Georgia Institute of Technology Campus Plan Update 2021

INSTITUTIONAL MISSION AND STUDENT BODY PROFILE[1]

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is a top 10 public research university with an emphasis on science and technology. Georgia Tech’s mission is to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. Our motto of “Progress and Service” is achieved through effectiveness and innovation in teaching and learning, research advances, and entrepreneurship in all sectors of society.

A member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), Georgia Tech seeks to influence major technological and policy decisions. For more than 20 years, Georgia Tech has been ranked among the top ten public universities in the United States by U.S. News and World Report. Our engineering and computing Colleges are the largest and among the highest-ranked in the nation. The Institute also offers outstanding programs in business, design, liberal arts, and sciences. The Institute is consistently rated among the top universities in the nation for the graduation of underrepresented minorities in engineering, computer science, and mathematics. Georgia Tech also awards more engineering degrees to women than any other U.S. institution. The typical Georgia Tech undergraduate is of traditional age (≤ 24), enters as a first-year student, lives on campus, attends full-time, and is seeking a first undergraduate degree.

In fall 2020, Georgia Tech attained a record high enrollment of 16,562 undergraduates, 79% of whom were enrolled in STEM majors[2]. In addition to its undergraduate population, the Institute had a fall 2020 enrollment of 23,210 graduate students for a total enrollment of 39,772. Between fall 2011 and fall 2020, the Institute experienced a 19% increase in undergraduate enrollment. Data indicate that enrollment growth continued in fall 2021 with a total enrollment of almost 44,000 students, including 17,448 undergraduates. In 2020-21, 3,881 undergraduate degrees were awarded, a slight 1% decrease from the 3,934 undergraduate degrees awarded in 2019-20. Between 2011-12 and 2020-21, undergraduate degree production increased by 35%. Appendix A illustrates undergraduate enrollment and degree trends.

Georgia Tech values the diversity of its student population and is committed to expanding access to underrepresented students. In 2020-21, Tech achieved a historic high in its undergraduate female enrollment of 6,511 students, representing a 45% increase from fall 2011 when undergraduate female enrollment was 4,489. In the overall undergraduate class, women represented 39% of undergraduates in 2020-21, an increase from 32% of undergraduates in 2011-12. Data from fall 2021 indicate that women will represent 40% of undergraduates for the first time. Undergraduate enrollment of underrepresented minorities reached a historic high of 2,920 students in fall 2020 and has risen by 43% since fall 2011. Underrepresented minorities comprised 18% of the undergraduate student body in fall 2020.

Georgia Tech is involved in an array of outreach activities specifically designed to attract K-12 students. The Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC) conducts a comprehensive summer program to expose K-12 students to STEM topics and careers. Additional K-12 outreach programs are conducted by the Center for Engineering Education and Diversity (CEED), and Women in Engineering (WIE), both units within the College of Engineering. In 2020-21, even with the ongoing impact of Covid-19, CEISMC, CEED and WIE combined to host more than 50 K-12 STEM-related programs. CEISMC alone conducted 41 events including virtual STEAM Whistle Workshops, Summer P.E.A.K.S. (Programs for Enrichment and Accelerated Knowledge in STEAM), and the K12 InVenture Prize.

Through the School of Mathematics, the College of Computing, and Professional Education, Georgia Tech offers distance mathematics and computer science courses to dual enrolled high school students. In 2020-21, Distance Math served 1,241 students (630 in fall 2020 and 611 in spring 2021) from 73 Georgia high schools in 22 counties. Distance Computer Science was offered for the first time in fall 2020. Eighty-four students (70 in fall 2020 and 14 in spring 2021) from 38 Georgia high schools in 18 counties enrolled in the initial computer science offerings.

Summer bridge programs ease the transition from high school to Georgia Tech. Challenge is a five-week summer residential program for underrepresented minority students coordinated by the OMED: Educational Services (OMED). While many bridge programs offer remedial pathways as a transitional model, Challenge at Georgia Tech provides advanced pathways through academic, professional, and culturally intense courses and workshops designed to enhance transitional success based on constructivist learning.

As of fall 2020, Georgia Tech achieved a first-to-second-year retention rate of 97% for the first-time, full-time freshman 2019 cohort and a six-year graduation rate of 91% for the 2014 first-time, full-time cohort. The 97% retention rate has been maintained for six consecutive years. The 91% graduation rate represents a record high for the Institute. Further, the four-year graduation rate for 2016 first-time, full-time cohort was 55%, also a record high. Data from fall 2021 indicate that the first-to-second year retention rate for first-time, full-time freshmen in the 2020 cohort is 97%. The 2020 cohort is the seventh consecutive freshman cohort to achieve the 97% rate. Similarly, the six-year graduation rate for students in the 2015 first-time, full-time cohort reached another record high of 92%. See Appendix B for a historical illustration of institutional retention and graduation rates.

