Columbus State University 2024

Columbus State University (CSU) is a state regional public institution offering over 90 undergraduate and graduate degree options, including nationally recognized programs in the arts, business, education, and nursing. Our online degree options and continuing education programs are designed to help students balance education with work and family life. Across all programs and majors, Columbus State’s curriculum is grounded in academic excellence and creativity. We challenge students to think in new ways, turn ideas into innovation, and build a career for today’s global economy.

Mission: Columbus State University empowers its community, drives innovation, and creates opportunities. To accomplish this, we will focus on student success, responsible stewardship, community impact, and economic competitiveness.

Vision: Columbus State University will be a model of empowerment through transformational learning experiences that prepare students to serve the world as creative problem solvers and high impact leaders.

Core Values:

Excellence: Actively engaging outstanding methods in teaching, academic discovery, creative pursuits, student success, cultural enrichment, and the overall campus community.
Creativity: Pursuing distinction through inquiry and innovation, challenging convention, and focusing on solutions.
Engagement: Dynamic civic involvement and participation of students, faculty, staff, and alumni in the university experience.
Sustainability: Advancing fiscal responsibility, well-being, innovation, lifelong learning, and environmental stewardship.
Inclusion: Cultivating and championing a campus environment that welcomes diverse backgrounds, ideas, perspectives, and practices.
Servant Leadership: Leading through ethical empowerment and service.

Student Body Profile

Over the last 4 years, enrollment at Columbus State has averaged 7,750 students, with Fall 2024’s enrollment at 7937, with 1790 graduate students and 6147 undergraduate students. (Appendix A-Fall 2024 Enrollment Report).

Enrollment Trends

Total Enrollment: CSU’s total enrollment for Fall 2024 is 7,937 students, reflecting a modest increase of 3.9% compared to the previous year.
Undergraduate vs. Graduate: Undergraduate enrollment saw a slight increase to 6,147 students (1.9% growth), while graduate enrollment increased significantly to 1,790 students (11.6% growth).

Demographics

Pell Grant-Eligible Students: 48.5%
First-Generation College Students: 45.3%
Adult Learners: CSU maintains a sizable portion of non-traditional students, with notable growth in the 31-40 age group (6.3%) and modest increases in older age brackets, indicating ongoing support for adult learners.
Race/Ethnicity: The student body is diverse, with a notable increase in Black or African American students (+3.5%), Hispanic or Latino students (+3.1%), and those identifying with two or more races (+11.7%).
Age Profile: The average age of undergraduate students is 24, while graduate students average 35 years old, indicating a blend of traditional and non-traditional learners.

These data underscore the importance of CSU’s mission to provide accessible education to a diverse student population, with a strategic emphasis on supporting underserved communities through comprehensive student success initiatives.

Key Performance Indicators

In 2017, Columbus State University identified a list of comparator and aspirational peer institutions (Appendix B). This list has not been updated since its creation and is expected to be updated in the next year in partnership with the University System Office. For the purposes of the Momentum CCG Campus Update, CSU has elected to compare itself to the State University sector (comparator), comprehensive universities (aspirational), and the system as whole (aspirational).

First-time Full Time Retention by Cohort (Bachelor's degree seeking)

Cohort	CSU	State University Sector	Comprehensive Sector	USG System Wide
Fall 2018	70.8%	71.1%	75.7%	78.4%
Fall 2019	74.4%	72.4%	77.0%	78.4%
Fall 2020	58.0%	64.5%	68.9%	72.6%
Fall 2021	63.1%	67.5%	71.0%	75.1%
Fall 2022	70.4%	71.7%	76.3%	78.4%
Fall 2023	68.2%	72.3%	75.8%	78.0 %

Above 70% (Fall 2018, Fall 2019, Fall 2022)
- A retention rate above 70% is considered strong, indicating that most students are satisfied and find value in continuing their education at the institution.
- Institutions with rates in this range are often seen as stable and supportive environments for incoming students.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic (Fall 2020, Fall 2021)
- The sharp drop to 58.0% in Fall 2020 highlights the significant challenges posed by the pandemic, including remote learning difficulties, mental health concerns, and financial stressors.
- The partial recovery to 63.1% in Fall 2021 suggests gradual adaptation to pandemic-related changes but indicates ongoing challenges in retaining students.
Recent Trends (Fall 2022, Fall 2023)
- The improvement to 70.4% in Fall 2022 reflects a recovery and adjustment period post-pandemic, suggesting that we may have implemented successful interventions.
- However, the slight decline to 68.2% in Fall 2023 might indicate new challenges or areas needing attention to sustain long-term retention gains.

