September 2025 Provost Notes

Dr. Nicole DeClouette – Teacher Education - John H. Lounsbury College of Education

Project Title: GC&SU THRIVE FY26 (IPSE)

Sponsor: Georgia Council of Developmental Disabilities

Funded Amount: $31,393

Sequena Stanton – Afterschool Achievement - School of Continuing and Professional Studies

Project Title: GC YES Program at Oak Hill Middle School - Year 4 of 5

Sponsor: Georgia Department of Education

Funded Amount: $315,000

Sequena Stanton – Afterschool Achievement - School of Continuing and Professional Studies

Project Title: GC YES Program at Lakeview Academy - Year 2 of 5

Sponsor: Georgia Department of Education

Funded Amount: $350,000

The call for research grant proposals for 2026-2027 Round I opened Sept. 1, 2025, with a deadline of Sept. 15, 2025, at 5 p.m. Applicants should read the guidance provided by Academic Affairs. Once the applicant has their materials ready to submit, please log into GeorgiaVIEW/D2L, click on the Self-Registration menu option and find the Academic Affairs Small Grant Application course. Be sure to complete self-registration for the course. Submission instructions and forms to upload materials are in the course announcements. For more information, please see the Program Call for Submissions.

Grant amount: Up to $5,000.

Submission timeline (see below):

Application opens Sept. 1, 2025 and closes Sept. 15, 2025 at 5. p.m. (EST).
Winners announced: Oct. 14, 2025.
Award lasts until: Nov. 1, 2026. [All funds must be expended by May 1, 2026.]

For assistance, contact the Center for Teaching and Learning at ctl@gcsu.edu or call (478) 445-2520.

The call for research grant proposals for 2026 Round I opens Sept. 1, 2025, with a deadline of Sept. 15, 2025, at 5 p.m (EST). Once the applicant has their materials ready to submit, please log into GeorgiaVIEW, click on the Self-Registration menu option to find the CbEL Grants Program course. Be sure to complete the self-registration for the course. Submission instructions and forms to upload materials are in the course announcements. For more information, please see the Program Call for Submissions.

Grant amount: Up to $1,000.

Submission timeline (see below):

Application opens Sept. 1, 2025 and closes Sept. 15, 2025 at 5 p.m. (EST).
Winners announced: Oct. 14, 2025.
Award lasts until: Nov. 1, 2026. [All funds must be expended by May 1, 2026.]

For assistance, contact the Center for Teaching and Learning at ctl@gcsu.edu or call (478) 445-2520.

You are invited to participate in the Fall 2025 Student Success and Retention Series programming hosted by the Office of Student Success and Career Development. This series is dedicated to advancing student success and strengthening retention efforts at GCSU. The series is open to all faculty and staff, and colleagues from every department are encouraged to join and contribute to these vital initiatives and conversations.

Student Care and Outreach and New Early Alert Form Process

Date/Time: September 10, 2025, 12 – 1 p.m.

Location: Pat Peterson Education Room

Registration Link: https://forms.office.com/r/9B5MQgtuqy

Student Resources Fair

Date/Time: September 24, 2025, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. *drop-in event

Location: MSU Donahoo Lounge

Fall 2024 First-Year Retention Data Overview and Sophomore Student Panel

Date/Time: October 23, 2025, 12 – 1 p.m.

Location: Pat Peterson Education Room

Registration Link: https://forms.office.com/r/mnKF7bbQ97

Questions about this initiative may be directed to Dr. Lauren Easom, lauren.easom@gcsu.edu.

GCSU is building a Faculty Leadership Academy on existing leadership programs like the Women's Leadership Faculty Fellows Program established in 2019. The Faculty Fellows Leadership Academy program will provide a selected group of current faculty with dedicated time to develop and hone leadership skills and gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities confronting higher education. The program will specifically focus on leadership concepts individuals face in academic administration.

This year's program begins in November 2025 and runs through May 2026. Fellows will attend monthly meetings where they will learn from senior administrators on campus as well as visiting speakers from academia, business, and other fields. Participants will be GCSU faculty who hold the rank of associate or full professor who represent all colleges and the library and/or academic administrators with faculty status. A selection committee will review the submissions and make recommendations to the Provost.