As a science and technology-focused institution, the enrollment and degree progression of STEM majors is central to our mission. The sustained economic impact made possible through a better-prepared STEM workforce is significant, and graduating a larger number of STEM students to meet workforce needs is a high priority for Georgia Tech. One measure of progress is the number of students enrolled in STEM majors. Tech has achieved an increase in STEM enrollment from 10,389 students in 2010-11 to 13,094 students in 2020-21. As of fall 2020, 79% of Georgia Tech students were seeking a STEM degree.

Efforts to engage and retain more women students represent one of our best opportunities for increasing the number of STEM majors and degrees awarded. Since fall 2010, the number of women enrolled in STEM majors at Georgia Tech increased from 2,794 (27% of undergraduate STEM enrollment) to 4,886 (37% of undergraduate STEM enrollment) in fall 2020. Data from fall 2021 suggest that the number of women seeking an undergraduate STEM degree will exceed 5,000 for the first time. Appendix C illustrates the enrollment of women in STEM majors from 2010 through 2020.

Once enrolled, women at Georgia Tech consistently graduate at a higher and faster rate than men. For the 2014 cohort, the six-year graduation rate for women was 92% compared to 90% for men. Similarly, women in STEM majors achieved a 92% six-year graduation rate compared to a 90% rate for men. Data from fall 2021 indicate that six-year graduation rate for women in the fall 2015 cohort increased to 93%.  Appendix D illustrates undergraduate graduation trends by gender. Appendix E illustrates overall STEM graduation rates and STEM graduation rates by gender.

Georgia Tech continues to be a national leader in the number of STEM students enrolled and the number of degrees conferred each year. In 2020-21, 3,158 undergraduate STEM degrees were awarded. Appendix F illustrates the historical trend for STEM degrees awarded.

Given Georgia Tech’s commitment to expanding access and diversity within its student population, disaggregating success metrics by race/ethnicity is crucial. In fall 2020, the first-to-second-year retention rate for underrepresented minority (URM) students in the fall 2019 cohort was 97%, which matched the overall one-year retention rate for the cohort. The six-year URM graduation rate for the 2014 cohort was 87% (compared with a 91% overall rate). URM six-year graduation rates have improved from 72% for the 2006 cohort to 87% for the 2014 cohort. Considering the Institute’s two largest URM groups, six-year graduation rates for the fall 2014 cohort were 84% for Black or African American students and 90% for Hispanic or Latino students. Data from fall 2021 indicate that the six-year URM graduation rate for the fall 2015 cohort decreased slightly to 86%, while the one-year retention rate for URM students in the fall 2020 cohort remained steady at 97%. Appendix G illustrates historical trends for URM graduation rates.

Despite the intense challenges posed by Covid-19, Georgia Tech’s enrollment and degree progression metrics remain very strong. Over the last eighteen months, our students, faculty, and staff demonstrated grit, resilience and flexibility while navigating a dynamic, rapidly evolving environment. The improvement practices instituted through the Complete College Georgia (CCG) initiative and the Momentum framework proved robust and effective in promoting degree persistence and progress. Georgia Tech’s positive enrollment trends, retention and graduation rates, and number of degrees conferred highlight the Institute’s continuing ability to meet the workforce needs of the twenty-first century.

IMPROVEMENT PRACTICES

Georgia Tech emphasizes best practices that are proven to increase student engagement and degree progression, adopting CCG and Momentum strategies appropriate for supporting the success of our students. Since the beginning of CCG in 2011, Georgia Tech has institutionalized multiple initiatives designed to remove or lessen the structural or motivational obstacles faced by undergraduates. Georgia Tech’s success initiatives and student support structures are decentralized, embedded within diverse units of Colleges and Schools, Student Engagement and Well-Being, the Office of Undergraduate Education, and Enrollment Management. All are responsible for fostering student success, engagement, and well-being. This decentralized approach is rooted in Georgia Tech’s culture, reflects our values, and allows for innovation and flexibility in program design. Throughout the pandemic this approach has proven to be robust. Units pivoted quickly under unprecedented circumstances to safeguard the continuation of their programs and services. Given the tremendous impact of the pandemic on students, the structure of decentralized services guaranteed that students could access assistance in multiple ways. Furthermore, our decentralized support structure ensured that a variety of units reached out to students offering their support and guidance. Several well-established initiatives that have endured throughout the pandemic are highlighted below.

