The University System of Georgia : What counts? Quality counts : the return on investment

The University System of Georgia
What Counts? Quality Counts: The Return On Investment

September 2004

"Creating A More Educated Georgia"

Quality Counts: The Return On Investment in the University System of Georgia

September 2004

Overview

1

Each year, more than 35,000 students graduate from the University System of Georgia. These graduates become productive members of the workforce, earning over the course of their careers nearly $1 million more than Georgians with highschool diplomas. Collectively, the earnings of recent graduates of the University System have added $1.25 billion to the state's economy, according to a study published in 2003.

That's the most fundamental way to look at the state's return on its investment in higher education. But hard-working graduates are not the only way in which the state reaps monetary benefits. The University System's 34 campuses provide thousands of jobs and even spur development in their local communities. An economic impact study in 2001 indicated that the University System of Georgia generates more than 101,500 jobs throughout the state and infuses $8 billion into its communities.
There's another way to look at it, too. The University System attracts a number of welleducated people to Georgia to take jobs as administrators, faculty and staff members. And the colleges and universities in the System contribute numerous amenities and services to their communities everything from public lectures to drama,

concerts, sports, continuing-education classes, libraries, wellness programs and small business development centers.
The University System of Georgia changes lives for the better through education. We change lives for students through the classroom. We change lives for students when they study abroad. We change lives on Georgia's farms and in businesses. Life-changing experiences can result from the medical research we conduct. In every case, the University System plays the key role in making these things happen. And in so doing, the USG helps Georgia and its citizens become better and stronger contributors to society. A quality public higher education system helps create a more educated Georgia and that's the real return on investment for Georgia.

Quality Counts: The Return On Investment in the University System of Georgia

September 2004

National Reputation

2

The University System of Georgia's focus on

g Valdosta State University is the recipient of

quality begins with its core mission of instruc-

the 2004 Christa McAuliffe Award for leader-

tion. Our faculty, staff and administrators take seri-

ship and innovation in teacher education from

ously the responsibility to provide students with

the American Association of State Colleges and

the highest level of academic quality in the courses

Universities (AASCU).

and degree programs offered by the University System. That investment yields dividends in national reputation. And since higher education is a reputation-driven industry, maintaining academic quality is at the core of the System's efforts.

g The Yahoo Internet Life Survey ranks Georgia Tech No. 3 on its list of "America's 100 Most Wired Universities." Georgia State University and Valdosta State University also made the list, at No. 46 and 97, respectively.

g Two USG institutions rank among the

country's Top 20 Public National Univer-

sities, according to U.S. News & World

Report. Georgia Tech is ranked 10th and

the University of Georgia 19th.

g U.S. News & World Report also ranks three USG institutions among the top public universities for master's degrees in the South: North Georgia College & State University is tied at No. 11; Georgia College & State University is ranked No. 18; and Georgia Southern University is ranked No. 21.

g The USG has a reputation of providing great values in education: U.S. News & World Report ranks UGA among its top 50 "Great Schools at Great Prices" (UGA ranked No. 42), and Consumer Digest magazine rates North Georgia College & State University as the nation's fifth best value in public higher education.
g Georgia Tech's College of Engineering consistently ranks among the nation's best, as does UGA's law school and Georgia State University's executive MBA program.
g Georgia State University is the nation's No. 1 producer of African-American graduates at the baccalaureate level among traditionally white U.S. institutions, according to Black Issues in Higher Education. Georgia Tech is the nation's No. 1 producer at the master's-degree level and the No. 2 producer baccalaureate level of African-American engineers.
g U.S. News & World Report also recognized Georgia State University for creating Freshman Learning Communities that enhance student retention.

g The Medical College of Georgia has one of only four programs in the country for educating medical illustrators.
g Kennesaw State University's InTech program, which trains elementary school teachers in the use of instructional technology, won the 2003 Best Practice Award for innovative use of technology from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. More than 20,000 Georgia teachers and student teachers have completed KSU's program since 1996.
g The Georgia WebMBA offered through Georgia College & State University, Georgia Southern University, Kennesaw State University, Valdosta State University and the State University of West Georgia recently was ranked among the 10 best and most affordable online MBA programs in the country by GetEducated.com, a clearinghouse that showcases accredited online degrees.
g The State University of West Georgia was listed in The Princeton Review's first edition of

Quality Counts: The Return On Investment in the University System of Georgia

September 2004

National Reputation (cont.)

