Middle Georgia State University Campus Plan Update 2020

Institutional Mission and Student Body Profile

Middle Georgia State University (MGSU) is a five-campus institution providing selective undergraduate and graduate education throughout the middle Georgia region. MGSU serves a diverse student body through traditional, online, and hybrid delivery of curriculum. It is the mission of MGSU to educate and graduate inspired lifelong learners whose scholarship and careers enhance the region through professional leadership, innovative partnerships, and community engagement. The institution’s vision is to transform individuals and their communities through extraordinary high learning. Four core values underscore this vision: stewardship, engagement, adaptability, and learning.

Middle Georgia State University offered 23 programs at the baccalaureate level and 5 at the master’s level in the 2019-20 academic year. The University awarded 1,331 degrees in the 2019-20 academic year. The number of baccalaureate degrees awarded increased from 775 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 to 910 in FY 2020, an increase of 17.42%.

Census data define the Fall 2019 student body to be Georgia residents (94.3%), predominantly White Non-Hispanic (52.4%); Black/African American Non-Hispanic (33.9%), and under 25 years of age (72.4%). Of the student body, 62.2% were enrolled full-time. Females comprised 56.6% of the student body and males 43.4% of the student body.

In Fall 2019, 94.3% of enrolled students were Georgia residents representing 143 counties with most of the in-state students coming from Houston, Bibb, Laurens, Peach, Dodge, Bleckley, Henry, Fulton, DeKalb, Monroe, Gwinnett, Jones, and Cobb. Also represented in the fall 2019 enrolled student body were 139 out-of-state counties. There were 311 students that came from out-of-state primarily from Florida, South Carolina, Alabama, and North Carolina. International students represented 1.83% of the total fall 2019 enrollment.

The number of MGSU Pell recipients in fall 2019 was 3,448 (45.8% of undergraduates) of total enrollment as compared to 3,439 (45.4% of undergraduates) for the 2018-19 academic year. The fall 2019 enrollment was also comprised of 1,200 (14.9%) first generation college students and 2,224 (27.6%) adult learners. In fall 2019, there were 331 military students that comprised 4.1% of the total enrollment as compared to 423 students (5.4%) of the total enrollment in fall 2018. The ethnic minority student population in fall 2019 was 3,535 (43.8%) as compared to 3,448 (44.2%) in fall 2018.

MGSU has a blended function in that it serves both the academically gifted students in dual enrollment, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs while also serving as a point of access to higher education for underrepresented populations. Owning student success is the 2018-2023 strategic imperative for MGSU which is dependent on data-driven decision making, better service to students, more efficient use of faculty and staff resources, and utilization of tools to measure and communicate performance. Keeping students on track to program completion is the CCG goal most closely aligned with MGSU’s strategic priorities. Outcomes for this goal include improved persistence and retention rates and increase in the number of students completing their degree on-time. To fulfill its vision of “transformation of individuals and their communities through extraordinary higher learning,” MGSU has identified several high impact strategies to enhance retention and graduation.

Benchmark:  Columbus State University

Competitor institution: Valdosta State University

Aspirational: Kennesaw State University

Improvement Practices

1.  Established a School-based strategy from enrollment until graduation:  Admitted students were assigned to an academic School right from the time of enrollment so students had access to guidance to overcome procedural as well as motivational barriers.  During orientation, students were assigned to various groups depending upon their School and major and attended school-specific academic sessions where they met the Dean, Chair and some faculty that introduced the programs offered by the School.  The decision to move to a school-based strategy involved the cabinet-level executives as well as academic affairs and enrollment management leadership.  Each Dean, with input from the Chairs and faculty, developed a Strategic Plan for the School outlining the vision, mission, and imperatives with associated strategies.  In addition, each School also developed a school-specific Faculty Handbook listing administrative procedures, expectations and evaluation of faculty performance, school committees, and instruction-related as well as student-related policies and procedures. 

All students enrolled in MGSU were admitted under one of the six academic Schools, and the undecided major was eliminated.

2.  Established de-centralized advising:  In keeping with the school-based strategy, all the professional advisors were distributed among the academic Schools and the Deans made responsible for the advisement and registration process for all students enrolled under different majors offered by the School.  Deans managed the caseload of each professional academic advisor assigning them responsibility for 200-250 students each. 