Academic Engagement Programs. Georgia Tech offers high-impact curricular and co-curricular opportunities to promote active learning practices and enhance academic development. According to the Association of American Colleges and Universities, these teaching and learning practices have been widely tested and found to have a positive impact on student retention and student engagement[3]. Among the options for Georgia Tech students are a first-year seminar (GT 1000), numerous learning communities, an undergraduate research program, a study abroad program, and experiential learning opportunities (e.g., internships, co-op, and service learning). Participation levels in these optional programs are significant. For example, in summer 2020, iGniTe, our First-Year Summer Launch Program, enrolled 740 first-year participants, an increase of 48% in comparison with summer 2019. By establishing virtual communities and offering remote coursework in response to Covid-19, iGniTe served 730 first-year students in summer 2021, a decrease of less than 1% compared with summer 2020.

Further, in 2020-21, 60% of incoming first-year students (n = 1,967) participated in the first-year seminar, GT 1000, and 97% of these students were retained to fall 2021. Through the Career Center, 506 undergraduates registered for 587 semester-long, major-related co-op positions in 2020-21. Of this total, 95% of the positions were STEM related. In addition, 1,212 undergraduates registered for 1,357 semester-long internships, 89% of which were STEM related. The co-op/internship program provides in-depth access to STEM opportunities, helps students form connections between theory and application, strengthens students’ motivation to stay on course to graduation, and increases the number of employment offers students receive prior to and upon graduation.

Graduation rates for students participating in academic engagement programs are among the highest at Georgia Tech. For example, the six-year graduation rate for students in the 2014 cohort who participated in the co-op program was 98%. The six-year graduation rate for students in the 2014 cohort who participated in the internship program was also 98%. Students in the 2014 cohort who participated in undergraduate research achieved a 97% six-year graduation rate. See Appendix H for graduation rates of participants in select high-impact academic engagement programs.

During 2020-21 Georgia Tech continued its commitment to learning communities, hosting six communities for first-year students (five year-long communities and one summer launch community, iGniTe) and two for upperclassmen. More than 700 first-year students took advantage of the five year-long communities, and 374 students participated in learning communities as upperclassmen. Table 1 displays the one-year retention rate for 2020 first-year learning community participants.

Table 1: Retention rates for 2020 participants in first-year learning communities

Programming for Underrepresented Minorities. OMED, a unit within the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion, provides programming specifically targeted to promote the success of underserved minorities.

Edge is a year-long peer mentoring program designed to support first-year students, both academically and socially, through their first academic school year at Georgia Tech. Edge is peer mentoring program that pairs highly engaged continuing students with first- and transfer-year underrepresented minority students. The Edge program recently expanded its scope to address the needs of students beyond their first year. Edge Plus offers 2nd and 3rd year students an opportunity to receive targeted support cognizant of their specific needs which may differ from the needs of incoming students.

Challenge is a five-week, academic intensive summer residential program for incoming first-year students. During Challenge, students are immersed into the Georgia Tech environment; they live in on-campus housing, take classes taught by Georgia Tech professors, and participate in cultural, professional, and academic workshops and activities. Challenge is designed to help prepare incoming first-year students for a successful college career by equipping them to navigate the 7 C’s (computer science, chemistry, calculus, communication, career development, cultural competency, and community service).

AAMI (African American Male Initiative) is an eleven-time award-winning grant program aimed to cultivate innovative talent through targeted cultural and gender-based initiatives for Black males. AAMI is the first-ever statewide initiative specifically focused on increasing post-secondary education attainment among African American males.

ILARC (Interactive Learning and Resource Center) hosts drop-in and appointment tutoring services, guided study groups, topic-specific review sessions (concept classes by graduate students), and GPA planning.

Progression metrics for 2020-21 demonstrate positive program-level outcomes:

• For the 185 URM students participating in Edge, the average cumulative GPA achieved at the end of the first year was 3.36 compared to 3.29 for URM non-participants.
• For Challenge (102 fall enrolled URM participants), average GPA’s were higher for African American/Black students and Hispanic students compared to GPA’s of non-participating matched peers earning an average GPA of 3.25 (compared to 2.8 for non-Challenge URM participants) with 73% earning a 3.0 or better in their first Fall semester. Additionally, 96% of the 2020 Challenge participants were retained into fall 2021.
• For AAMI (105 undergraduate participants) the 2020-21 cohort averaged a cumulative GPA of 3.18 and garnered a 100% first-year retention rate. AAMI participants graduate at a rate of 84.8% compared to 75.9% for non-participating peers. AAMI continues to demonstrate the importance of peer leadership in raising expectations and cultivating a climate of excellence.
• For ILARC/Tutoring, a total of 180 unique students were engaged multiple sessions either through virtual tutoring (59 students) or ILARC in-person visits (121 students).  The average GPA of URM students who participated in tutoring for the 2020-21 year was 3.36. The average GPA for all URM students was 3.32.