3

"The Best Southeastern Colleges," a guidebook

ties' on-line learning. The firm designated four

featuring the top colleges and universities in 10

USG freshmen and sophomore distance-learn-

states.

ing offerings as WebCT Exemplary Courses in

g Now one of only 36 "Notebook Universities" nationwide, Clayton College & State University was the third public university in the nation to require students to use notebook computers when the university launched its Information

2001. Two additional on-line courses developed separately by faculty members at Georgia College & State University also met what the company refers to as the "gold standard" in higher education e-learning.

Technology Project in 1998.

g A case study describing the rapid growth of

g In 2004, Chemical and Engineering News, the trade publication of the American Chemical Society, named Georgia Southern University's Department of Chemistry as one of the "Top 25 Producers in 2001-02."
g The outstanding quality of the USG's eCoreTM courses has been recognized by WebCT, an international firm that provides course management software to support colleges and universi-

GALILEO Georgia's virtual library, launched in 1995 as an initiative of the USG has won a spot in the prestigious Computerworld Honors Archive. The archive was established in 1988 by the leaders of the information-technology industry and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and is distributed to museums, libraries and research institutions worldwide. Several other states are considering creating similar programs.

International Education

The USG has a dynamic and growing international program that encompasses all 34 cam-

the University of Munich in Germany won a 2003 award for the innovative use of technol-

puses. On-going efforts to promote international

ogy in promoting international learning by the

education have drawn strong support from the

American Council on Education and the AT&T

private sector, such as the Coca-Cola Foundation.

Foundation.

Such companies recognize that the investment

g According to the Institute of International Edu-

made in international education at the college level

cation, Southern Polytechnic State University

pays off here and abroad.

is among the nation's "Top 10 Professional and

g During the 2002-2003 academic year, 3,732

Specialized Institutions of Higher Education" in

USG students earned credit for participating in

terms of the number of international students

study-abroad and foreign exchange programs.

it enrolls (16 percent of total enrollment).

g The number of international students enrolled at Georgia's public colleges and universities has increased 68 percent since 1996, from under 10,200 to 17,100 in 2003. These students contributed an estimated $248 million to the state's economy during 2003-2003.

g UGA ranks 10th among the top 20 research universities in students studying abroad. More than 1,200 UGA undergraduates are involved in international education annually.

g The University System's Online Certificate in European Studies a joint program with

Quality Counts: The Return On Investment in the University System of Georgia

September 2004

Students

4

University System of Georgia students consistently win national scholarships and fel-

g Two students in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at UGA were

lowships each year. Thanks to higher admissions

identified among the Top 25 Most Promising

requirements and the successful HOPE scholarship

Minority Students in the U.S. by the American

program, the USG has been very successful in re-

Advertising Federation (Spring 2003).

cent years in keeping Georgia's best and brightest

students in state for their college education. The g Fredrick Porter, a high school student par-

average SAT scores of USG entering freshmen con-

ticipating in the Georgia Academy of Math-

tinue to rise from year to year and are well above

ematics Engineering and Science (GAMES)

the national average. The USG average SAT is 1036

at Middle Georgia College, recently became

compared to the national average of 1026. That's a

the first GAMES student to be accepted at the

good indicator of the quality of students and of the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

System. Stars attract stars. And studies show that

GAMES, an innovative accelerated program

graduates tend to live and work near to the college

for high school juniors and seniors who have

they attended. So the System's quality helps keep

academic talent and a special interest in math-

quality individuals in state. That's another great

ematics, engineering, science, and allied health

return on investment a return on quality.

fields, was launched in 1997.

g During the 2003-2004 academic year, six prestigious Goldwater scholarships were awarded to students at three different University System institutions. In addition, two of the 40 Marshall Scholarships awarded in the United States this year went to USG students, as did two of the 77 Truman Scholarships awarded nationwide. Also that year, Georgia Tech announced its second consecutive Churchill Scholar and three University System students received the highest academic award given in the humanities the Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship in Humanistic Studies. Since 1996, UGA has had four Rhodes Scholars and Georgia Tech has had one.

g In 2002, the "smart shirt" invented by a Georgia Tech student was added to the Smithsonian Institute's collection of important textiles. The shirt, developed by Sundaresan Jayaraman, is made of washable fabric interwoven with optical and electrical fibers that read vital signs, pinpoint injuries and relay the information wirelessly. Potential uses for the shirt, which is close to being on the market, include monitoring soldiers' vital signs, preventing sudden infant death syndrome and monitoring hospital and assisted-living patients.

g Earlier this year, 1999 Georgia Tech architecture alumnus Michael Arad's design was chosen from more than 5,000 entries for the World Trade Center Memorial in New York City.

