Georgia State University continues to ask the question, “Are we the problem” to identify and remove administrative and academic obstacles to student success. The new initiatives described above that are focused on academic recovery, academic support, college to career, student engagement and outcomes in math are part of our commitment to review all aspects of the student experience and redesign them as necessary. GSU’s approach to student success is to implement changes at scale, changing University processes for the benefit of our students. We have not created programs targeted at students by their race, ethnicity, first-generation status, or income level. Rather, we have used data to identity problems impacting large numbers of Georgia State students, and we have changed the institution for all students. In the process, the University has redesigned outreach and onboarding, 1st-year support, guided student pathways, career readiness, academic support, academic advising, financial wellness and cohort resources, in a manner that significantly lowers bureaucratic barriers to college completion for students. Though well intentioned, institutions inadvertently hinder student success. Changing these practices has resulted in significant, positive results at Georgia State.
For example, this year, the results of a large-scale randomized controlled trial designed to validate the effectiveness of intensive, proactive, technology enhanced advisement in increasing achievement, persistence, and completion of historically underserved students were released. In 2018, The Department of Education funded, Monitoring Advising Analytics to Promote Success (MAAPS) project found that at Georgia State University, students who were randomly assigned to the treatment group and received proactive outreach, degree-planning activities, and targeted interventions from their assigned MAAPS advisors in addition to business-as-usual advisement at GSU, after 6 years had a graduation rate that was seven percentage points higher than control group students and 15 points higher for Black students, though GSU advisement interventions do not use race as a factor in its models. The work demonstrates that redesigning systems to support benefits all students and may disproportionately benefit undeserved communities because like all students, they are served better.[1]
The Panther Retention grant is another example of how redesigning systems produces positive impacts. Georgia State pioneered completion grants, which deposit funds directly into students' accounts to cover small remaining balances even after grants, loans, and personal funds have been applied. Students do not need to apply; instead, the university uses existing data to determine eligibility. Seniors are prioritized, with 85% of senior grant recipients graduating within two semesters, a notable success given their previous financial risk. Over 20,000 of these grants have been issued in the past decade. The Panther Retention Grant, served as a model to expand a completion grant program to all the school in the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia. In May 2022, Governor Brian Kemp signed House Bill 1435, to remove the financial aid gaps that impede degree completion for senior students.
Observations and Next Steps
Georgia State University is testimony to the fact that students from all backgrounds can succeed at high rates. Moreover, our efforts over the past decade demonstrate that dramatic gains are possible not through changing the nature of the students served but through changing the nature of the institution that serves them. How has Georgia State University made the gains outlined above? How do we propose to reach our ambitious future targets? In one sense, the answer is simple. We employ a consistent, evidence-based strategy. Our general approach can be summarized as follows:
- Use data systematically and daily to identify and to understand the most pervasive obstacles to our students’ progressions and completion.
- Be willing to address the problems by becoming an early adopter. This means piloting new strategies and experimenting with new technologies. After all, we will not solve decades-old problems by the same old means.
- Track the impacts of the new interventions via data and make adjustments as necessary to improve results.
- Scale the initiatives that prove effective to have maximal impact. In fact, almost all of the initiatives outlined benefit thousands of students annually.
Our work to promote student success at Georgia State has steadily increased graduation rates among students from all backgrounds, but it has also served to foster a culture of student success among faculty, staff, and administration. As the story of Georgia State University demonstrates, institutional transformation in the service of student success does not come about from a single program or office but grows from a series of changes throughout the university that undergo continual evaluation and refinement. It also shows how a series of initially small initiatives, when scaled over time, can significantly transform an institution’s culture. Student-success planning must be flexible since the removal of each impediment to student progress reveals a new challenge that was previously invisible. When retention rates improved and thousands of additional students began progressing through their academic programs, for instance, we faced a growing problem of students running out of financial aid just short of the finish line, prompting the creation of the Panther Retention Grant program. It also led to a new analytics-based initiative to better predict and address student demand in upper-level courses. Problems we faced with Summer Melt, seniors stopping out for financial reasons, and pandemic-related struggles for incoming students have each led to significant, new innovations—all of which have been adopted by other universities nationally. For a timeline of where we have been and where we are going next, please see Table 1.
Building Momentum: Georgia State University’s Aspire Initiatives
As part of the University System of Georgia’s Aspire Program in Spring 2024, Georgia State University proposed four initiatives aimed at enhancing undergraduate student success. These initiatives build on GSU’s more than 15-year commitment to improving student outcomes and represent some of the university’s highest priorities for the coming years.
The four initiatives are:
- Developing a one-stop student success portal integrated with the learning management system.
- Implementing a customer relationship management (CRM) system designed for continuing students to streamline communication and support.
