Requirement 4.1: When evaluating success with respect to student achievement in relation to the institution’s mission, the institution includes, as appropriate, consideration of course completion, state licensing examinations, and job placement rates.

Full Compliance

Georgia Southern University engages in a variety of assessment activities to measure student achievement as it relates to the University’s mission, including course completion rates, pass rates on state licensing examinations, and job placement rates. In particular, the University evaluates student outcomes in light of the institution’s mission of highlighting academic distinction, promoting student success, instilling habits of lifelong learning, and preparing students for positions of leadership and world citizenship. In addition to its own data collection and assessment analyses, the University also avails itself of assessments done at the state level and the University System level. These reports provide comparable data that critically inform Georgia Southern’s progress relative to other System institutions—especially the other regional university, Valdosta State University.

Assessment of Georgia’s entire educational system is the responsibility of the Georgia Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (OSA), formerly the Office of Education Accountability. This office was initially established in July 2000, by the state law known as the “A Plus Education Act.” The OSA’s mandate is twofold: improving student achievement and increasing school completion rates. In addition to these goals, OSA monitors performance-based accountability standards for the state of Georgia’s education system from prekindergarten through postsecondary education. OSA has published on its web site numerous reports including its second annual report card (2002-2003) on the University System of Georgia. This report focuses on four indicators: retention rates of first-time, full-time degree-seeking students; graduation rates; pass rates on the Regents’ exams; and pass rates on licensure/certification exams.

The University of System of Georgia also conducts System-level assessment and produces an annual Information Digest. The 2002-2003 Information Digest is available on their web site. This publication provides a wealth of data, including data on first-year retention rates; baccalaureate graduation rates; college preparatory curriculum deficiencies; and Regents’ exam pass rates. These data also help to inform and guide Georgia Southern’s efforts in enhancing student achievement.

Georgia Southern University relies most heavily on data it collects. The 2003-2004 Fact Book highlights a number of measurements including retention and graduation rates, credit hours produced, enrollments, and degrees conferred. In addition, program review utilizes a number of indices to inform self-studies conducted at the unit level. These reviews frequently cite student success rates in completing courses such as capstone courses, research seminars, senior seminars, or core courses (e.g., the business core curriculum common to all business majors). The 2004 program review document for the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics program reported a 100% pass rate in its capstone course (Mathematical Models—MATH 5539) for 2001-2003. It further noted that 95% of the students completing the capstone course received a “B” or better. Likewise, the 2004 program review document for the Bachelor of Science in Geography indicated that it used the capstone sequence to demonstrate competency of students in important content areas. The capstone sequence is Introduction to Research Methods (GEO 4120), Senior Thesis Seminar (GEO 4610), and Senior Thesis Research (GEO 4820). The pass rate for the capstone sequence for 2002-2003 was 96% with 93% of these students receiving a “C” or better and 78% receiving a “B” or better. These indices help program faculty to focus on the learning outcomes achieved by particular courses and make adjustments as needed to improve student achievement and enhance academic excellence.

Frequently, course completion rates are closely related to pass rates on national and/or state licensing exams to develop a more comprehensive assessment of student learning. Pass rates on national and/or state licensing exams are also useful predictors of students’ ability to succeed within their chosen field. For example, graduates in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program take the NCLEX-RN exam; 81 Georgia Southern graduates sat for the exam for the first time in 2004. Of these 81, 71 passed on the first attempt (representing a 91% pass rate). The total pass rate for 2004 equaled 100%. The first time pass rate for the past five years has ranged from a high of 93% in 2000 (n=39/42) to a low of 72% in 2002 (n=40/56). The total pass rate ranged from 95% in 2002 to 100% in both 2000 and 2004. Similarly, the pass rates for the national certification exam for the Master of Science in Nursing (Family and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner) are utilized to assess student achievement levels. Results are available from 1989 through 2004 with an overall pass rate equaling 98.9% (n=181/183). The first time pass rate for this same time period was 93.9% (n=172/183). Clearly, these pass rates indicate that Georgia Southern nursing students are learning the material necessary to be successful in their chosen profession as well as highlight the dedication and commitment of the Nursing faculty to academic excellence.