Most Schools have established a policy that professional advisors work with their advisees until they acquire 45 credit hours after which students are advised by faculty.  In case of professional programs like Nursing, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Respiratory Therapy, and Education, faculty advisors take over advising from the professional advisors once the student gets admitted into the program.  While this strategy is helping students to get more focused advising and mentoring, there are challenges linked to changing majors and campuses by students.  It is also difficult to maintain an equitable case load between the advisors assigned to one School.  The issue gets more complicated with frequent turnover of professional advisors.  Data cleanup in Banner is also a continuous process required every semester.

3.  Curriculum revision: Several students at MGSU have greater than 120 hours but no degree.  These hours have been accumulated as students change their majors frequently whereby some of the courses do not provide credit towards their new major.  To allow for transfer of credit between majors, curriculum revision was introduced to provide greater flexibility by increasing the number of elective credits.  The Deans, Chairs, and faculty worked on designing curricular changes that were then moved through the curriculum approval process involving the Academic Affairs Board, the Provost’ office, and the Faculty Senate.  The introduction of these curricular changes increased the number of bachelor's degree graduates by 17.4% in just one academic year from 2018-2019 to 2019-2020.  The average number of credits acquired at graduation towards a bachelor's degree decreased by 1.8% going from 140 in 2018-2019 to 138 in 2019-2020.

4.  Strengthened online instruction: MGA Direct was launched in Fall 2019 with courses offered in eight-week and fifteen-week sessions to accommodate the needs of working adults and to make the degrees and courses available to students across the nation and the world.  Three Master’s degrees and eight bachelor's degrees were offered through this initiative.  School Deans, Chairs, faculty, and the Academic Affairs office personnel were involved in the planning and curriculum approval process for degrees/courses offered through MGA Direct. In 2019-2020 there were 7,349 distinct students taking at least one online class which was 73% of the overall distinct headcount for the academic year. This is a 14.3% increase from the prior year when MGA had 6,429 distinct students, or 67% of the overall headcount, taking at least one online class. There were 2,120 fully online students in fall 2019 which is a 522 student (32.7%) increase from Fall 2018 which saw 1,598 fully online students. The number of online courses offered increased by 22.3% in 2019-2020 expanding from 1,067 in 2018-2019 to 1,305.

5. Implemented co-requisite remediation: Both English and math departments offered co-requisite support for English Composition I (ENGL 1101 with 0999) and Math Modeling (MATH 1101 with 0998). 

English Learning Support (LS) Data for 2019 – 2020

• 140 students enrolled in Fall 2019 English learning support classes and 105 enrolled in Spring 2020
• ENGL 0999 showed a pass rate of 67.1% in Fall 2019 and 51.4% in Spring 2020
• LS students in ENGL 1101 showed a pass rate of 58.2% in Fall 2019 and 48.6% in Spring 2020
• 57% of LS English students passed both 0999 and 1101 in Fall 2019 whereas 43% passed both in Spring 2020
• 82 students exited English Learning Support in Fall 2019 with 94% having exited after one term whereas 51 students exited in Spring 2020 with 75% having exited in one term 

It is evident from the data that student success outcomes in LS English need to be improved.  The Department of English has redesigned English 0999 as part of the Gateways to Completion (G2C) initiative.  The redesigned course is better aligned with the learning objectives of ENGL 1101 and is being offered in fall 2020.  Data obtained at the end of the semester will provide an insight into the success of the redesign and an opportunity to make additional course modifications as needed.  More information on the redesign is highlighted in the narrative on course redesign.

Math Learning Support Data for 2019 – 2020

• 317 students enrolled in Fall 2019 Math learning support classes and 279 enrolled in Spring 2020
• MATH 0998 showed a pass rate of 41.3% in Fall 2019 and 69.2% in Spring 2020
• LS students in MATH 1101 showed a pass rate of 40.3% in Fall 2019 and 47.7% in Spring 2020
• 39% of LS Math students passed both 0998 and 1101 in Fall 2019 whereas 43% passed both in Spring 2020
• 128 students exited Math Learning Support in Fall 2019 with 90% having exited after one term whereas 82 students exited in Spring 2020 with 62% having exited in one term