Comparison to State University Sector (comparator), Comprehensive University Sector (aspirational), and USG System Averages

Pre-Pandemic Strength (Fall 2018 & Fall 2019)
- CSU's retention rates for Fall 2018 (70.8%) and Fall 2019 (74.4%) were close to their competitors, the State University Sector which were 71.1% and 72.4%, respectively.
- However, CSU lagged the Comprehensive Sector and System-Wide average indicating room for improvement compared to their aspirational peers and the broader University System of Georgia.
Pandemic Impact (Fall 2020 & Fall 2021)
- Like many institutions, CSU saw a significant drop in retention during the pandemic, with a retention rate of 58.0% in Fall 2020, which was well below both the State University Sector (64.5%), Comprehensive University Sector (68.9%), and System-Wide averages (72.6%).
- In Fall 2021, CSU's retention improved to 63.1%, but it still trailed behind the State University Sector (67.5%), Comprehensive University Sector (71.0%) and System-Wide averages (75.1%).
Post-Pandemic Recovery (Fall 2022 & Fall 2023)
- CSU showed a strong recovery in Fall 2022, achieving a retention rate of 70.4%, almost matching the State University Sector average of 71.7%.
- In Fall 2023, CSU's rate dipped slightly to 68.2%, still below the State University Sector (72.3%), Comprehensive University Sector (75.8), and System-Wide average (78%).

Pandemic Disproportionate Impact on CSU

The data clearly shows that CSU was disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with a sharper decline in retention rates (from 74.4% in Fall 2019 to 58.0% in Fall 2020).
The State University Sector, Comprehensive University Sector, and System-Wide retention rates also declined but not as drastically, indicating that CSU students may have faced greater challenges during the pandemic, such as issues with remote learning, financial stress, or access to resources.

Recent Declines Relative to Comparators and Aspirational Peers

Despite a recovery in Fall 2022, CSU's retention rate in Fall 2023 (68.2%) still lags the State University Sector, Comprehensive University Sector, and System-Wide averages.
This suggests a need for further analysis into factors affecting CSU's retention, especially as it is falling behind its peers in post-pandemic years.

According to the National Student Clearinghouse, the national average retention rate for full-time, first-time bachelor's degree-seeking students is currently around 68.2% for the Fall 2022 cohort. Columbus State exceeded this in the same year and has matched it for the Fall 2023.

(Data Source: Qlik CCG Retention Trends & National Student Clearing House Research Center)

Persistence Rates by Student Level

Student Level	Fall 18-19	Fall 19-20	Fall 20-21	Fall 21-22	Fall 22-23
Freshman	66.81%	69.47%	55.25%	60.43%	62.98%
Sophomore	75.28%	76.81%	73.42%	72.31%	74.32%
Junior	80.80%	80.88%	78.91%	81.09%	81.65%
Senior	85.79%	90.15%	86.35%	86.56%	85.49%

Freshman Persistence Decline
- The persistence rate for Freshman saw a significant drop during Fall 20-21 (55.25%), impacted by challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
- There has been a gradual recovery in Freshman persistence rates post-pandemic, rising to 62.98% by Fall 22-23 but still below pre-pandemic levels.
Stability Among Upperclassmen
- Junior and Senior persistence rates remained stable over the years, with slight fluctuations.
- Senior persistence peaked at 90.1% in Fall 19-20 but decreased slightly in subsequent years, settling at 85.5% in Fall 22-23.
Sophomore Recovery
- Sophomore persistence dipped slightly in Fall 21-22 (72.3%) but has since improved to 74.3% in Fall 22-23, approaching pre-pandemic rates.

The return rate steadily improves as students' progress from Freshman to Senior year, suggesting that students who advance beyond their first year are more likely to persist. The lowest persistence rate is observed among Freshman (62.98 %), highlighting an opportunity for targeted interventions to boost first-year student persistence.