Quality Counts: The Return On Investment in the University System of Georgia

September 2004

Faculty and Staff

5

The caliber of the faculty and staff the University System can attract and keep on its

g Dr. Rajeev Dhawan, director of Georgia State University's Economic Forecasting Center,

campuses is critical in the System's ability to offer

was named one of the country's most accu-

quality academic programs for students. Through-

rate employment forecasters by the Bank One

out the University System, the faculty on the 34

Economic Outlook Center at Arizona State

campuses consistently receives regional, national,

University. Dhawan's center also outranked all

and even international recognition for their work

other university-based forecasting centers in

and achievements in the classroom and laboratory.

the country in accuracy in a study published

The investment Georgia makes in top faculty is

by the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank in 2003.

an investment in quality and the return on that investment is a "more educated Georgia," the creation of new jobs and revenue from research and the interest of businesses eager to be located close to recognized centers of intellectual capital.

g Dr. Young W. Park, professor of animal science at Fort Valley State University, was selected for inclusion on the American Biographical Institute's list of the "100 Most Intriguing People of 2002."

g Over the past 10 years, Georgia Tech Presi-

Park also

dent G. Wayne Clough has helped shape

was named

national and state government policy. He has

to "Who's

helped steer the nation's science policy through

Who in Sci-

his participation in President Bush's President's

ence and

Council of Advisors on Science and Technol-

Engineering"

ogy and has just been asked to serve on the

and as an

National Science Board. He has served the state

Outstand-

through his chairmanship of both Governor

ing Scholar

Barnes' Natural Gas Task Force and Governor

of the 21st

Perdue's Telecommunications Task Force.

Century.

g Ten UGA faculty members have been elected to g Two mem-

the prestigious National Academy of Sciences,

bers of

one of the highest honors an American scien-

Savannah

tist can attain. Also, nine faculty members have

State Uni-

been elected to the American Academy of Arts

versity's sci-

and Sciences, one of the nation's most distin-

ence faculty

guished learned societies.

Dr. Chellu

g UGA boasts a Pulitzer Prize winner on its fac-

S. Chetty

ulty. Dr. Edward J. Larson, professor of history

and Dr.

and law, received the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for

Kenneth S.

his book "Summer for the Gods: The Scopes

Sajwan have been honored by the National

Trial and America's Continuing Debate Over

Science Teachers Association with the Distin-

Science and Religion."

guished Science Teaching Award. Chetty also

has received two different White House awards

g In 2003, Eve Troutt Powell, associate professor

for teaching excellence.

of history, became the first UGA faculty mem-

ber to win the prestigious $500,000 MacArthur g Dianne Castor, director of advising and orien-

Foundation Fellowship.

tation at Coastal Georgia Community Col-

lege, currently chairs the National Academic

g During the past 10 years, promising young

Advising Association's Two-Year Colleges Com-

Georgia Tech faculty members have earned

mission.

96 CAREER Awards from the National Science

Foundation, the nation's second highest rate

for a single institution.

Quality Counts: The Return On Investment in the University System of Georgia

September 2004

Research

6

The University System had $861 million in research, contracts and grants in Fiscal Year

g Total research funding at the Medical College of Georgia has reached nearly $77 million, a

2003, a record year. This extramural funding lever-

125 percent increase in the last five years. Re-

ages the state's investments, it leverages tuition

search initiatives cover the diseases that affect

and pumps additional funding into our colleges and

most Georgians: cancer, cardiovascular disease,

universities. The quality issue is critical in the re-

neurological disease, infection/inflammation

search arena, for government and industry will not

and the most recent addition, diabetes.

fund research programs unless there is a proven track record of both quality and a solid return on investment. By any measure, the USG has developed a solid reputation for research excellence. This reputation in turn drives business interest in Georgia that results in jobs and new investment.

g This year Georgia Tech partnered with researchers at UGA, Medical College of Georgia, Emory, Georgia State University and Clark Atlanta University to develop new diagnostic tests and treatments for ovarian cancer by opening new research facilities through its

g UGA is the second most prolific university in

membership in the Ovarian Cancer Institute.

the nation in education research, according to g Since 2000, 120 U.S. patents have been issued

the Institute for Scientific Information.

for research at UGA. In 2001 alone, 35 patents

g UGA received a total of $149.7 million in

were issued for Georgia Tech research.

research awards, grants and contracts in Fiscal Year 2003. Research expenditures in FY03 totaled $299.1 million. UGA ranks first in the nation in total spending for research and development among universities that have neither a medical school nor an engineering school.