Midterm Progress Reports. Georgia Tech’s early alert system provides useful feedback for students adjusting to an academically rigorous environment. We identify students who are off track with Midterm Progress Reports (MPR’s) for 1000- and 2000-level courses. Submitted 40 percent into the term, MPR’s allow faculty teaching freshman- and sophomore -level courses to assess student performance with an “S” (Satisfactory) or “U” (Unsatisfactory). All students with U’s are contacted by Tutoring and Academic Support (TAS) and Undergraduate Advising and Transition (UAT), offered tutoring, academic coaching, and success resources, and encouraged to meet with relevant faculty and their academic advisor. Additionally, we require all first-year students with two or more midterm U’s to meet with their academic advisor or a UAT staff member. Academic advisors access the MPR data through their Academic Advising CANVAS site, and we are working to embed MPR alerts into Advisor Link, our recently implemented Salesforce advising platform. Registration holds are typically used to enforce the mandatory advisement. During advisement, students receive guidance, encouragement, and referrals to relevant campus resources.

Our MPR strategy impacts many students. During fall 2020, 40,880 midterm grades of “S” or “U” were entered for 1000- and 2000-level courses. A total of 2,671 U’s were assigned to 2,047 unique students. During spring 2021, 34,139 midterm grades of “S” or “U” were entered for 1000- and 2000-level courses. A total of 2,275 U’s were assigned to 1,750 unique students. Further, 200 first-year students received 2 or more midterm U’s in fall 2020, and 238 first-year students received 2 or midterm U’s in spring 2021. These students were targeted with required interventions by academic advisors. With vigorous support from the Office of the Registrar, we achieved a faculty midterm grade response rate of 99% for both fall 2020 and spring 2021.

Following outreach or intervention from UAT, TAS and their academic advisors, students converted 57% of their midterm U’s to A/B/C/S grades by the end of fall 2020. In spring 2021, students converted 53% of their midterm U’s to A/B/C/S grades by the end of the semester.

Students on Academic Probation, Academic Warning, or Academic Dismissal.

Although most students enter Georgia Tech well prepared academically, after enrollment some students do not perform as anticipated and may be at risk for not completing their degrees. In fall 2020, 2% of enrolled undergraduates were on academic probation or warning at the beginning of the term, with 156 students on probation and 174 on warning.[4] For spring 2021, 3% of enrolled undergraduates were on academic probation or warning at the beginning of the term, with 175 students on probation and 283 on warning. Outreach to these students, like outreach to all “at-risk” students at Georgia Tech, comes from multiple points on campus. The Director of Retention and Graduation Initiatives/Senior Assistant Registrar assists in operationalizing Georgia Tech’s retention-progression-graduation (RPG) strategies, including interventions for students not in good academic standing. Each term the Registrar’s Office generates lists of students on academic warning or probation which are distributed securely to academic advisors in Colleges and Schools and to key allies in success units across campus. These key allies include TAS, UAT, and OMED. Colleges and Schools contact their own constituents, while success units intervene to offer a range of support services to students in any major. Tutoring, mentoring, coaching, supplemental instruction, and exploratory advising comprise a short list of example services offered by TAS, UAT, and OMED. See http://tutoring.gatech.edu/, https://advising.gatech.edu/, and  https://omed.gatech.edu/ for service details.

GT 2100, Seminar on Academic Success, was launched in spring 2014 specifically to address Georgia Tech’s CCG goal of providing increased support for students who are permitted to return on contract after academic dismissal. Taught by UAT staff, the required seminar provides students returning from academic dismissal with opportunities for reflection, skill development, and one-on-one academic coaching. From spring 2014 through spring 2021, 378 of 668 GT 2100 students (57%) have either graduated or remained enrolled. Intervention outcomes represent a significant improvement over our pre-initiative baseline graduation rate of 14% for students readmitted following academic dismissal.

In summer 2019 a new course, GT 2801: Study Strategies Seminar, was created to specifically target students on probation. GT 2801 provides solution-based opportunity to learn skills, strategies, and ways of thinking that will assist in restoring scholastic standing. Two sections of the course were offered in 2020-21, enrolling 31 total students. Twenty of the 31 students (65%) achieved good academic standing following participation in the course. Overall, since the course was introduced, 62 of 89 enrollees (70%) achieved good academic standing following their participation.

Students Ending Their First Year in Academic Distress.

