Georgia State and its president Mark Becker are known nationally for having the country’s most dramatic increase in graduation rates for its majority low-income student population.
However, that wasn’t the reason he received an invitation to the White House last Thursday and a meeting with corporate and non-profit executives who were joined by a highly selective group of college and university presidents.
These recognized national leaders, all with proven track records of making significant contributions in post-secondary education, were there to deliver on a promise to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.
In simple terms, the question for Becker was, “What is Georgia State going to do next to increase success levels for its low-income students?”
Having been to a White House meeting previously, and having attended several meetings at the Old Executive Office Building adjacent to the executive mansion, Becker first listened to the Obamas and waited his turn for the show-and-tell.
The Obamas’ unveiling was a set of initiatives designed to better prepare low-income minorities for college enrollment and help remove obstacles that prevent graduation.
Much of the day-long session was spent exchanging ideas for expanding college opportunities for the qualified disadvantaged. Some presenters even promised financing to make college enrollment possible for those without means or who have exhausted meager resources.
Becker’s plan—Georgia State’s early alert system—was explained later.
“Clearly, the president and the first lady have a very strong commitment to leveling the playing field for low-income students to go to college, obtain a degree and live a good life,” Becker said. “What made this meeting different is that you had universities making the commitment to help support that vision and to make it a reality.”
President Becker, explaining part of the university’s business plan, indicated that the University only admits qualified students who are good candidates for graduation. Those who need remedial education after high school attend area community colleges such as Atlanta Perimeter, Atlanta Metropolitan, etc.
“Every year we admit 3,000 freshmen and 2,000 transfer students from those community colleges,” he said. “As one of Georgia’s premier research institutions, students have to be college-ready to be enrolled.”
However, in terms of low-income students who are prepared for college, Georgia State accepts them under the belief that they will graduate four years later. For those who attended last week’s White House conference, the significance of educating the low-income bracket goes beyond factors of “social justice” (everyone having a good chance to succeed in life).
“In the U.S., minorities disproportionately make up the larger percentage of the low-income population. The health and future of the country in a strong democracy needs an educated population and a strong economy,” Becker said. “That’s based on a workforce that is educated. The health of the nation depends on it.”
He then discussed Georgia State’s new “early alert” system.
“Our major new initiative is designed to help eliminate the most common reason why a Georgia State student drops out of school: It’s financial, not academic,” Becker said. “And it’s preventable. There are ways to manage finances so that students are able to stay in school and leave with a degree.”
“Early alert,” to be implemented by Dr. Tim Renick, will tap into university system-wide data base in search of indicators of financial problems before they become critical.
“We’ll see financial stress before it happens and provide the counseling and services to students at-risk before they run out of money,” Becker said. “The automated computerized system will be linked to a newly created Financial Counseling Center that will student avoid trouble down the road. GSU students will have a much better [chance] of completing their education.”
While at the White House, Becker indicated there were several initiatives aimed at Pell Grant students that caught his attention. One in particular may be implemented in the future at Georgia State.
He described a Peace Corps/AmeriCorps initiative operated by the National College Advising Corp. Working with recent college graduates, they are connected to low-income high school students as close advisers.
“Having come through what these college prospects are experiencing, as advisers they are uniquely qualified to help high school students maneuver around the obstacles of enrolling and graduating from college,” Becker said.
Part of the university’s 10-year strategic plan is to boost graduation rate (32 percent for freshmen entering a decade ago to 53 percent today).
“We adopted the plan three years ago setting our sights for 60 percent in less than 10 years,” Becker said. “We are not aware of any university that has a student population as diverse as Georgia State…with a higher graduation rate. And, we won’t be done when we reach it.”
President Becker believes student success should not depend on family income. The role of universities is not just to educate those students from affluent families but also to successfully educate all who are prepared and committed to succeed.
“In Atlanta, 85 percent of the new jobs created in the next five to 10 years will require a college degree,” Becker said. “If the only people who will go to college in the future are middle- and upper-income people, we will not have enough educated people for the workforce. Realizing ‘The American Dream of Success’ is based on a good education, jobs of the future will require a college education.”
