Student Achievement Data

An evaluation of SSU’s mission statement reveals that student success is a key element of the University’s mission.  As stated in the mission statement that the University, “develop productive members of a global society through high quality instruction.” Further evidence of the University’s focus on student success is our Strategic Priority One: Academic Engagement and Achievement 2014-2020 Strategic Plan.  Through the strategy, SSU will improve its retention and graduation rates by “enhancing academic support and advisement to increase student success”.  We will also improve progression-to-degree by employing Objective 6 of Goal 2 of Strategic Priority One: “To sustain high quality education while responding to changing student populations and offering opportunities that shorten time to degree completion.” We achieve these standards by employing the recommendations that came out of our Strategic Alignment of Resources (SAR) Planning Committee “Retention Sub-Committee”.

1. We hired a Vice President of Enrollment Management;
2. We realigned Student Advisement at SSU; and
3. We established a new Department in the Office of University Advancement called, Advancement to create new financial support vehicles… to motivate students.

To that end, advising at SSU was organized into two general areas:

1. Professional Advisors; and
2. Faculty Mentors 

The Professional Advisors Handbook outlines the roles, responsibilities, and resources for professional advisors, sets the stage and outlines the policies and procedures for the work that will be performed by the Professional Advisors. Currently, SSU employs a bifurcated model for advising; professional advisors work with students up to 60 hours and then the faculty advisors assist the students through completion. This model presented a number of challenges that will be resolved under the new plan.

The professional advisors are assigned now to students for their entire academic career at Savannah State University to ensure a consistent appreciative advising experience across disciplines and majors.

Notwithstanding, SSU has set criteria to be measured for undergraduate student achievement in key areas, such as retention rate, # of bachelor’s degrees conferred, graduation rate, licensure examination and program passing rates.

Source: SSU Office of Institutional Planning, Research and Assessment

Criteria for Student Achievement: First Year Undergraduate Retention Rate

The GOALS for the retention rate of first-time undergraduate students are

1. To meet or exceed the average of SSU’s internal yearly average as we remain conversant of our peer institutions ratings;
2. To realign faculty engagement in student advisement.

The University annually monitors first-year retention rate of undergraduate first-time, full-time degree-seeking students as a measure of the success of its undergraduate programs. 

Minimal Threshold for Achieving Student Success within their overall Passing Rate at SSU: 77%

For the Fall 2016 cohort, the range of first year undergraduate retention rates as to our students passing their classes was 74%-78% and our average for 2019 is 78%.  Again as we remain aware of our peer institutions retention rates we are employing and measuring our SAR recommendation to improve practices internally to compare later amongst our peer groups.

Source: SSU Office of Institutional Planning, Research and Assessment

Criteria for Student Achievement: Number of Bachelor’s Degree Conferred

The Goal for “the number of bachelor’s degrees conferred is to exceed the University’s previous year’s number. The University annually monitors the number of bachelor’s degrees conferred as a success of its undergraduate programs. 

Minimal Threshold for Achieving Student Success: 678

Source: SSU Office of Institutional Planning, Research and Assessment

Criteria for Student Achievement: Six-Year Baccalaureate Graduation Rate

The Goals for the six-year baccalaureate graduate rates are:

1. To meet or exceed the average of SSU’s peer institutions; and
2. To exceed the institution’s previous year’s graduation rate.

The University annually monitors its six-year baccalaureate graduation rates of first-time full-time degree-seeking students as a measure of success of its undergraduate program.

Minimal Threshold for Achieving Student Success: 28%

For the fall 2013 cohort, the range for six-year baccalaureate graduation rates for SSU’s SACSCOC peer institutions was 28%-39%, and the average was 43%. Source of data IPED Feedback Report 2020.

Source: SSU Office of Institutional Planning, Research and Assessment

Licensure Examination Success

The Goal for licensure examination success is to meet or exceed expectations set by state licensing boards and specialized accrediting agencies.

The College of Education (COE) Criteria for Student Achievement: Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) Pass Rate

GACE is Georgia’s state approved educator certification assessment program.  These computer-delivered assessments have been developed by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) and Educational Testing Service (ETS).  The purpose of the GACE assessments is to help the GaPSC ensure that candidates have the knowledge and skill needed to perform the job of an educator in Georgian’s public schools. The data below are as follows:

Minimal Threshold for Achieving Student Success: 79% Pass Rate

Source: SSU Office of Institutional Planning, Research and Assessment

College of Education (COE)

SSU Internal Measures of Students Program Passing Rate Success

The Goal for internal assessment of our students’ classroom success are measured out at 70% or better.

Criteria for Student Achievement:  SSU Internal Measures of Enrolled Students Program Passing Rate (91%)

Source: SSU Office of Institutional Planning, Research and Assessment

College of Business and Administration (COBA)

SSU Internal Measures of Students Program Passing Rate Success

The Goal for internal assessment of our students’ classroom success are measured out at 70% or better.

Criteria for Student Achievement:  SSU Internal Measures of Enrolled Students Program Passing Rate (93%)

Source: SSU Office of Institutional Planning, Research and Assessment

College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS)

SSU Internal Measures of Students Program Passing Rate Success

The Goal for internal assessment of our students’ classroom success are measured out at 70% or better.

Criteria for Student Achievement:  SSU Internal Measures of Enrolled Students Program Passing Rate (94%)

Source: SSU Office of Institutional Planning, Research and Assessment

College of Sciences and Technology (COST)

SSU Internal Measures of Students Program Passing Rate Success

The Goal for internal assessment of our students’ classroom success are measured out at 70% or better.

Criteria for Student Achievement:  SSU Internal Measures of Enrolled Students Program Passing Rate (94%)

Helpful Related Links

           Retention Rate                                                      6 Year Graduation Rate          

Core Curriculum Learning Outcomes

*Approved by the USG General Education Council: November 2010