In 2020-21, 31 first-year students ended spring semester in academic distress (as defined by ending the year on academic probation or warning or in good academic standing with a GPA of 2.00 or below). In summer 2020, following a review of their academic records, 29 of the students received an electronic letter from the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education encouraging them to take proactive steps to improve their academic progress. Suggested interventions included meeting with their academic advisor and utilizing campus success resources, several of which were delineated in the letter. The goal was to inform students that the Institute monitors their academic progress and to connect them with interventions early, while they still had time to change their trajectory. By summer 2021, 13 of the 29 students (45%) had achieved good academic standing during their second year. Additionally, 62% were enrolled in fall 2021. Due to the lower-than-expected progression metrics for these students, a redesigned intervention was utilized in summer 2021. First-year students ending 2020-21 in academic distress were assigned to specific academic coaches in UAT. The coaches are conducting individual outreach to the students in fall 2021, offering coaching support and encouraging usage of all UAT and TAS services.

Outreach to Students Not Registered for Fall Semester by the End of Phase I Registration.

An annual Non-Registered Student Survey, distributed to students who did not register for fall semester during Phase I registration, was institutionalized in 2014. Historically, not registering for classes during Phase I is a red flag for students who may not be returning or who may be experiencing a barrier to returning. Students who need assistance to register are referred as needed by the Director of Retention and Graduation Initiatives/Sr. Assistant Registrar to academic advisors, UAT, TAS, the Career Center, the Dean of Students, the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, the Center for Assessment, Referral and Education, and the Registrar’s Office. In summer 2021, 541 students were surveyed and encouraged to enroll during the Phase II registration period.  Two hundred forty-five students responded to the survey, and 76 students requested individualized assistance with a variety of registration issues, including account holds, approval of registration permits for co-op or internship work terms, major changes, and closed class sections. A summary report was prepared to capture demographics, trends, and issues related to non-registration. See Appendix I for a description of the population, number of students surveyed, and survey response rates.

Gateways to Completion. Physics I and Physics II are two gateway courses that traditionally pose challenges in STEM degree programs. Given Georgia Tech’s emphasis on STEM, physics coursework became the focus of Georgia Tech’s participation in Gateways to Completion (G2C). During year three of our collaboration with the Gardner Institute (JNGI), the School of Physics engaged with JNGI regarding deliberative innovation in education. Representatives of JGNI visited campus for a workshop on the topic, and Georgia Tech engaged with G2C through participation in national and USG conferences as well as monthly conference calls. The Physics of Living Systems curriculum, based on deliberative innovation, showed promise in improving physics education. Additional science disciplines embraced deliberative innovation in their curriculum redesign, and outcomes for students studying biology/life sciences and those planning to embark on health-related careers (e.g., nursing, physical therapy, etc.) may be enhanced. Further, as part of G2C, the College of Sciences has developed plans for more robust evaluation of instruction and inclusive teaching, another area of interest to JNGI.

The Center for Assessment, Referral & Education (CARE).

Opened in fall 2019, CARE provides a single point of entry for student access to all mental health resources and services on and off campus. CARE is staffed by licensed mental health professionals who specialize in college mental health and assessment. CARE demonstrated its impact immediately by quickly referring students to available resources and freeing up capacity in both the Counseling Center and Stamps Psychiatry. On average students were assigned to the Counseling Center or Stamps Psychiatry 1.5 days after their CARE assessment with most assignments occurring the day of the assessment. Before CARE opened, there was a minimum 2-week wait for Stamps Psychiatry appointments. With CARE in place, the wait time decreased to a maximum of 1.5 weeks with a 50% reduction in appointments overall. During 2020-21, demand for CARE services increased. Client themes reflected that the Covid-19 pandemic, along with other national and local incidents, brought greater feelings of isolation and loneliness. These feelings exacerbated existing developmental and clinical concerns for CARE clients and resulted in increased service usage.

Peer-Led Undergraduate Study (PLUS).

Through TAS, Georgia Tech provides supplemental instruction that supports student success in more than twenty traditionally challenging courses, including calculus, linear algebra, physics, and chemistry. Further, departmental support expands PLUS services offered in chemistry, mathematics, and biomedical engineering.

The number of visits for PLUS sessions represents markers of program success. During 2020-21, 3,669 students participated in PLUS for a total of 18,733 visits. Additionally, TAS compares students’ final grades in courses for PLUS regular vs. non-regular participants. Throughout 2020-21 regular PLUS participants (5 or more visits) consistently outperformed their peers who did not participate.

• In summer 2020, 98% of PLUS regular participants (5 or more visits) earned a grade of A/B/C/S compared to 90% of their peers in the same classes who did not participate in PLUS.
• In fall 2020, 96% of PLUS regular participants earned a grade of A/B/C/S compared to 90% of their peers in the same classes who did not participate in PLUS.
• In spring 2021, 93% of PLUS regular participants earned a grade of A/B/C/S compared to 89% of their peers who did not participate in PLUS.

