Issue 2, August 2013
this issue 4YEARS4U P.1 University Ambassadors P.2 Financial Aid P.3 Student Information P.4
Communication is key! Please feel free to tell us how we are doing at jengel@gru.edu. We are actively looking for new ways to communicate Enrollment Management information to our Faculty, Staff, and Students.
4 Years 4 U Formed to Help Students As the pressures of tuition increases and student loan interest rates continue to compound, GRU is taking the lead to help students prepare and be aware of the benefits of completing an undergraduate degree in four years. “Our new program, 4 Years 4 U, is focused on showing students how important it is to graduate in four years and how it can be done,” said Julie Goley, Director of Career Services. “We are starting with the new student orientation sessions that begin in early June.” The logic is simple: Money Matters. Starting NOW, students will be able to participate in a pledge program to committing to a timely four-year completion, according to Goley. Freshmen will sign an agreement to participate, pledging to take at least 15 credit hours each fall and spring to ensure completion of the required credit hours of your degree program. The program correlates with recent changes to GRU’s advising program, which will focus on students’ progress . The new Centralized Advising Office will work with all students for their first two years to ensure they are on schedule and refer to appropriate supports when needed. “The 4 Years 4 U program is a critical component in our ability to measure success as an institution,” said Dr. Roman Cibirka, Vice Provost of GRU. “In fact, the University System of Georgia is implementing a performance-based funding model that will include graduation rate as a measure of success and thereby perhaps influence the allocation of resources. Although the pledge begins with coordinated efforts by the Advisement Office, it is truly a comprehensive initiative of all academic program faculty at GRU to ensure its success. If our students commit to the program, we are committed to seeing them succeed in timely degree completion.” For more information, visit www.gru.edu/4years4u/ .
Fall 2014 Dates Applications Open: August 1, 2013 Priority Application Deadline: December 1, 2013
We are ALL Georgia Regents University Ambassadors At 1-800-FLOWERS each and every employee can answer the following question from his or her own perspective within the organization, “How is what I am doing right this minute going to help us get more flowers in the hands of more consumers”? If you were to ask the individual in the motor pool changing the oil filter on a delivery truck his response might likely be that if the truck is functioning at maximum capacity it will get better gas mileage which means the company can charge less for the flowers and sell more flowers. All of us at both the university and the health system should ask ourselves the following question, “How is what I’m doing right this minute going to help ensure student success”? Admission recruiters travel the state spreading the word of our new consolidated university. They meet with students, parents and counselors to provide information about admission requirements, our ever growing program array and the benefits of attending GRU. In the scheme of things, however, this is a very small piece of being an ambassador for the institution. Faculty, staff and clinicians comprise the bulk of our ambassadors. From mentoring and shadowing opportunities outside of class, to the instruction happening in the classroom, to the help a staff member may give a student unsure of a building location, to the reassuring smile of a nurse who passes a student in a crowded hospital hallway – relationships with students are built by all of us. It is those relationships that foster the success of our students. We should all remember that each and every one of us is instrumental in our own way in helping ensure student success at GRU. And for that we should all feel both honor and pride! So……how is what you are doing right this minute going to help ensure student success?
Enrollment Management at Your Fingertips
www.gru.edu/admissions/ www.gru.edu/finaid/ www.gru.edu/registrar/ www.gru.edu/4years4u
Final Admissions Deadline: June 1, 2014
Freshman Requirements Required High School Curriculum: 17 units Minimum Freshman Index: 2140 Minimum SAT Scores: Critical Reading of 430 and Math of 400 OR Minimum ACT Scores: English of 17 and Mathematics of 17
Financial Aid is available for you now!
