NORTH GEORGIA CONFERS DEGREES:
Barry Friedman, professor of political science and coordinator of the graduate program in public administration at North Georgia College & State University, was the speaker at fall commencement at the university Dec. 20. His speech, “Truth, Justice, and the American Way,” conveyed the importance of truth in society, and Friedman challenged the 260 graduates to take their knowledge gained while at North Georgia and use it for the betterment of the community. Friedman has taught at the university for 10 years and started the Master of Public Administration degree program in 1996. He was named the NGCSU Alumni Association Distinguished Professor in 1997 and 2002.

USG enrollment, retention & SAT scores at all-time high

DAHLONEGA – One year after completing the phase-in of higher admissions standards, the University System of Georgia announced a record number of students enrolling at its 34 institutions. Also, more are staying in the system after their freshman year, more are attending college full time, and the system’s students are academically stronger.

The system’s overall headcount enrollment is now 233,098 – an increase of 7.1 percent over the fall 2001 total of 217,546. The system’s full-time-equivalent enrollment increased by 13,950 students, or 8.2 percent, over fall 2001. System-wide, 66 percent of USG students now enroll full time.

The number of African-American students enrolled in the University System also increased 8.8 percent from 48,677 in fall 2001 to 52,941 in fall 2002.

 “These increases reflect both new students coming into the system and record retention rates within the system,” said University System of Georgia Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith. “Improving our ability to retain students was one of the goals cited in the Board of Regents’ Strategic Plan. We retained more first-time freshmen (from fall 2001 to fall 2002) than has ever before been recorded in the system’s history.”

With 73.5 percent of North Georgia College & State University’s fall 2002 students enrolled full time, NGCSU’s official fall enrollment was 4,178, an 8.2 percent increase over fall 2001’s enrollment of 3,863. NGCSU’s full-time equivalent number in fall 2002 was 3,467, a 7.4 increase over the previous fall’s 3,227 FTE.

A separate report, produced by the Office of Strategic Research and Analysis, shows that the average SAT scores of the system’s fall 2002 first-time freshmen – one of the strongest measures of the academic strength of incoming students – also is at a record high. The average composite score (combined verbal and math scores) of incoming USG freshmen is now 1,030, which is up from 1,026 in the fall of 2001 and from 1,021 in the fall of 2000. System-wide, the average SAT scores for USG students are now 516 in math and 514 in verbal.

 “Our students continue to perform above the national average and the increase in scores is proof that raising the bar for college admission is the right thing to do,” Meredith said.

NGCSU is one of 12 USG institutions with average incoming freshmen SAT scores exceeding 1,000. In fact North Georgia is among the top five schools in the SAT average scores listing, with Georgia Tech the highest with 1,325, then the University of Georgia with 1,211, Southern Polytechnic with 1,094, followed by NGCSU with 1,069 and Georgia State with 1,066. 

Writer speaks on ‘Colleges and Universities as Citizens’

DAHLONEGA – Dr. Robert Bringle, co-author of "Colleges and Universities as Citizens," will visit North Georgia College & State University on Jan. 28 and discuss the book at 12:30 p.m. in Newton Oakes Center 019. 

The book presents a vision for higher education, the factors that have shaped its current status and the steps that could be taken to produce change.

“Dr. Bringle's expertise in service learning and campus and community interaction fits perfectly with NGCSU's emphasis on servant leadership,” said Dr. Andy Schaffer, coordinator for the event, sponsored by the North Georgia Leadership Initiative.

Bringle is the chancellor's professor of psychology and philanthropic studies at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis. As a social psychologist, Bringle is widely recognized for his research. He earned his Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Massachusetts. 

APPALACHIA ART: The clay sculpture titled "Panning for Gold" by Mary Mashburn, a 1983 North Georgia graduate, is part of the "Images and Objects of Appalachia" exhibition on display through Jan. 24, 2003 in the Hoag Student Center Gallery on campus. In addition to the clay folk figure sculptures by Mashburn, the exhibit also includes photographs by Doris Ulmann from the John C. Campbell Folk School Collection. The works bring together images and objects inspired by the lives of rural working people of the southern Appalachians.

Due to inclement weather on Jan. 17, the reception for the exhibit has been rescheduled for Friday, Jan. 24 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Hoag Student Center Gallery.

DAHLONEGA – North Georgia College & State University has the highest graduation rate of the 13 state universities in Georgia, one of the best retention rates and a top teacher-certification pass rate, according to the 2001-2002 Annual Report Card on the University System of Georgia, released by the Office of Education Accountability this month.

COLLEGE DAYS: North Georgia students study for finals during the last days of fall semester. Classes for spring semester start Jan. 8.

“We are pleased with the high rankings of our graduation rates and retention rates,” said Philip Buckhiester, vice president for Academic Affairs at NGCSU. “North Georgia has enjoyed high rankings in these categories for many years.”

North Georgia’s six-year graduation rate is 49 percent, the only state university rate above the university system’s 41 percent average. Students who start at NGCSU and transfer to other schools within the university system have a 62 percent graduation rate, the highest among Georgia state universities and the only one above the 48 percent system average.

Two of the state’s research universities, Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia, had the only higher graduation rates of 67 percent and 69 percent respectively.

North Georgia’s retention rate is among the best, with 77 percent of first-time, full-time freshmen still enrolled a year later. Albany State University had the highest state university retention of 78 percent. NGCSU students who transfer and stay within the university system have an 86 percent retention rate, again only third behind Georgia Tech and UGA.

NGCSU’s pass rate of prospective teachers taking the Praxis II certification tests last year was more than 90 percent, higher than the other 12 state universities. UGA was the only other state institution of higher education to post a pass-rate over 90 percent. The complete listing of Praxis II pass rates is not yet available from the OEA. 

The OEA report card can be accessed at http://reportcard.ga-oea.org/.

This page last modified on: Friday, 05 November 2004 15:42:52 -0500 by University Relations    

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