See Appendix J for outcomes by course.

Academic Advising.

Academic advising, while decentralized across Colleges and Schools, benefits from the leadership of the Director of Undergraduate Advising and Transition, reporting to the Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education. A primary focus of our Momentum plan, enhancements to academic advising have been a high priority since the release of the Advising Task Force Report and Recommendations in April 2018. Implementing and expanding the Task Force recommendations, Georgia Tech seeks to deliver a coherent distributed advising model emphasizing the following strategies:

• Promotion of best practices and professional development for professional advisors and faculty advisors.
• Acquisition of a common IT infrastructure to support communications and record keeping with relevance to academic advising.
• Hiring of key personnel to provide exploratory advising (e.g., change of majors or exploration of interdisciplinary pathways) and analytics support.

Complete College Georgia-Georgia Tech Steering Committee.

The best practices outlined above are guided by the CCG-GT Steering Committee, a diverse team of faculty and staff providing leadership for our RPG initiatives and promoting awareness of our Momentum work across campus. Chaired by Dr. Steven P. Girardot, Interim Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, the CCG-GT Steering Committee connects faculty, staff, and leadership stakeholders to review, refine, and assess RPG efforts. See Appendix K for the membership list of the Institute’s 2020-21 CCG-GT Steering Committee. Committee membership for 2021-22 is as follows:

• Dr. Steven P. Girardot, Interim Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education (chair)
• Dr. Sybrina Atwaters, Director, OMED
• Mr. Elijah Cameron, Director, Office of Assessment and Quantitative Services, College of Computing
• Dr. Al Ferri, Professor and Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies, School of Mechanical Engineering
• Mr. Brent Griffin, Director, Retention and Graduation Initiatives/Sr. Assistant Registrar, Office of the Registrar/Office of Undergraduate Education
• Ms. Sandra Kinney, Senior Director, Institutional Research and Planning
• Dr. Paul Kohn, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management
• Dr. Linda Green, Director, Tutoring and Academic Support
• Dr. Michelle Rinehart, Interim Dean, College of Design
• Dr. Beth Spencer, Director, Undergraduate Advising and Transition
• Dr. Charmaine Troy, Program and Operations Manager, First-Generation and Limited-Income Student Support
• Dr. Cam Tyson, Assistant Dean for Academic Programs, College of Sciences
• Dr. De Morris Walker, Director, Summer Session Initiatives
• Dr. Joyce Weinsheimer, Director, Center for Teaching and Learning
• Mr. Craig Womack, Associate Dean/Director of Undergraduate Programs, Scheller College of Business
• Dr. Brenda “B” Woods, Director of Research and Assessment, Student Engagement & Well-Being

In 2020 Georgia Tech launched a new ten-year Institute Strategic Plan (ISP). The ISP outlines a set of core values and six major focus areas. The plan is student-focused, emphasizing the importance of access, diversity, and well-being within the campus community. The first core value is “Students are our top priority.”, and the focus areas of Amplify Impact, Expand Access, and Cultivate Well-Being demonstrate Georgia Tech’s long-term commitment to enrolling and graduating a diverse set of students. Partially in response to the priorities set by the ISP, Georgia Tech established a new unit, Student Engagement and Well-Being, to integrate the divisions of Student Life and Campus Services and bring together key nonacademic aspects of the Institute that impact the student experience. In early June 2021, Dr. Luoluo Hong was selected to lead the new unit as the inaugural Vice President for Student Engagement and Well Being. Under Dr. Hong’s direction, the newly structured unit will help foster a shared vision of creating a holistic and progressive approach to student success. Further, the Office of the Provost recently announced the creation of a new cabinet-level position, Senior Vice Provost for Education and Learning (SVP-EL). Reporting to the Provost, The SVP-EL will provide dedicated operational leadership and strategic oversight of the student educational and learning experience for both undergraduate and graduate education. The SVP-EL’s portfolio will include the Office of Undergraduate Education, the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, and the Center for Teaching and Learning.