(Data Source: Metrics Dashboard)

Graduation Trends

6-Year Graduation Rates

Cohort	CSU	State University Sector	Comprehensive University Sector	USG System Wide
Fall 2013	38.5%	42.4%	45.7%	53.0%
Fall 2014	37.4%	42.3%	47.1%	53.1%
Fall 2015	42.1%	40.8%	47.6%	53.6%
Fall 2016	42.9%	42.6%	46.7%	52.9%
Fall 2017	40.7%	42.0%	47.0%	53.3%
Fall 2018	42.0%	42.9%	49.4%	54.6%

Fluctuating Graduation Rates at CSU

CSU's 6-year graduation rates have varied over the years, ranging from a low of 37.4% for the Fall 2014 cohort to a high of 42.9% for the Fall 2016 cohort.
While there was a slight improvement from Fall 2014 to Fall 2015 (37.4% to 42.1%), the rates have remained consistent, hovering around the 40% to 43% range for subsequent cohorts.

Comparison to State University Sector

CSU's graduation rates are on par with or slightly below the State University Sector averages, which range between 40.8% and 42.9%.
Notably, CSU outperformed the State University Sector for the Fall 2015 cohort (42.1% vs. 40.8%) but fell behind for the Fall 2018 cohort (42.0% vs. 42.9%).

Comparison to Comprehensive University Sector

CSU’s graduation rates lag behind the graduation rates for their aspirational peers in the Comprehensive University Sector of the USG.

Comparison to USG System-Wide Averages

CSU consistently trails the USG System-Wide averages, which are significantly higher, ranging from 52.9% to 54.6%.
The most recent data for the Fall 2018 cohort shows a 12.6 percentage point gap between CSU (42.0%) and the overall USG rate (54.6%), highlighting a persistent gap in graduation outcomes.
Unlike the State University Sector and USG System-Wide averages, which show some level of improvement over the years, CSU’s graduation rates have remained stagnant, particularly around the low 40% range.

Comparison to National Averages

Nationally, the average 6-year graduation rate for public four-year institutions hovers around 60%. The rates here are notably lower, suggesting potential challenges at Columbus State University in helping students reach graduation within six years.

Factors Influencing Graduation Rates

Academic Preparedness: Students’ readiness for college-level work, especially in gateway courses, can impact their ability to persist and graduate.
Retention Rates: The low freshman retention rates previously discussed (particularly during the pandemic years) could directly impact these graduation rates, as students lost in the early years are less likely to be reflected in 6-year completion metrics.
Support Services: Access to academic advising, tutoring, financial aid, and mental health resources plays a significant role in supporting students through to graduation.
Pandemic Impact:
- The students who entered in Fall 2015 and Fall 2016 were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic during their final years, which might explain why their graduation rates did not increase despite being stable.

(Data Source: Metrics Dashboard & Qlik CCG Graduation Trends)

For its 2024 Momentum/CCG campus plan, CSU focused on 3 activities/projects developed in April 2023 as part of the Momentum Plan Report, which arose out of our engagement with the National Institute of Student Success (NISS):

Developing systematic, scaled first-year experience programming.
Improved financial wellness for students.
Creating a standard of care for students around advising.

Each of these areas are related to the mission, vision, and values of Columbus State University and the new strategic plan, Better Together 2030. In addition, these activities are recommendations taken directly from the playbook provided to CSU by the National Institute of Student Success. Each of these student success initiatives prioritize enhancing retention, graduation rates, and reducing the time to degree, particularly for underrepresented and underserved populations.

Success Inventory

Systematic Scaled First Year Experience Program (Columbus State University-2024)

Strategy/Project Name:

Systematic Scaled First Year Experience Program

Momentum Area:

Purpose

Pathways

Mindset

Category:

First Year Experience

Strategy/Project Description:

Create structures focused on the first-year experience –scaled summer bridge program, freshman learning communities, meta-major based curricular and co-curricular activities-to promote student belonging and to guide students into right-fit academic majors in the first year.

Activity Status:

Initiating

Evaluation/Assessment plan:

In the space provided, indicate your general evaluation plan, including the key performance indicators and measures for the project; how frequently you are assessing, your baseline measure, your goal or target for success and your status.

KPIs:

Improved FTFT retention to 85% by 2030.

Incrementally, 3% each increase for each cohort.

FTFT Baseline is 69.83% for most recent cohort (FA23).