Prior to spring 2020, the Department of Mathematics & Statistics offered MATH 1101 (Introduction to Mathematical Modeling, 3 credit hours) and the support course MATH 0998 (Support for Math Modeling, 3 credit hours). There had been a number of academic initiatives that had been tried in these courses, but measuring their effectiveness was confounded by numerous institutional changes as well as more global changes to Learning Support at the University System of Georgia (elimination of foundations courses, changes in pedagogical recommendations, enrollment standards, etc.) In fall 2019, a request was made of the department to change the number of credit hours in the support course (MATH 0998) from 3 credit hours to 1 credit hour, and this change was implemented in the spring 2020 semester. An analysis of student success rates under the new model as well as anecdotal feedback from faculty and students led faculty within the department to two conclusions: 1) Students in the co-requisite course needed more time than the 1 credit hour designation allowed; 2) Many students did not have the necessary prerequisite skills to be successful in MATH 1101. In an effort to create an Area A course that was more aligned to students’ abilities and interests, the faculty voted to design a new course MATH 1001 (Quantitative Reasoning, 3 credit hours) along with the co-requisite course MATH 0997 (Support for Quantitative Reasoning). The number of credit hours in the co-requisite course was designated at 2 hours. These courses are the ones currently being offered in fall 2020. A support class for Algebra is also being offered beginning fall 2020.  Faculty teaching the co-requisite courses formed committees that worked on the course structure and design of the support classes.

6.  Implemented course redesign: As part of the G2C initiative, cohort II, two additional courses, College Algebra and Support for English Composition I, were redesigned to improve student success outcomes.  College Algebra was redesigned by the math faculty to be offered in the Emporium model in a face-to-face setting during spring 2020 ending with a 75.8% pass rate (including grades of A, B, and C).  As the pandemic hit, the class had to be moved to an online format; therefore, the data obtained does not reflect the outcome of the redesign accurately. The redesigned course is being offered in fall 2020 in a hybrid emporium model.

The Support for English Composition was offered as a 3-credit hour course in fall 2019 and spring 2020.   Based on data and guidance provided by the USG, the English faculty worked to redesign the course from a 3-credit hour to a 2-credit hour offering during spring 2020.  The 2-credit hour course is being offered in fall 2020 that includes course specific early alerts, mandated tutoring, and specific re-alignment with the content of English Composition.

7. Leadership Development: In Fall 2019, the Knights LEAD Student Leadership Program was launched for first-year students.  Offered in Macon and Cochran, these students participated in sessions that cover the eight career competencies from the National Association of Colleges & Employers:  critical thinking, communication skills, teamwork, digital technology, leadership, professionalism/work ethic, career management, and global/intercultural fluency.  Faculty and staff served as session facilitators and mentors, providing students with personal connections for resources and support at the university.  Student participants reported an increase in knowledge in all competency areas.  All Knights LEAD students participated in a session focused on career management.  For their application session the following semester, students had to meet with a career advisor.  Mentors are a significant part of this experience for students, but initial participation from faculty and staff was low. With staffing for the program in place before the 2020-21 academic year, early and frequent recruitment will increase the number of mentors working with students in the program. During spring, the program had to finish in a virtual format.  There was a total of 12 students who continued and completed, but the challenges that came about as a result of the pandemic made it difficult for the other remaining students to finish the program.  This experience did provide the staff with the framework for how to run the program virtually in the fall.

8. Experiential Learning (EL) opportunities: The Office of Experiential Learning in collaboration with faculty, chairs, deans and the Provost’s office continued to oversee the implementation of Experiential Learning@MGA - the Quality Enhancement Plan of the institution. Under this initiative, student learning and engagement was strengthened by increasing participation in an array of experiential learning opportunities including internships, undergraduate research, and service learning. The initiative encouraged “exploration and application beyond the classroom,” transforming students’ perspective, their career trajectories, and our shared communities.  Activities under this plan included Experiential Learning Course Redesigns, Faculty Professional Development, Student Conference and Travel Funding and Research Stipends, and Experiential Learning Speaker Bureau and Honorarium Funding.

The most recent graduating cohort (Spring 2020) had the following outcomes: 434 of the 537 undergraduates had EL designation representing 80% of the graduating class of which 118 were silver (participating in 1 High Impact Practice), 78 were gold (participating in 2 High Impact Practices), and 238 were platinum (participating in 3 or more High Impact Practices).   The total represented a 26.5% increase from the spring 2019 graduation where 343 earned EL designation.

