Document Type

Report

Publication Date

2019

Abstract

Welcome to our 2018-19 annual report. On the cusp of concluding our divisional strategic plan entitled Reaching Vision 2020, the division refreshed its strategic focus areas to reflect organizational changes since 2015 when the plan was first authored. In that process, we realized the tremendous momentum towards accomplishing our goals and objectives. Since 2015, Reaching Vision 2020 has provided us with focus and accountability, creating opportunities and possibilities for our division while ensuring we keep our eye on our contributions to GSU’s Vision 2020. As we near the end of our plan’s implementation, we also focus on the future, and most notably, build on our momentum as we prepare for Strategy 2025.

While there was progress in the development and continuous improvement of our programs and services, GSU like most institutions in Illinois continues to experience enrollment declines. In our fifth year as a comprehensive institution, GSU enrolled 4,857 students, a decrease of 6.6% from 2017-18 largely due to significant declines in graduate and international students. We welcomed 203 students to our fifth freshmen class, retained 106 sophomores (53.3%) and maintained a near-capacity occupancy rate (96%) in Prairie Place – 267 students – for the fourth consecutive year.

A highlight of 2018-2019 was the completion of our second Kresge Foundation grant which focused on the dissemination of our nationally recognized Dual Degree Program, expansion of our Male Success Initiative – both on campus and at our community college partners − and establishment college-bound programs at high schools in our service region. Over the course of the three years, there were nearly a dozen presentations at peer-reviewed conferences and GSU hosted its second summer institute with 51 participants from 17 institutions. At GSU, the Male Success Initiative (MSI) recorded 50 participants in Fall 2018 with an impressive 97% persistence rate for Spring 2019. Additionally, GSU signed Memorandums of Understanding with Prairie State College, Moraine Valley Community College and South Suburban College to expand MSI programming at these key community college partners. Lastly, the College Pathways Program expanded its programming at Crete-Monee High School and signed Memorandums of Understanding with 3 Seeds Mentoring and the Gloria J. Taylor Foundation, community-based TRiO pro-grams. The College Pathways Program also launched its inaugural S2S Conference, a student-driven and student-led effort with both high school and college students helping to plan logistics and deliver the presentations.

Successful completion of the Kresge Foundation grant is just one of the many divisional highlights of the 2018-2019 academic year. This annual report provides information about the breadth of programs and services sponsored by our team of dedicated and talented student affairs educators and enrollment management professionals. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or com-ments about this report, or if you are interested in partnering with Student Affairs in creating or expanding programs and services for the Governors State University community.

Download

Share

COinS