Aspirational outcomes by cohort

24-25 Cohort: 72.83%

25-26 Cohort: 75.83%

26-27 Cohort: 78.83%

27-28 Cohort: 81.83%

28-29 Cohort: 84.83 %

29-30 Cohort: 87.83%

Progress and Adjustments:

Cougar Success Academy Pilot successfully launched summer 24, combining the previous programs (Cougar Launch & Cougar Scholars). This for credit summer bridge program was comprised of 2 IMPACTS core courses (COMM 1110 & POLS 1101), as well as academic supports and social belonging activities. Academic support included workshops provided by tutoring, advising, career services, and the library. Social activities included a movie night, a pool party, a white-water rafting excursion, bowling/laser tag, and a game night. Most students lived in the dorm and roomed together, with a dedicated resident assistant as an additional support resource.

Cougar Success Pilot Outcomes: 31 students enrolled, 11 students completed the bridge with 4.0 or better, overall GPA 3.18. Students report they found friends, understood better what their fall semester would look like, and the resources available. The faculty report that students were engaged, performed well, and seemed to enjoy the classes.

FLCs were resurrected for FA24; we had not offered FLCs in years. For FA 24 (and SP25), we developed learning communities by our 7 academic focus areas (Business, Fine/Performing Arts, Education, Health Professions, STEM, Humanities, & Social Science). Outcomes are pending for both fall 24 and spring 25 semesters.

In FA 24, we had an additional FLC that was developed specifically for our Access Mission (Associate Pathway) students, where student supports were delivered in the classroom throughout the semester with workshops and class presentations (How to College, Academic Scavenger Hunt, Advising 101, Library Services, Wellness, Registration Assistance, & Celebration (end of term party). The FLC was designed this way to ensure that students understood available resources. This population tends to opt out of seeking assistance. Outcomes are pending, but preliminary conversations with faculty suggest that this group of students is performing better than the previous year’s cohort academically and are more engaged in class.

We are hoping that we will be able to scale Cougar Success Academy this summer and enroll up to 150 students. We learned a lot from our summer 24 pilot and plan to have faculty/staff in residence this summer, as well as more structured activities. We are pending the finalization of the 25-26 IMPACTs core to select the two courses that students will be taking. We have moved up application deadlines to ensure that we have the time to provide the individual attention that students need to prepare for the summer semester so soon after high school graduation.

We also hope to evaluate and improve our FLCs once the semester data is available. Registration in the FLCs is manual and can be confusing since we do not have block scheduling built out in Banner. This is a direction we hope to take in the future.

Plan for the Year Ahead:

We have a lot more work to do in the first-year experience area and will be spending a lot of time on developing programming and support, as well as assessments in SP25 to deploy in FA25. We also hope to begin developing sophomore experiences as well. Many of these anticipated activities are tied in and dependent on the finalization of our IMPACTs core redesign, which is ongoing this fall. We also anticipate changes in staffing in this area.

CSU is in the process of purchasing CLASS with Courseleaf to aid in section data entry, course projections, and development of FLCs to support first-year experience.

CSU is exploring the purchasing of Series25, which will replace AdAstra and aid in the development of a more centralized approach to course scheduling.

Challenges and Support:

Challenges : Engaging students and fostering active participation in first-year experience programs from all campus stakeholders. Additionally, aligning resources to sustain support and data-driven initiatives can be demanding in maintaining long-term student success outcomes.

Support needed: We are engaged with the National Institute of Student Success in implementing our NISS playbook, so we feel confident we have the necessary support to complete these activities.

We will need to work with Lynn Miller to develop block schedules for the FLCs, that are easier for advisors and students to navigate at the present time and require manual work to accomplish course registration.

Contact email:

Young_melissa@columbusstate.edu

Primary Contact:

Melissa Young, Assistant Vice President for Student Success

Ron Williams, Senior Associate Provost & Associate Vice President

Scaled financial wellness for students (Columbus State University-2024)

Strategy/Project Name:

Scaled financial wellness for students

Momentum Area:

Change Management

Data & Communications

Category:

Financial Aid Interventions

Strategy/Project Description:

Support students financially through the enhanced use of data, coordinated student communications and outreach across units, and initiatives to address financial stop-outs and students losing HOPE.

Activity Status:

Initiating

Studying

Evaluation/Assessment plan:

KPIs: Decrease percentage of students who lose HOPE to less than 15% by 2030

Incrementally, decrease by 2% annually

Baseline: 24% of students lose HOPE by 30 hours, 22% of students lose HOPE by 60 hours (about 5 days).

Aspirational Outcomes by academic year:

2024-2025: 22% (30 hrs.), 20% (60 hrs.)

2025-2026: 20% (30 hrs.), 18% (60 hrs.)

2026-2027: 18% (30 hrs.), 16% (60 hrs.)