The QEP was developed with constituency input and mindfully crafted to maximize student learning outcomes that support the mission and reflect the strategic priorities of the institution. A significant impact has been observed on the culture of the institution – manifested as a focus on undergraduate research. The academy’s interdisciplinary collaborations are a result of strong penetration within the academic pathways. The increase in student participation can be directly attributed to the gamification model and the intentionality of critical reflection and the cumulative value and competitive advantage proposition shared with students. The QEP becomes institutionalized in fall 2020 with the implementation of a “graduation designation” recognizing an emphasis or attentiveness to experiential learning. This transcript designation captures the expanded system emphasis on high impact practices across the curriculum. 

9. Diversity/global learning: To support an inclusive campus environment that results in educational excellence and student success, the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity offered several activities in 2019-20 that included organizing table talk events to engage students in discussions about diversity, inclusion and compliance on all five campuses. At least 420 students attended the five-campus table talks.

The Office also hosted faculty/staff training on Understanding Bias & Hate on Campus which was attended by 30 faculty/staff.

Diversity Campus Climate survey was conducted to garner students’ perception of the campus environment.   Survey feedback included responses from 260 students with over 71% reporting that a faculty/staff member did something in the recent year that supported their success.

MGSU is a diverse and inclusive campus. Diversity issues that are reflected or discussed on the larger stage of our country are usually the same issues that are of concern in higher education; including issues of justice, equality, and respect for humanity. The Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity is increasing conversations and education around diversity and inclusion issues to support retention, progression, and graduation of students. The impact of this strategy will be more visible as the Office develops long-term strategies focused on diversity, inclusion, and equity as separate initiatives to address instead of just a single diversity initiative. Positive outcomes from implementing a more inclusive strategy will be evident through responses shared via assessment tools over the next couple of years.

Momentum Update: Observations and Next Steps

Section 3.1 Existing Momentum Work 

Purposeful Choice 

Transparent Pathways

Academic Mindset

General Overview and Observations

The School-based strategy adopted last year is working well in many aspects. Every student has a connection to an academic School and an academic advisor from the time of enrollment.  They also get a chance to meet with the Deans, Chairs, and some faculty during the in-person orientations.  However, during COVID-19, some adjustments had to be made.  Orientation was redesigned to move to a virtual platform, and all advising was done online or via email and phone meetings.  The in-person contact with the Deans, Chairs, and faculty was not offered; however, a virtual introduction to all the academic Schools and the degree programs was included in this revised orientation.   In-person orientation events are scheduled to begin in fall’20 that will include meetings with faculty and advising staff from each Academic School.

Decentralized advising has provided more focused and frequent communication between the student and the advisor and helped to establish a connection with the School and the discipline early in the degree program.  As students develop an advisor-advisee relationship, they will be better informed with regards to academic support services and opportunities to succeed academically and develop professionally.  Integration of academic support services with career advising and support is a high priority for MGSU.  The advising process, academic support resources, and career services, in conjunction with clearly defined pathways highlighted in program maps are strategies being employed to improve student success and retention.

Another retention strategy adopted by MGSU involves enhancing student engagement with the institution through student life activities including clubs, organizations, service learning, and other experiential learning opportunities like undergraduate research.  The use of Presence software, building of co-curricular maps, planning themed housing as well as Living and Learning Communities, and opportunities offered by the Center for Career and Leadership Development, are all efforts in that direction.  MGSU will continue to build and strengthen these efforts in the 2020-21 academic year.

Student response to the Mindset survey at the end of the fall semester was very low.  Using additional means of communication to encourage greater participation will be necessary.  Data obtained from the survey responses will help to define strategies to better support student success outcomes.  MGSU is also working to promote the concept of Academic Mindset in their faculty/staff through professional development and training opportunities.   The objective is to increase awareness and improve their understanding of how they can assist students in developing the academic mindset.  Each academic School has worked to develop a mindset plan that will include strategies to keep strengthening the students’ mindset every semester as they progress through their program of study.

Offering multiple degree programs completely online through the MGA Direct initiative has proved to be a very successful initiative with 1,657 students enrolled in Fall 2019 and 1,916 students in Spring 2020.  Of the 1,305 courses offered in AY 2019-2020, 471 courses were offered in fall 2019 and 501 in spring 2020 before the transition to a completely virtual platform due to the pandemic.

Follow up from Momentum Summit III - “Campus-Wide” Momentum Approach Activities (Beyond the Classroom)

Purpose

Mindset

Pathways

Student Success and Completion Team