g Georgia Tech's research has contributed to the nation's defense by conducting $860 million of defense-related research. RealOpts, a software program developed at Tech, is poised to help public health agencies and the CDC respond to a bioterror attack. Overall Georgia Tech has

g Georgia Tech has three National Centers of

conducted $386.9 million in research across all

Excellence, established in 1998, that attract

disciplines.

national experts and grants for

cutting-edge research an Engi-

neering Research Center for the

Engineering of Living Tissues; a

Microelectronics Focus Center

Research Program; and a Euro-

pean Union Center.

g Georgia Tech is a leader in nanotechnology research. Last year, Tech began working toward the construction of the Nanotechnology Research Center. Projects include developing flexible organic solar cells and electronics as well as repairing DNA and genetic disorders. Faculty member Z.L. Wang is among the world's most cited authors in nanotechnology research.
g Georgia Tech is a national and international leader in scientific and technological research and education, receiving more than $300 million in research awards in Fiscal Year 2004.

g The State University of West Georgia, for the fifth time in seven years, had more Honors students' research proposals accepted for presentation at the 2004 annual meeting of the National Collegiate Honors Council than any other U.S. college or university.

Quality Counts: The Return On Investment in the University System of Georgia

September 2004

Meeting State Needs

7

Being responsive to the needs of the state has been a key goal for the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. Whether it's creating programs that fill specific workforce demands, helping start-up businesses to succeed or assisting government agencies with projects, Georgia's public colleges and universities are uniquely qualified to tackle many of Georgia's biggest challenges.
g The Georgia Public Library Service, a unit of the Board of Regents since 2000, created the country's first statewide "borderless" library the Public Information Network for Electronic Services (PINES). Residents with a PINES library card have access to materials far beyond what is available at their local library, enjoying a networked collection of 7.4 million books, tapes, CDs and videos that can be delivered to their home library free of charge.
g The USG's innovative Intellectual Capital Partnership Program (ICAPP) was established in 1997 to better enable the System to meet the needs of Georgia employers for knowledge workers in high-demand/lowsupply occupations. Since then, ICAPP has helped secure more than 7,000 jobs for Georgians at companies such as Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, Total System Services, VeriSign and NCR.
g An economic-impact study commissioned by ICAPP determined that the USG generates more than 101,500 jobs throughout the state and infuses $8 billion into its communities. A separate study of the earnings of USG graduates revealed that over the course of a working career, the average graduate of a public college or university in Georgia can expect to earn nearly $1 million more than his or her high-school-educated counterpart.
g ICAPP's Health Professionals Initiative, established in 2002, is a public/private partner-

ship with Georgia's health-care providers that harnesses the University System's resources to alleviate a shortage of health-care professionals in Georgia. Phase One of the initiative, which ended this summer, produced 632 new licensed professionals. Phase Two is expected to add more than 700 more by 2006. g The University System's Office of P-16 Initiatives received a $34.6 million grant from the National Science Foundation to fund the Partnership for Reform in Science and Mathematics (PRISM) program. PRISM is designed to improve educational achievement levels and close the performance gaps among Georgia's students in science and mathematics. Partners include the University System and the Georgia Department of Education. g The USG's Hispanic Task Force in 1999 identified the barriers impeding full educational
access for Georgia's Latino students at the K-12 and post-secondary levels, barriers which ultimately limit workforce opportunities for the state's booming Latino population. The task force made numerous recommendations for overcoming these barriers, and the Board of Regents has taken action on many of these recommendations.

Quality Counts: The Return On Investment in the University System of Georgia

September 2004

Meeting State Needs (cont.)

8

g The USG serves almost 1.2 million Georgians a year through continuing education.

patients and an additional $25.2 million in other types of uncompensated care.

g UGA's public service program is one of the

g The Medical College of Georgia and its health

largest and most comprehensive conducted by

system have a combined economic impact on

an American educational institution. Public

the region in excess of $1.5 billion.

service workers annually tally more than seven g Georgia Tech has paved the way in urban

million contact hours with Georgia citizens.

renewal by reclaiming a run-down section of

g Georgia Tech's Economic Development Insti-

Atlanta and developing Technology Square, a

tute has helped attract more than $41.8 million

pedestrian-friendly development that connects

in new capital investment and helped create or

the Tech campus with Midtown Atlanta.

save 730 jobs statewide. The institute provides g The 41-county service areas served by

support for start-up technology companies,

Valdosta State University through distance-

research commercialization and technology

learning technology includes major military

transfer, technical and managerial assistance

bases in Valdosta and Kings Bay.

to Georgia business and industry, and supports

economic developers.

g Darton College's Southwest Georgia Corpo-

rate Education Center was recognized in 2003

g A recent study by the Southern Growth Poli-

by the Lifelong Learning Resource Network

cies Board found Georgia Tech's economic-

(LERN) as the nation's "Best Business and

development program to be the best and most

Industry Program." Darton's program won out

comprehensive of any American university.

over 150 programs from around the world sub-

Also, in 2002, Georgia Tech was ranked No. 1

mitted for consideration.

by the Southern Technology Council for out-

standing economic development and univer-

g In 1999, Georgia Tech architecture student

sity/industry technology transfer.