2027-2028: 16% (30 hrs.), 14% (60 hrs.)

2028-2029: 14% (30 hrs.), 12% (60 hrs.)

2029-2030: 12% (30 hrs.), 10% (60 hrs.)

Progress and Adjustments:

Launched TouchNet Student Accounts Advisor, which provides academic advisors and others (enrollment management center, admissions, recruitment, etc.) with access to view student accounts in real time to assist in conversations around academic choices, balances due, available resources, and alternative funding that may be needed to bridge the gap in their offered aid versus actual costs.

Developed a proposal for a scholarship like “Keep Hope Alive” at GSU, which is pending approval from the foundation and executive leadership. Outline of the proposal below:

Eligibility HOPE GPA and Overall GPA must be between 2.75 and 2.99
Award $500 Scholarship using Cougar Commitment funds (fall and spring semesters)
Students must sign a contract and follow an academic plan for the academic year, which includes the following requirements:
- Complete 30 semester hours of credit in the academic year
- Earn no grade below a B while in the program
- Participate in tutoring each semester
- Check in with advisor 3 times each semester
- Attend at least 1 Student Success Workshop or Academic Coaching each semester

Developed “at-risk” dashboard for HOPE/Zell, which looks at past performance and mid-term grades so that advisors can proactively have conversations with students about their trajectory for the semester and potential impacts on HOPE/Zell eligibility.

Plan for the Year Ahead:

Develop an additional “at-risk” dashboard for Federal Financial Aid.

Programming for students around financial wellness in the institutional priority courses or in partnership with local banking industry—potential programs:

Raise the Banner: Synovus

Regions Next Step

Our Turner College of Business and Technology is developing a financial literacy course to be deployed in our redesigned IMPACTs Core.

Challenges and Support:

Challenges: Encouraging student engagement with financial literacy resources and overcoming stigma or reluctance to seek financial advice. Additionally, ensuring equitable access to personalized financial support and addressing diverse financial needs can require substantial resources and continuous program evaluation.

Support Needed: We are engaged with the National Institute of Student Success in implementing our NISS playbook, so we feel confident we have the necessary support to complete these activities.

Contact email:

Young_melissa@columbusstate.edu

Primary Contact:

Melissa Young, Assistant Vice President for Student Success

Philip Hawkins, Director of Financial Aid

Improved standard of care for advising (Columbus State University-2024)

Strategy/Project Name:

Improved standard of care for advising

Momentum Area:

Purpose

Pathways

Mindset

Change Management

Data & Communications

Category:

Advising

Strategy/Project Description:

Align academic advising systems, protocols, and training to ensure that students receive consistent, timely, and proactive support throughout their academic programs.

Activity Status:

Studying

Evaluation/Assessment plan:

KPIs: Improved FTFT retention to 85% by 2030.

FTFT Baseline is 69.83% for most recent cohort (FA23).

Incrementally, 3% each increase for each cohort.

Aspirational outcomes by cohort (Retention)

24-25 Cohort: 72.83%

25-26 Cohort: 75.83%

26-27 Cohort: 78.83%

27-28 Cohort: 81.83%

28-29 Cohort: 84.83 %

29-30 Cohort: 87.83%

KPI: Improved 6-year graduation rated to 60% by 2030.

FTFT Baseline is 42.9% for most recent cohort (FA18)

Incrementally, 3% increase for each cohort

Aspirational outcomes by cohort (Graduation)

2019 Cohort: 45.9%

2020 Cohort: 48.9 %

2021 Cohort: 51.9%

2022 Cohort: 54.9%

2023 Cohort: 57.9%

2024 Cohort: 60.9%

Time to Degree

KPI: Decrease time to degree to 5.1 years by 2030

Progress and Adjustments:

Revised advisor training course in CougarView

Soft launch of new advising CRM (Target X) & offered 8 training sessions on the new platform in FA24.

We feel that to be more effective, the advising structure must be centralized. The current model lacks consistency and leads to student confusion, reduced trust, and a lack of proactive, meaningful engagement, impacting student retention and success. Additionally, the blended model may not adequately leverage data to identify at-risk students early, thereby missing opportunities for timely intervention.

Plan for the Year Ahead:

We plan to completely overhaul our advising structure and improve the quality of advising offered to our students across their lifecycle as students.