Applicants should submit materials to Rhonda Griffin, Administrative Assistant for the Office of the Provost (rhonda.griffin@gcsu.edu) by Friday, September 26, 2025. The application materials should include:

a) a letter not to exceed two pages presenting evidence of interest in academic leadership, experience in academic governance or administration to date, and what the nominee hopes to accomplish with the support of the program;

b) two letters of recommendation; one of which needs to be from an immediate supervisor. Each recommendation letter is limited to one page in length;

c) a current C.V. or résumé.

The Leadership Faculty Fellows Program is administered by the Office of the Provost. More information about the program can be found at the website.

Questions about the program may be directed to Dr. Mandy Jarriel or Dr. Liz Speelman.

The purpose of Professional Leave at GCSU is to refresh and reinvigorate tenured faculty members; to improve through appropriate activity, the academic qualifications and teaching competence of the faculty; to encourage productive scholarly research; and to stimulate contributions of high caliber in the future that will enhance the stature of both the individual and the University.

Applicants must complete the Professional Leave Application and, if approved, recipients will be asked to complete the Faculty Leave of Absence (for HR purposes). Attached are the rubrics that will be used at the college and provost’s level of review.

The application deadline is October 15th, 2025.

This issue of the Provost Notes includes goals from units in the Division of Academic Affairs. This year’s goals align directly with one or more pillars from GCSU’s Imagine 2030 Strategic Plan.

• The Office of Graduate Admissions will advance enrollment through strategic recruitment across Georgia using digital marketing, purchased names, and targeted communications. Recruiters will participate in events and collaborate with GCSU colleges to establish undergraduate-to-graduate pathways. (Distinguish)
• The Office of Admissions will establish new processes to calculate weighted and unweighted high school GPAs for fall 2026 applicants, demonstrating commitment to innovative solutions that enhance competitive student recruitment. (Innovate)
• Financial Aid will collaborate with surrounding county high schools to support students with financial aid and scholarship applications. The "Stay in Milly" campaign supports the Strategic Plan's Engage pillar by enhancing local and regional student pathways to GCSU. (Engage)
• The Registrar's Office will complete implementation of a new catalog/curriculum management software. (Innovate)
• The Academic Advising Center will embed discussion of four domains of well-being and liberal arts experience in advising meetings, first-year seminars, and programming. (Empower)
• New Student Programs will rebrand Fallfest as Senior Preview Day and Springfest as Admitted Students Day to better align events with intended audiences. Senior Preview Day focuses on academic exploration for high school seniors considering Georgia College, while Admitted Students Day encourages enrollment deposits. This rebranding clarifies expectations, improves communication, and enables intentional programming. (Distinguish)
• Enrollment Management and University Communications will collaborate to develop new publications supporting undergraduate admissions recruitment efforts. (Distinguish)
• The Office of Career Development and Student Success will onboard the SLATE platform to track and implement interventions supporting student success and retention. (Innovate)

• The School of Continuing & Professional Studies will generate $2.5M in revenue.
• Continuing & Professional Education will use the newly acquired Depot to offer 25 events to generate $5,000 in revenue, create one new certificate program, and offer the AI for Small Business certificate program to 20 participants. (Engage, Distinguish, Innovate)
• Academic Outreach will increase efficiency in program delivery by implementing scheduling systems and aligning staff availability with demand to maximize use of dates and resources each semester. Three University partnerships will be renewed. The office will grow GCSU Thirst for Knowledge by offering two Saturday programs to the community. (Innovate, Engage, Advance)
• Afterschool Achievement programs will collaborate with all four colleges to support GCSU service-learning students and to provide supplemental programs to grades 3-12 youth during afterschool. Director Sequena Stanton will seek continued funding from the GaDOE to support the Georgia College YES Program at OHMS for 5 years and to secure approx. $100,000 annually in indirect funds to the University. (Engage, Advance, Innovate)
• Communities in Schools Milledgeville Baldwin County will implement a Neighborhood Leaders program in Oconee Heights. We will offer at least two opportunities for GCSU faculty and students to engage and serve CISMBC. (Engage)
• Historic Museums will collaborate with Advancement to implement a traveling exhibit for the Flannery O’Connor art. A self-study of the Old Governor’s Mansion’s operations and stewardship will be completed by February for reaccreditation by the Smithsonian Institution. (Innovate)
• Adult Learner Services will offer one event to connect adult learners at GCSU to the campus community. (Engage)