Ryan Gravel developed his idea for a 22-mile

mass transit rail loop to serve Atlanta. This

g In 1999, Georgia Tech began offering its

year, his plan, known as the Belt Line, has been

top-ranked engineering program to students

included in the Atlanta Regional Commission's

in South Georgia through the Georgia Tech

25-year transportation plan, Mobility 2030.

Regional Engineering Program (GTREP).

g South Georgia College was the first institu-

g Nearly 700 new physicians, dentists, nurses, al-

tion in Georgia to develop a program to prepare

lied health professionals and research scientists

registered nurses for professional positions in

graduated from the Medical College of Geor-

a school setting. The project is a collaboration

gia in May 2004.

with the Georgia Department of Community

g The Medical College of Georgia has the state

Health.

of Georgia's only dental school.

g Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

g Georgia Tech has helped the state address its

conducted two Upward Bound programs for

smog problem and the Atlanta metro area's

local high school students from low-income

traffic through research projects such as

families and families in which neither parent

SMARTRAQ, which measures the effects of

holds a bachelor's degree during the 2003-

Atlanta's traffic on human health and habits.

2004 academic year, with the help of federal

g The Medical College of Georgia Health System will provide approximately $100 million

grants totaling $500,000 from the Department of Education.

this year in indigent and charity care; Physi-

cians Practice Group, the MCG group practice

for the School of Medicine faculty, covered

$17.8 million in charges for indigent/charity

Quality Counts: The Return On Investment in the University System of Georgia

September 2004

Promoting the Cultural Arts

9

One of the factors companies consider when looking for a place to locate is the cultural

g Georgia State University School of Music undergraduate student Magdalena Wor was a

climate. This can be as important as the education

finalist in the 2002 Metropolitan Opera Na-

level of the workforce, good educational institu-

tional Council Auditions. She was among more

tions and good government services. And in this

than 1,500 competitors.

regard, the USG shines as a catalyst for cultural

g At the UGA, Artist Willie Cole holds thef La-

activities throughout the state. USG arts programs

mar Dodd Professorial Chair for the 2004-2005

literally bring the world to Georgia communities,

school year. Cole's work can be found in the

in addition to providing Georgians with a creative

permanent collections of the Museum of Mod-

outlet for individual talents. he arts serve as yet an-

ern Art in New York (where he had a solo show

other economic engine for the state, attracting and

in 1998), the National Gallery of Art in Wash-

fostering artists and related businesses.

ington, D.C., the Whitney Museum of American

g Albany State University's Concert Chorale

Art in New York, the Yale University Gallery

performed in the United Kingdom in May 2004.

and the New York Public Library.

This was the fourth trip abroad for the Chorale.

g Clayton College and State University hosted an international playwriting competition in April 2004. The competition attracted 151 plays from 138 playwrights around the world.

g A choral ensemble representing Columbus State University gave an invited "main event" performance at New York City's Carnegie Hall in April 2004. The ensemble combined the University Singers and CSU Chorale.

g The Georgia College & State University Jazz Band has released two CDs of bigband jazz music, and its twice-yearly concerts play to sold-out houses. The band performs at events across Georgia and the southeastern United States, and 2003 did a three-week tour of the Czech Republic.
g Clayton College & State University's Spivey Hall is a renowned performance center. About 50 Spivey recordings are nationally broadcast each year on NPR's "Performance Today." With a weekly series broadcast from the hall on WABE-FM, "Spivey Soiree," and Minnesota Public Radio's "PipeDreams," Spivey Hall may be the most frequently broadcast concert hall in America.

g Valdosta State University's Theatre Program received accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST), making it Georgia's only nationally accredited Bachelor of Fine Arts Professional Theatre Training program. Alumni from the program have appeared in numerous films ("Apollo 13," "Bugsy," "Driving Miss Daisy," "Forrest Gump," etc.) and television series ("Designing Women," "Evening Shade," "NYPD Blue," etc.).

Quality Counts: The Return On Investment in the University System of Georgia

September 2004