We will move away from our current blended model, which sends students to faculty advisors (most majors) at the end of sophomore year. Instead, we plan to move toward a full professional model, with each advisor working with 150 students and being trained as coaches. The team must complete training that leads to becoming credentialed by the International Coaching Federation.

This is in the initial stages of planning and will be launched as part of the QEP for 2026 reaffirmation cycle. This will require a total of 40 academic success coaches. Training and development will occur in SP 25, the model will launch this summer during the orientation cycles.

Challenges and Support:

Change of this magnitude is going to require significant investment to encourage support and buy-in from all campus stakeholders.

Renovations of existing space will be required to centralize this new function, which will also include career services overhaul and intentional partnership with this area.

We are engaged with the National Institute of Student Success in implementing our NISS playbook, so we feel confident we have the necessary support to complete these activities. Additionally, Dr. Rayfield is focused on student success and is in full support of this new model. She is actively engaged in securing the necessary funding to move us forward with this initiative.

We are working with the University of Kentucky to help design our program and train staff, with the hope that this model sets an example across our system. We plan to become an ICF credentialed program that can offer training to other institutions who want to improve outcomes for their students in this space.

Contact email:

Sawyer_joseph@columbusstate.edu

Primary Contact:

Joseph Sawyer, Interim Director, CSU Advise

Melissa Young, Assistant Vice President for Student Success

Campus Plans Supplemental Sections

As part of our ASPIRE Top Five Strategies, Dalton State College is working with Georgia Highlands College (GHC) and Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) to create pathways for GNTC graduates to receive degrees at DSC and GHC using courses completed at GNTC. These pathways indicate the degrees students can earn and the courses they will complete at GNTC to obtain those degrees. They also show to which DSC or GHC programs the students can transfer their GNTC courses. These pathways will be shared with students at GNTC, DSC, and GHC, as well as prospective students of those institutions.

The following are the pathways created thus far (GNTCDSC):

AAS Construction Management  BAS Engineering Technology; BS Organizational Leadership
AAS Criminal Justice Technology  BS Criminal Justice
AS Early Childhood  BS Elementary Education
AAS Industrial Systems Technology  BAS Engineering Technology; BS Organizational Leadership
AAS Networking Specialist  BAS Information Technology
AS Nursing  BS Nursing; RN-BSN
AAS Radiologic Technology  BS Health and Wellness; BS Organizational Leadership
ASA Respiratory Care  BS Respiratory Therapy
AS Surgical Technology  BS Health and Wellness; BS Organizational Leadership; BS Chemistry options

These pathways have been reviewed by faculty at each institution, and a signing date for these articulations has been set for December 16, 2024. We also plan to advertise the articulation agreement at GNTC in January or February 2025 to ensure students are aware. Once we have fully rolled out these articulations, GNTC, DSC, and GHC will examine other programs for potential additional articulations.

Two other ASPIRE Top Five Strategies for Dalton State included creating a Roadrunner Experience for students taking IMPACTS courses and working on course differentiation to increase the number of students engaging in experiential learning. As part of the Roadrunner Experience effort, a committee created a Roadrunner Experience definition:

The Roadrunner Experience equips students to engage challenging questions independently and collaboratively to find solutions while considering the moral and ethical implications of their decisions. Immersed in a community of passionate, caring faculty and staff who provide a foundational academic experience, students develop critical thinking, communication skills, and historical and cultural understanding. Our graduates successfully compete in the job market, excel in their careers, and contribute to their communities.

The Roadrunner Experience committee discussed the importance of creating common experiences for IMPACTS students in support of the above goal. Eventually, the Roadrunner Experience vision evolved to support creating common academic and developmental experiences for students in IMPACTS and beyond. Within this more encompassing experience will be a variety of opportunities and activities, including experiential learning options for all students. As mentioned above, increasing experiential learning for Dalton State students had been a separate initiative within Dalton State’s Top Five Strategies for ASPIRE; however, the Roadrunner Experience has come to assume this as part of its goals.

More specifics about the Roadrunner Experience are not available at this time. Dalton State is currently developing its new strategic plan, of which the Roadrunner Experience is a part, and we will be hiring an Assistant Provost and Assistant Vice-President for Student Success who will spearhead the experience. Once the strategic plan and AP/AVP for Student Success are in place, more progress, and therefore more information, will emerge.

