Year	Conferred Bachelor’s Degrees
2024	421
2023	393
2022	428

For FY 2024, an increase in the number of bachelor’s degrees conferred can be seen in the table above, thereby indicating a successful result.

Lessons Learned

During the 2014-15 academic year, the number of baccalaureate students who reached 90 hours without completing high school requirements or the core curriculum was alarming. Due to these deficiencies, Academic Support implemented 90-hour checks to keep students on track for graduation. The effects of the 90-hour checks can be seen in the number of students graduating within one academic year after being identified. Additionally, the results of this high-impact practice can be seen in the College’s third-year retention rates and the number of bachelor’s degrees conferred. Academic Support, School Department Heads, and faculty advisors continue to work with students who are determined to be off-track to help remove or solve the identified barriers to allow for on-time graduation. The decrease in students identified for Spring 2023 may be attributed to advisors being notified during the first graduation application review of needed substitutions or course adjustments.

OBSERVATIONS AND NEXT STEPS

In addition to the Momentum Year and Momentum Approach implemented initiatives, the high-impact strategies listed in section three have aided ABAC in increasing student outcomes, which are seen through our institutional retention and graduation rates. Also, these strategies and initiatives tie into our institutional mission “to engage, teach, coach, mentor, and provide relevant experiences that prepare the graduate for life.” Our success comes from faculty and staff collaboration and administrative support to increase student achievement and the College’s retention and graduation rates.

ABAC’s next phase for this upcoming academic year (2025-26) is integrating our top five ASPIRE strategies, as seen in Section II, into our Momentum work to drive our overall Complete College Georgia plan. As noted above, our updated plan focuses on increasing student engagement, further integrating career development into our approaches, and enhancing student programming and support services. These five initiatives align with USG’s 2029 Strategic Plan and will aid ABAC in preparing ABAC graduates for life after graduation, which will be seen through our retention and graduation rates, as well as workforce development data. ABAC is committed to the Complete College Georgia Initiative and to being Georgia’s State College of Choice by advancing the prosperity of our students, the community, and the state of Georgia.

Quick View - Success Inventory