• Collaborate with faculty, staff, department chairs, and deans to increase the quality and competitiveness of grant submissions, thereby supporting GCSU’s goal to increase undergraduate research. (Distinguish)
• Collaborate with faculty and staff to identify funding opportunities, integrate strategic planning to align efforts with institutional goals, and tailor proposals to match the priorities of potential funders. (Innovate)
• Implement a variety of grantsmanship development programs to promote knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and skill-building across the university community. (Empower)
• Collaborate with faculty and staff to broaden and diversify GCSU’s portfolio by securing sponsored project funding from a wider array of foundations and government agencies, while also encouraging long-term partnerships. (Advance)

• Train assessment coordinators, chairs, and administrative personnel on the new Planning and Self-Service Study software for Smart reports, Progress and Planning, and Administrative Program Review to maintain and support GC’s strategic plan, Imagine 2030. (Innovate)
• Streamline Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment processes. (Innovate)
• Hold an inaugural university-wide assessment day, based on national models, which will result in higher participation rates, efficient data collection, compelling evidence for accreditation, and an enhanced culture of assessment. (Engage)
• Create and conduct a needs assessment for department chairs, directors, deans, unit heads, and coordinators to determine what additional data needs, resources, and support would assist them with their day-to-day operations. (Empower)
• Increase campus-wide awareness of IR resources by holding four data workshops/training sessions (two each semester) to improve data literacy, knowledge of IR resources, and to aid units and departments in increasing their capacity for using data and evidence. (Empower)
• Build capacity for advanced analytics (predictive modeling, machine learning, equity-focused metrics) through professional development opportunities for the IR team. (Distinguish)

PILLAR I: INNOVATE

Goal 1: Become a national leader in transformative curricular and co-curricular experiences.

C: Continue developing innovative and flexible curricular and co-curricular opportunities to increase student engagement.

· Develop and implement innovative programming that fosters student engagement through curricular and co-curricular activities, ensuring they meet the evolving needs and interest of graduate students.

· Leverage digital technologies to encourage and enhance online graduate student participation in Research Day, ensuring it is accessible to all.

· Continue to broaden participation in Research Day to include graduate programs that don’t traditionally engage in research but have graduate students working on or have completed capstone projects.

Goal 2: Serve learners at all stages of life to prepare them for the opportunities and challenges of an ever-changing world.

B: Build flexible and pedagogically innovative curricular opportunities.

· Expand graduate program offerings in the Double Bobcats Pathway program.

C: Develop and support academically robust and competitive graduate and lifelong learning offerings.

· Create a Graduate Program Sustainability and Excellence Review taskforce to assess current offerings, ensure alignment with institutional priorities, and identify opportunities for growth and innovation.

D: Grow graduate enrollment.

· Use digital marketing, social media, GCSU websites, and print media to reach a wider audience.

· Promote graduate assistantships to recruit highly qualified graduate students.

Goal 3 C: Build and sustain an institutional infrastructure and operations that foster innovative approaches across the university.

C: Build an organizational structure to recruit, admit, and support graduate and non-traditional students.

· Maintain an electronic graduate assistantship handbook for effective communication and execution of graduate assistant procedures.

· Establish baseline data on graduate student retention rates and identify key factors influencing persistence with graduate programs through completion.

PILLAR IV: ENGAGE

Goal 1: Pursue a culture of connectedness on campus that fosters positive morale and mutual respect for all students, faculty, and staff.

A: Develop, promote, and support opportunities for engagement among students, faculty, and staff.

· Initiate, foster, and elevate existing graduate student related in-person and online events that support engagement among graduate students, faculty, administration, and staff.

· Increase financial support for graduate student travel for the presentation of their scholarly work at professional conferences.

Goal 3: Strengthen relationships between and among the university and alumni.