Aligning our Momentum framework with the focus areas embedded in the ISP is an area of emphasis throughout 2021-22. Intentionally crafting and communicating that alignment will amplify the resilience of our Momentum work and enhance institution-wide support for the Momentum framework generally. Our Big Idea from Momentum Summit IV, the GT-AMP Mini-Grant Project, specifically promotes transformative projects that impact student success and demonstrate the alignment of the ISP with our Momentum framework

OUR BIG IDEA

A diverse team of faculty and staff engaged in student success initiatives across campus participated in Momentum Summit IV. Due to the virtual nature of the event, Georgia Tech was able to expand its team to include not only leadership from Undergraduate Education, Student Life, and Enrollment Management but also representatives from the Career Center, Undergraduate Advising and Transition, the Honors Program, OMED: Educational Services, the Center for Teaching and Learning, the Office of International Education, the Counseling Center, Academic Effectiveness, and Institute Research and Planning. The team gathered online periodically throughout the Summit to talk about our Momentum Year and Approach work from prior years and to map out a plan for 2021. Discussions centered on the intersection between the new ISP, with its focus on amplifying impact and expanding access, and our Momentum activities. Connecting the goals of the Momentum framework with the ISP and communicating that connection to the campus community appeared the logical next step to the team.  Based on historical precedent of internal mini-grant projects generating interest and innovation from a broad cross section of the campus community, the team proposed the development of a mini-grant project expressly designed to align the ISP with Momentum goals. These conversations led to the creation of the Amplify Impact Mini-Grant Project or GT-AMP.

Following the Summit, a working group of Summit participants crafted a GT-AMP request for proposals (RFP) to inspire the creation of innovative success initiatives that advance one or more USG Momentum Approach goals aligned with the Amplify Impact focus area of the ISP. The RFP stressed that the proposed initiatives must empower students to make and deepen purposeful choices, create and cultivate productive academic mindsets, attempt and maintain full momentum along a clear pathway, heighten academic engagement, or complete critical milestones. The working group forwarded the RFP to the Office of the Provost seeking support for launching GT-AMP. The Office of the Provost generously provided funding for the project. The RFP was circulated broadly to the campus community in late summer 2021, and a website with an embedded Qualtrics survey was created to provide detailed information about the project and to capture proposal submissions. See Appendix L for the GT-AMP RFP.

By the October 2021 submission deadline, 19 GT-AMP initiatives were submitted for consideration. The proposals represent funding requests from a broad cross section of the Georgia Tech community, including Serve Learn Sustain, the Library, Academic Effectiveness, Athletics, and several academic Colleges and Schools (e.g., Biology, Chemistry, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Psychology, Materials Science and Engineering, College of Design). Thus, one of the goals of GT-AMP—communicating the Momentum framework and its connection to the ISP to a broader campus community—has been accomplished. A five-person team of faculty and staff are reviewing the GT-AMP submissions. Reviews are scheduled for completion in early November with the goal of funding 4-6 proposals. Each proposal includes a set of project outcomes and measures of success. These outcomes and measures will be used to assess GT-AMP’s impact in advancing both ISP themes and Momentum goals.

MOMENTUM PLAN MID-YEAR UPDATE, RESILIENCE

With the pivot to remote operations in spring 2020, Georgia Tech reengineered its teaching and learning strategies, course scheduling, and support services. Pre-pandemic remote undergraduate course offerings were minimal, as was online assistance to students. The Georgia Tech community reacted quickly to convert courses, academic support, and health and wellness interventions into virtual and then hybrid formats. This required enhanced use of technologies, including our learning management system, CANVAS, and our online meeting platforms, Blue Jeans and MS-Teams. As fall 2020 approached, a testing and tracing strategy was implemented that proved extremely successful in controlling the spread of Covid-19 among the campus community. Coursework and student services shifted to hybrid formats for both fall and spring semesters. When Covid-19 vaccines became available in spring 2021, vaccine distribution quickly became a priority.

As planning commenced for fall 2021, Georgia Tech designed a return to campus experience for students that mirrored the fall 2019 student experience, but incorporated lessons learned from more than a year of remote and hybrid operations. In early summer, prior to the rise of the Covid-19 Delta variant, a survey was distributed to assess students' comfort with returning to campus in a traditional fashion given coronavirus circulation. Over 4,000 students (~88% undergraduates) responded to the survey. Only 29% of respondents expressed that they were extremely uncomfortable or uncomfortable returning to on-campus instruction in fall 2021. Further, 32% of respondents indicated that, given the opportunity to continue to learn remotely, they preferred to opt out of on-campus instruction. Thus, in fall 2021 the overwhelming majority of undergraduates are in a residential environment and taking in-person classes. Throughout this monumental shift in operations, from remote to hybrid and then back to in-person, Georgia Tech maintained its commitment to student success and well-being. Our established support scaffolding proved flexible and resilient by withstanding these extraordinary changes in service delivery while integrating best practices developed under Covid-19 challenges.

Our Momentum plans endured as well, but implementation timelines have been impacted by the pandemic. Shifting modes of instruction and service delivery while providing timely, direct assistance to students has taken precedence over some long-term goals. We are working to institutionalize many new initiatives in alignment with the ISP. Progress is being made, but challenges exist. The time demands of responding quickly to student needs in the Covid-19 environment continue to slow aspects of our Momentum work.