Observations and Next Steps

As evidenced in our Student Success Inventory and our Optional Supplemental Updates, Dalton State has a strong focus on student success, and this success has manifested itself in a 10-point increase in our retention rate—from 57.9% in Fall 2022 to 67.6% in Fall 2023. Among our successful retention efforts has been our Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), known as PACE (Perspectives, Advising, Campus Resources, and Engagement). Dalton State ensures that all students in the first-year course, Perspectives (PRSP), participate in similar interventions, including advising and experiential learning. For example, all PRSP courses include a common presentation and lab component related to engagement/service-learning. PRSP students also engage in rich collegiate experiences, such as Dalton State’s very first New Student Convocation, called “First Chime.” The day before classes started in August 2024, First Chime welcomed 1,200 new first-year, transfer, and dual enrollment students to campus. Students met with their PRSP faculty and classmates, enjoyed games, live music, food trucks, and a merchandise tent. The evening culminated with the lighting of the James A. Burran Bell Tower and a fireworks display. Dalton State is proud of its First Chime event, which we plan to continue annually.

Another way in which we are strengthening our QEP is through the development of a reporting structure among QEP leadership in which the coordinator for each PACE area (Perspectives, Advising, Campus Resources, and Engagement) completes a biannual report, thereby facilitating conversations and modifications surrounding the plan. Additionally, we are striving to improve our work related to the “P” in PACE (Perspectives). Each Perspectives course has a focus area, such as “Perspectives in Business,” “Perspectives in STEM,” etc.; this year, we have provided each focus area with a QEP/PACE Ambassador who collaborates with other faculty to develop common elements for the focus area. These ambassadors are led by the Senior QEP/PACE Ambassador, who focuses on campus-wide leadership of faculty teaching Perspectives.

Among our other successful endeavors has been the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning’s (CETL) Roadrunner New Faculty Academy. We currently have 11 new faculty participating who attend monthly sessions related to creating an inclusive and engaging classroom experience for all students. The CETL Director (and/or one of the assistant directors) will also be visiting the new faculty’s classes to conduct classroom observations and offer individual consultations.

CETL has also been involved in Momentum work through its CETL Faculty Fellows program, which continues to offer faculty development programming to support student success. This academic year, we have six participating fellows, including a fellow for Culture & Belonging. This fellow is involved in the Relentless Welcome initiative, which CETL piloted in the Fall 2024 semester. While Dalton State’s Relentless Welcome has had limited participation (57 faculty and staff), we intend to further develop and improve the project.

Looking to the future, Dalton State is also seeking the Seal of Excelencia through work with the organization Excelencia in Education to develop practices that will better serve all students. The Seal of Excelencia is a national certification for institutions that strive to go beyond enrollment to intentionally SERVE Latino students. The framework we are using focuses on data, leadership, and practice in support of developing a comprehensive institutional strategy. In 2023, the Dalton State team completed the virtual Evidence-Based Practice Institute and completed a research project evaluating the effectiveness of interventions and support offered through our CARE (Campus Assessment, Response, and Evaluation) Team and social worker. In May 2024, our team attended the Excelencia Data Institute, and Dalton State is now part of the 2025 cohort Modeling Intentionally Serving Hispanic Serving Institutions.

Dalton State has also engaged the services of the National Institute of Student Success (NISS) at Georgia State university beginning in January 2025. We will work with NISS Diagnostic Coaches to collect, analyze, and review data. Once this process is complete, NISS will present Dalton State with a playbook that will detail school-specific and data-driven recommendations that will lead to student success once implemented.

Additionally, we are seeking to scale up our summer bridge program, known as the Roadrunners Scholars Program. This 6-week residential program was piloted in Summer 2024 and was designed for students with a high school GPA below 3.0 in need of learning support classes. Participating scholars completed MATH 0998: Learning Support Math and ENGL 0999: Learning Support English, as well as ENGL 1101: English Composition and MATH 1101: Introduction to Mathematical Modeling. They also received tutoring assistance and participated in development opportunities and social activities. All aspects of the program were provided at no cost through scholarships offered by the Dalton State Foundation. At the conclusion of the 2024 program, 11 of 15 students successfully passed both Math courses and 15 of 17 students successfully passed both English courses. We plan to expand the program in Summer 2025 to include up to 36 scholars and to add a section of Perspectives (PRSP) to the program.