A: Develop strategies, events, and programming designed to foster meaningful relationships with alumni.

· Collaborate with Alumni Services to develop programming that engages alumni in graduate recruitment efforts, including mentorship opportunities, informational panels, and outreach campaigns that highlight alumni success stories.

B. Enhance graduate education pathways and lifelong learning for GCSU alumni.

· Use the Graduate Program Sustainability and Excellence Review Taskforce to guide data-informed decisions that support program growth, relevance, and long-term success.

• GC Journeys, working with the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness and the Department of Psychology and School of Health and Human Performance, will expand assessment and better capture the impact of Undergraduate Research and Community-based Learning. (Innovate)
• MURACE will organize and expand the offerings and activities of Research Day with classes on the day now being reassigned. (Innovate)
• The Leadership Program will be preparing an application for the Carnegie Foundation Elective Classification for Leadership for Public Purpose. (Engage)
• The Rural Studies Institute will continue to expand the reach and impact of activities. (Distinguish)
• The Learning Center will identify ways to manage increased student demand and deliver innovative programming and bootcamps to meet the academic needs of the students. (Empower)
• The Writing Center will collaborate with academic departments and colleges to support writing in the disciplines. (Empower)

• Continue progress in promoting Georgia College & State University’s academic quality, distinctive aspects, unique setting, and strong value proposition to market the university internationally and further heighten brand awareness (Pillars: Distinguish, Advance).
• Capitalize upon and target regional resources to stabilize and increase F-1 enrollments (Innovate, Distinguish, Advance).
• Re-energize the use of relationships (old and new) plus technology to create sustainable international pipelines to GCSU (Innovate, Distinguish, Advance).
• Collaborate with University Advancement and international alumni to increase funding of scholarships available to globally-mobile students. (Innovate, Distinguish, Engage, Advance)
• Investigate ways to: a) better leverage Study Abroad as an overall GCSU recruiting tool, and b) explore possibilities for tailored Study Abroad opportunities for first-year students (Innovate, Distinguish, Engage, Advance).
• Related to the above, continue success in promoting and expanding GCSU’s rapidly-emerging leadership status in Study Abroad international internships (Innovate, Distinguish, Engage, Advance).
• Continue the expansion, variety, and depth and breadth of locations and disciplines available to Study Abroad students (Innovate, Advance).
• Expand progress being made in heightening awareness of exchange opportunities available to GCSU students (Innovate, Distinguish, Advance).
• Better explore ways to develop international opportunities for faculty professional development, teaching, and research (Innovate, Distinguish, Engage, Advance).

1. Strengthen Social Media Presence for Recruitment and Retention (Distinguish)

Objective: Improve the visibility, engagement, and strategic use of social media to enhance student recruitment and retention.

• Goal 1.1: Launch content calendar, focused on student success stories, faculty achievements, research highlights, and alumni spotlights.
• Goal 1.2: Increase engagement on social media platforms
• Goal 1.3: Form a student-led content creation team.
• Goal 1.4: Coordinate with University Communications to create high-impact video campaigns.
• Goal 1.5 Recruit College Outreach and Engagement Coordinator (supports Goal 2)

2. Attract and Engage Donors Through Strategic Outreach (Engage)

Objective: Increase alumni and donor engagement to grow philanthropic support for scholarships, faculty development, and innovative programs.

• Goal 2.1: Identify alumni with potential donor capacity and create a personalized outreach plan.
• Goal 2.2: Host donor-focused events showcasing student work, faculty research, and COAS impact by the end of the academic year.
• Goal 2.3: Develop a “COAS Impact Report” to share compelling stories and data with alumni and donors.

3. Review Curricula to Support Interdisciplinarity and Double Majors (Innovate, Distinguish)

Objective: Increase academic flexibility and value by reviewing curricula to better support double majors, minors, and interdisciplinary programs.

• Goal 3.1: Audit current degree programs, identifying challenges to double majoring and proposing alternatives.
• Goal 3.2: Launch a marketing initiative showcasing benefits of double majoring within COAS (with Goal 1, 2).

4. Host development workshops (Innovate)

Objective: The college will host periodic workshops and refreshers for faculty and staff.