- Expanding the adoption of low-cost and no-cost textbooks to reduce financial burdens on students.
- Undergoing a program review by the National Institute for Student Success to identify opportunities for further improvement.
These initiatives reflect GSU’s dedication to removing barriers to success by enhancing communication, increasing access to financial support, and continuously improving systems and processes to better support students. This work aligns with the goals of the Momentum Plan and Complete College Georgia, underscoring GSU’s ongoing efforts to help students thrive. The Aspire initiatives serve to accelerate and expand these efforts, reinforcing the university’s mission to foster academic and personal achievement for all students.
Improving Communication
The Momentum Plan details how Georgia State University continues to build success removing communication barriers for students. Since 2016, randomized control trials confirm the effectiveness of using chatbots to improve communication. GSU has reduced summer melt by 50% using an AI enhanced Chatbot in admissions. GSU has used the Chatbot to improve FAFSA submissions (16%), early registration (4%), advisor visits (13%) and lowered the number of students to be dropped dues to a balance (35%). The use of the academic chatbot in core classes like American Government and Macroeconomics has been associated with lower DFW rates and higher grades. Systematic improvements for success.
GSU’s ASPIRE proposals to develop a one stop shop student support portal in using the Learning Management System (LMS) and deploying a Customer Relations Management System (CRM) for continuing students seek to develop the communications infrastructure at GSU to better support students. The Learning Management System has been used effectively to extend the academic learning environment outside the classroom. Students are used to coming to the icollege for academic content. However, the LMS has not been well utilized at Georgia State for co-curricular content that is essential to college success including career exploration and planning and mental health and academic support. This is a missed opportunity. Students are using the platform; the functionality of the platform can be expanded to improve other critical outcomes. As part of GSU’s strategic plan, icollege is being modified to allow students to better integrate college to career. GSU is also launching a CRM for continuing students to allow the University to automatically and seamlessly move continuing students through the (re)-enrollment funnel. Just as nearly every admissions office used a CRM for recruitment and yield, the use of this technology for continuing students will help them navigate the many decisions that must be made to enroll, register and pay for classes term after term.
Scaling Financial Support
Georgia State University’s innovative financial aid strategies, particularly through the Panther Retention Grant program, have significantly boosted student completion rates. This targeted initiative helps seniors overcome financial challenges, enabling them to graduate on time. Recognizing the broader financial needs of its student body, GSU has also prioritized expanding access to affordable learning resources, aligning with the University System of Georgia’s Affordable Learning Georgia program. By increasing the availability of low-cost and no-cost textbooks, GSU not only reduces financial burdens but also fosters a more equitable academic environment. One notable success is the initiative led by the Department of Criminal Justice & Criminology, which leveraged a grant from Affordable Learning Georgia to implement a department-wide effort. Over six semesters, this program has saved nearly 10,300 undergraduate and graduate students an estimated $800,000 since 2020. To sustain and scale these efforts, GSU has compiled a comprehensive inventory of textbook costs for every class, systematically sharing this information with department chairs and administrative leaders. These measures reflect the university’s commitment to reducing financial barriers and enhancing access to essential academic resources for all students. In the last year there has been a 53% increase in the adoption of low costs and no costs texts at Georgia State University.
Continual Improvement through the NISS Engagement
Georgia State University’s commitment to continuous improvement is exemplified through its engagement in the National Institute for Student Success (NISS) diagnostic process. This comprehensive evaluation aims to uncover potential weaknesses and identify opportunities for growth. Although NISS interventions are based on GSU’s own proven model, the university’s willingness to undergo this diagnostic underscore a commitment to ongoing progress. Georgia State is not content to rest on past achievements; instead, it embraces dynamic growth and seeks new ways to enhance institutional effectiveness. Student success is not a destination but an evolving journey. GSU remains steadfast in analyzing data, identifying opportunities, and scaling interventions to improve outcomes. Through this process, the university continues to adapt and refine its strategies to meet the changing needs of its diverse student population.
These multifaceted initiatives reaffirm GSU’s dedication to academic excellence, accessibility, and innovation. By enhancing communication, expanding financial aid support, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and employing targeted enrollment strategies, Georgia State exemplifies a holistic approach to institutional advancement. While there is still work to be done, GSU’s recent progress demonstrates that meaningful improvements in student success are possible through inclusion rather than exclusion. These gains are achievable even within the constraints of limited resources. Georgia State’s example shows that large public universities can provide systematic, personalized support that has a transformative impact on student outcomes. Most importantly, Georgia State challenges the conventional wisdom that demographics dictate outcomes or that equity gaps are inevitable. The university has proven that low-income and underrepresented students can succeed at the same levels as their peers when supported by systemic, data-driven, and proven approaches. This is not just a goal but an obligation. We owe our students nothing less.