Other future work will involve solidifying our articulation agreements with Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) and Georgia Highlands College (GHC) detailed in Section 3 above. After finalizing the current articulations, we plan to examine and develop articulations for other programs as well. Additionally, we will further define and develop the Roadrunner Experience, also addressed in Section 3. While originally focused on the value of IMPACTS courses, the Roadrunner Experience vision has evolved to include creating common academic and developmental experiences for students throughout their college careers. Within this more encompassing experience will be a variety of opportunities and activities, including experiential learning options for all students. Increasing experiential learning for Dalton State students had originally been a separate initiative within Dalton State’s Top Five Strategies for ASPIRE, but the goal now is to incorporate it into a larger Roadrunner Experience.

As part of our ongoing commitment to student success and retention, another of the key areas we are focusing on is enhancing the resources and support provided by our Center for Career Design. The plans for this area were in great flux when the original Momentum plan was created, so they were not listed as an activity.

With the completion of our strategic plan, and the redesign of IMPACTS Core, we are committed to leveraging the Center for Career Design in our momentum work. In order improve student retention and graduation rates, the Center for Career Design will play an integral role in guiding students through their professional development from the moment they arrive at CSU until they graduate.

Career Exploration & Development Integration
- The Center for Career Design will be deeply integrated into first-year experiences and beyond, with clear pathways for students to explore careers early on.
Enhanced Employer Partnerships & Internship Opportunities
- We aim to strengthen our connections with local and regional employers to provide students with more internship, micro-internship, and job-shadowing opportunities. This approach will give students real-world experience, further enhancing their employability and increasing retention by connecting coursework with practical application.
Skills Development Workshops
- The Center for Career Design will offer workshops and seminars on topics like resume building, interview skills, networking strategies, and career goal setting. These workshops will be designed to address the specific needs of students across various academic focus areas, helping them build confidence in their future endeavors.
Early Career Counseling & Job Placement Services
- The Center for Career Design will proactively work with students starting in their first year to develop long-term career goals. Through personalized job placement services, we will help students secure employment and internships aligned with their academic pursuits, ensuring that they are gaining the necessary experience to succeed post-graduation.

These efforts will not only improve student retention by providing tangible career opportunities and support but also address the broader goals of increasing graduation rates and reducing time to degree. By aligning career development with academic planning, the Center for Career Design will play a critical role in keeping students on track and motivated throughout their academic journey at CSU.

Observations and Next Steps

What has been least effective?

All our activities are in the initiating phase, so it is difficult to evaluate where we have been least effective in this phase of implementation. We completed initial planning in Spring 2024 and implemented most new initiatives Fall 2024, aside from Summer 2024’s Cougar Success Academy. We expect to learn more about how well our initiatives are performing at the conclusion of the Fall 2024 semester.

However, we experienced some difficulties launching Target X this fall. We needed additional licenses to be able to synchronize faculty calendars, which hindered full implementation.

We also had trouble relaunching FLCs, due to scheduling and current Banner limitations.

How has your institution made adjustments to your completion activities over the past year?

We have been in the planning and initiating phases of our projects, so everything has been implemented as originally planned. We expect to adjust in spring once success data is available for the fall semester.

Target X-additional licenses have been purchased and deployed so that faculty may begin to use the platform in spring.

FLC planning for Fall 2025 will begin in early spring and discussions will be needed to ensure adequate seats, ease of registration, and clear programming.

We are currently in the planning stages for an overhaul of our advising model. This will begin to roll out in late Spring 2025, with support from the NISS Implementation team. We are developing our QEP, which will incorporate advising, career, and community connections.

Where would you want to see student success efforts shift in the coming year(s)?

Student Experience and Engagement: Continue to scale and develop a more comprehensive first-year experience program and begin to develop scaled sophomore experiences.

Expanding Holistic Support: There should be a deeper focus on the non-academic aspects of student success, particularly mental health, and financial stability. Mental health issues and financial stress have been increasingly reported as barriers to retention, and addressing these could help improve graduation rates.

Stronger Focus on Career Readiness: Moving beyond just academic metrics, it is essential to focus on career outcomes. This could include internships, co-ops, and industry partnerships that give students real-world experience and help bridge the gap between education and employment.

Peer Mentoring & Alumni Networks: The Center for Career Design would like to launch a peer mentoring program, where upperclassmen can mentor first-year students on career development. We will also expand our alumni network to offer mentorship and career advice, fostering a sense of community that will encourage students to stay engaged and invested in their academic and professional growth.

These shifts, with a focus on mental health, career readiness, and holistic support, could provide a more comprehensive approach to ensuring student success in the coming years.

Quick View - Success Inventory