• Goal 4.1: Conduct workshops for new chairs on the hiring process, budget management, college T&P processes, advancement services.
• Goal 4.2: Provide faculty development opportunities targeting topics like interdisciplinary collaboration and effective leadership.

• Work with University Advancement to identify funding opportunities, including a maintenance fund for the Bobcat Trading Room (Innovate)
• Develop a proposal to track HIP participation among students; explore implementing an HIP requirement (Distinguish)
• Continue to attract and support the most qualified faculty to support our undergraduate growth (Distinguish)
• Focus on graduate programming, including creating a Master of Science in Applied AI; collaborate with the Graduate School and the Division of Enrollment Management to increase enrollment in existing graduate programs; collaborate with Enrollment Management and University Communications on advertising graduate programs (Innovate)
• Identify corporations for partnerships to provide students with more class projects and internship opportunities (Engage)
• Identify and implement opportunities for more fully engaging faculty and staff to further develop a culture of connectedness (Engage)

• Foster Interdisciplinary Research Teams. By the end of the Spring 2026 semester, establish at least one active interdisciplinary research team that includes faculty from nursing and at least one other discipline, with submission of at least one joint research proposal or conference abstract within the year: (Innovate)
• Develop innovative clinical placements (telehealth, community-based, specialty shadowing). By the end of the Spring 2026 semester, implement at least one new innovative clinical placement model (e.g., telehealth, community-based, or specialty shadowing): (Innovate)
• Continue to cultivate donors for naming opportunities for centers, schools and the college: (Engage)
• Continue to expand the innovative applied laboratory experiences within exercise science through acquisition of leading-edge technology used by those in the field and related professional occupations: (Engage, Innovate)
• Stabilize the operational function of the Mobile Health Unit and find added ways to fund an advanced practice nurse to expand and possibly bill for services, as possible, by years end: (Engage, Innovate)

• Redesign the computer lab into a Technology-Enhanced Active Learning (TEAL) space to foster collaboration and inquiry-oriented teaching and learning through integrated digital tools and flexible learning spaces. (Innovate)
• Design and implement professional learning experiences for faculty and staff to enhance their understanding and relevant use of artificial intelligence in P-12 and higher education. (Innovate)
• Increase opportunities and support for graduate and undergraduate students to attend and present at professional conferences, fostering their professional development. (Distinguish)
• Integrate professional learning experiences for faculty, staff, and students related to the Sensory Room and integrate experiences into teacher education curriculum to deepen understanding of sensory needs and enhance their ability to support all learners. (Empower)
• Establish a Student Leadership Council to amplify student voice, foster leadership development, and provide meaningful input on academic initiatives. (Engage)
• Collaborate with the Graduate School and Graduate Admissions to enhance recruitment, support student success, and strengthen graduate program initiatives. (Advance)

• Library faculty will reimagine the library’s existing GC1Y section, ensuring that its content is aligned with the latest trends in our field. (Innovate)

• Special Collections will implement Aeon, an automated request and workflow management software for archives, which will improve the user experience and improve discoverability of our finding aids. (Innovate)

• Collection and Resource Services will implement LibKey, a browser-based research tool, which will streamline the experience of library users seeking full-text articles and ebooks, reducing the number of clicks needed to access content. (Innovate)

• Access Services will implement a storage locker program, which will provide increased access to circulating technology for students. (Innovate)

• Ensure that approximately 50 percent of co-curricular programs cultivate the ability to meaningfully engage with people from different backgrounds and/or enhance understanding of multiple perspectives both domestically and internationally. (Advance)
• Enhance Honors advising with one-on-one advising sessions. (Distinguish)
• In collaboration with the Eta Sigma Alpha Honors student association, enhance the Honors peer mentoring program with a revised mentor/mentee connection program. (Empower)
• Take at least six students to present at the National Collegiate Honors Conference, the premier venue for honors colleges nationwide. (Distinguish)
• Award at least 20 students Honors credit waivers for study abroad, internships, undergraduate research experiences, and or national scholarship applications. (Innovate)
• Host Honors alumni programs in Milledgeville, Macon, and Atlanta during the 2025-2026 academic year. (Advance)