Georgia Tech’s Momentum Year plan is focused on Making a Purposeful Program Choice, aligning with our emphasis on enhancements to academic advising and change of major processes. Table 2 illustrates our commitment to delivering a Momentum Year for all our students.

Progress toward our Momentum Year activities is mixed due to the time devoted to supporting students during their full return to campus in fall 2021 and the ongoing dynamics of Covid-19. Each initiative, progress to date, challenges, and next steps are highlighted below.

Georgia Tech’s Momentum Approach plan focuses on longer-term, systemic changes within our complex, decentralized organization. They are designed to extend successful first-year strategies and high impact practices into future years and to diverse cohorts, while addressing campus cultural barriers to the Momentum framework. Our 2021 priorities are Deepen Purposeful Choices, Cultivate Productive Academic Mindsets, and Heighten Academic Engagement. Table 3 illustrates our commitment to delivering Momentum Approach strategies for all our students.

As with our Momentum Year activities, progress toward our Momentum Approach activities is mixed due to the time devoted to supporting students during their full return to campus in fall 2021 and the ongoing dynamics of Covid-19. Each initiative, progress to date, challenges, and next steps are highlighted below.

MOMENTUM PLAN MID-YEAR UPDATE, GLOBAL MOMENTUM SUPPORT

Operating in a complex, decentralized environment creates communication challenges under the best circumstances. Given the fluid situation surrounding Covid-19 and the importance of communicating just-in-time information about the pandemic and return to campus plans, 2021 has proven to be a difficult year to engage the campus community regarding Momentum themes. Yet, leveraging our big idea, the GT-AMP Mini-Grant Project, to increase awareness of the Momentum themes and our ongoing Momentum work to a broad-based, diverse coalition of partners has proven effective. Demonstrating the alignment between the ISP and our Momentum work and communicating that alignment to a wider campus constituency is a key component of our communications strategy.

Through our Leading Insight Through Empowerment (LITE) portal, maintained by Enterprise Data Management (EDM), the Georgia Tech community has access to a wealth of student success information. We continue to expand the student data available in LITE and the ability of users to disaggregate that data based on student demographics (e.g., first-generation students). We recently held focus groups with users of our Advisor Link platform to learn more about their experiences with the system, gather data requirements, and create a roadmap for improvements in functionality and reporting. Feedback from the focus groups will help us prioritize next steps in our Advisor Link implementation. The Office of the Registrar, in collaboration with EDM, IRP and other campus partners, ensures that student data is as secure as possible and that students’ FERPA rights are protected.

SUMMARY AND NEXT STEPS

Since the inception of CCG in 2011, Georgia Tech has increased its six-year graduation rate from 79% for the fall 2006 first-year cohort to a record high of 92% for the fall 2015 first-year cohort. For seven consecutive years, Georgia Tech’s first-time, full-time freshmen have achieved a first-to-second year retention rate of 97%. The proportion of women in the undergraduate population continues to grow, and women outperform men in degree progression metrics. While a success gap persists, the six-year graduation rate for underrepresented minority students has risen from 76% for the fall 2007 first-year cohort to 87% for the 2014 first-year cohort, an Institute record high. Given the disruptive events in higher education over the past eighteen months, these success metrics are particularly impressive. They underscore the resilience of Georgia Tech students, the dedication and commitment of our faculty and staff, and the robustness of our student support initiatives and high-impact practices as advanced through our CCG and Momentum work.

This report illustrates many of the embedded initiatives and targeted strategies positively impacting student success and degree progression at Georgia Tech. It also outlines progress on our Momentum plans, highlighting accomplishments and areas for improvement. Enhancements to academic advising remain a key component of our Momentum work as we continue to focus on purposeful program choice. Even though our four-year graduation rate for the 2017 first-year cohort reached a record rate of 57%, an increase from 40% for the fall 2007 first-year cohort, this metric demands further study. At Georgia Tech many factors influence this rate, including student involvement in experiential education (e.g., co-op and internships, study abroad), the length of degree programs in science and engineering, and the rigor of Georgia Tech coursework. We continue to explore strategies to improve this metric over time.

Throughout 2021-22, we will build on our many successful CCG strategies and focus on implementing our Momentum plan, including our big idea, the GT-AMP Mini-Grant Project. While data demonstrate that our current strategies are successful, we seek innovative solutions to systemic challenges and opportunities to institutionalize best practices that strengthen student engagement, sense of belonging, and degree progression. Georgia Tech is enthusiastic about our CCG and Momentum initiatives, and we look forward to aligning our Momentum framework with our Strategic Plan while promoting student success throughout the Institute and the USG.