Similarly, the School of Accountancy in the College of Business Administration relies on the CPA exam pass rates as one indicator of student achievement. Georgia Southern University pass rates on the CPA exam for 1998-2002 reveal that while there were no first time test takers for May 2002, 44 Georgia Southern students were repeat exam takers. Of those 44, 20 did not have an advanced degree; 24 did hold an advanced degree. Of those who did not have an advanced degree, 20% passed all sections of the exam. Of those with advanced degrees, 12.5% passed all sections. Comparable pass rates for the University of Georgia are 25% for those without advanced degrees (n=20) and 31.3% for those with advanced degrees (n=32). Data is also provided the November exam. During the self-study phase of program review, the School of Accountancy studies these results and uses this information to guide programmatic and curricula changes.

The College of Education monitors the pass rates of the PRAXIS exams to facilitate assessment of student learning outcomes in its teacher preparation programs. Georgia Southern results for 2000-01 through 2002-03 are presented in the attached table for both the PRAXIS I and II exams. The PRAXIS I exam is designed to be taken early in the student’s college career to measure reading, writing, and mathematics skills. The PRAXIS II exams measure candidates’ knowledge in the subject areas they will teach as well as general and subject-specific pedagogical skills and knowledge. For the most recent year available, the data show that 100% of the Georgia Southern students taking the PRAXIS II in certain subject areas passed, including those taking exams in Art: Content Knowledge (n=2); Biology: Content Knowledge (n=5); Chemistry: Content Knowledge (n=2); Home Economics Education (n=7); Physical Education: Movement Forms-Analysis & Design (n=3); Reading Specialist (n=3); and Special Education: Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities (n=4). Of the 39 subject areas in which the PRAXIS II was taken, 30 subject areas displayed pass rates of 50% or higher, representing about 77% of the total. An examination of the PRAXIS I scores for 2002-03 reveals that all but one area (n=6 exams) reflected pass rates of 50% or higher. The Pre-Professional Skills Test: Mathematics had a pass rate of 42.48% (n=65/153 test takers).

Job placement rates are another indicator of student success that is often cited by Georgia Southern programs in evaluating student learning. The 2001 Post Graduation Survey, produced by the Office of Career Services, tracks occupation and other measures of progress of Georgia Southern University graduates who received undergraduate degrees in May and August 2001. Of 274 respondents, 245 or 89.4% were employed or enrolled in graduate school. The majority of these graduates, 62.8% (n=172/274), reported that they were working in the field in which they majored. Thirty-seven of these graduates (13.6%) were in graduate school, while 71 (25.9%) reported that they were still in the job market. Only 29 (10.6%) did not have any job. Of the respondents who reported salary data (n=220), 33 or 15% reported earnings of $40,000 and above. The majority of graduates, 83 or 37.7%, reported earnings between $20,000 and $30,000. Seventy-seven graduates (35%) reported earnings from $30,000 to $40,000. The survey provides additional detail at the college levels as well. The Post Graduation Survey was updated in 2003. Again, the majority of the 225 respondents reported that they were employed in a job in their field (140 or 62.2%). Eighty-four graduates (37.3%) had not found employment in their career field. Fifty-one graduates or 22.7% reported that they are currently seeking employment. Similarly, of the 225 respondents, 178 reported salary data. Approximately 15% (n=33) indicated that they earned $40,000 or more. Most graduates (30.2% or n=68) reported earnings of $30,000 to $39,999. Post Graduation Survey results are also available for the year 2000. Many departments maintain similar data specific to their programs and utilize these data in their program reviews.

These surveys provide a wealth of data for the colleges to use in evaluating the success of their academic programs with respect to student achievement. In addition, the Office of Career Service administers an annual Pre-Graduation Survey to assess, in part, Career Service’s success in meeting students’ needs and to improve the levels of their services. This survey has been given with slight modifications for the past 10 years. The Pre-Graduation Survey for the Spring 2003 measures students’ satisfaction with various aspects of their college experience as well as employment interests. In keeping with its mission, Georgia Southern administrative offices strive to offer excellence in student services to promote a student-centered learning environment.