March 1, Summer April 1, Fall October 1, Spring
Financial Aid Awarding Update
www.studentaid.gov www.studentloans.gov www.nslds.ed.gov www.pin.ed.gov www.fastweb.com www.tycobbfoundation.com
On July 2, 2013, Georgia Regents University received approval from the Department of Education to participate in Federal Student Aid Programs. The Office of Student Financial (OSFA) has sense that time began awarding aid to students who meet the eligibility requirements. The OSFA staff is excited to beginning processing applications for the 2013-2014 awarding year. We continue to seek assistance from students who have completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). As we transition through this consolidation process, students are asked to do the following: Use both the Georgia Health Sciences School Code, 001579 and the Augusta State University School Code, 001552 on your FAFSA. If you didn’t use both codes, please go back into your FAFSA and add the additional school code. Please select both the 001579 and 001552 codes regardless of what name is associated with the school code. The Department of Education is working to crosswalk the school codes to reflect the new institution’s name, Georgia Regents University. Once your financial aid award has been packaged, you will receive and email notification. Check your POUNCE account at, http://gru.edu/paws.php. You MUST accept or decline any offered loans and complete all requirements. Make sure that you have signed up for eRefunds in POUNCE. If you have questions regarding eRefunds, please contact the GRU Business Office at Business_Office@gru.edu.
The Office of Student Financial Aid is Relocating The Office of Student Financial Aid Customer Service on the Summerville campus is moving temporarily to the Old Purchasing Building located adjacent to Rains Hall on July 22, 2012. All students, faculty, and staff are asked to contact Customer Service for assistance. If appointments or referrals are needed with a counselor, our Customer Service staff will refer you as appropriate. All OSFA counselors will be located on the 2nd Floor of Fanning Hall. Counselors may be reached by email, http://www.gru.edu/finaid/
At Your Service on Both Campuses The Office of Student Financial Aid is here for you on both the Summerville and Health Sciences campuses: Summerville Office: 706-737-1431, 2500 Walton Way, Augusta, Georgia 30904; finaid@gru.edu Health Sciences Office: 706-721-4901; 1120 Fifteenth Street, Augusta, Georgia 30912; osfa@gru.edu Not sure who to contact? No problem! Call either location, and the Financial Aid staff will be happy to help you.
Withdrawal Policy Beginning Fall 2013, the following policy on withdrawal limits will go in effect. This policy established a 5-'W' grades limit for all undergraduate students. GRU students may withdraw from up to five courses in their academic careers. Thereafter, a WF grade will be entered for any subsequent withdrawal from a course. The WF grade will count as an F grade for purposes of institutional grade point average calculation. Dr. Carol Rychly, Vice President for Academic Affairs, indicates the new policy was added to help with student success. “We expect that limiting the number of withdrawals will contribute to student success by encouraging students to be more intentional in their course selection and more committed to their coursework.” Julie Goley, Director of Advising and Career Services, says students should think carefully before withdrawing from classes. “Students should be very frugal in their use of withdrawals with this new policy in place to ensure successful degree completion. This is a growing trend at universities nationwide to cut down on a practice seen as an “abuse” of what the withdrawal policy is there for, impacting timely degree completion and higher student debt. Students should be proactive in planning their courses with advisors and in accordance with program guidelines, strive for a balanced schedule and commit to mapping a four year plan then sticking to it.”
Graduation Information Graduation is a time full of friends, family, fun and - if you're not careful - stress! It's important to note a few pieces of information regarding your pending graduation. Summerville students who have submitted graduation applications and are completing program requirements Summer and Fall terms will be invited to participate in the Fall Commencement Ceremony being held on December 15, 2013. Health Sciences students who complete all degree requirements in the fall semester are also eligible to participate in the Fall Commencement Ceremony on December 15. Students who have either matriculated to Georgia Health Sciences University, Augusta State University or Medical College of Georgia (and have remained continuously enrolled) will receive a commemorative diploma as well as a Georgia Regents University diploma.
The GRU Registrar’s Office has a goal of 200 likes, so we are hosting a drawing. For anyone who likes our Facebook page you will be entered into a drawing for a $25 JagCard. If you have already liked our page, share our page to receive a free t-shirt. Make sure to invite your friends, family and colleagues to like our page!
Diplomas will be available for pick-up after the Commencement Ceremony. Those diplomas that are not picked up after the ceremony will remain in the Registrar’s Office for two weeks. After this time, any diplomas not picked up will be mailed. For other Graduation Inquiries Contact… Campus Life Services (Tickets, Ceremony Information, General Graduation Inquiries) JagStore (Cap and Gown, Regalia, Graduation Announcements) Career Services Alumni Association Financial Aid (Financial Aid Holds, Exit Counseling) Registrar (Graduation, Application, Diplomas)
706-721-3356 706-737-1611 706-737-1604 706-737-1759 706-737-1431 706-446-1430
Pounce POUNCE is our self-service application that offers current students, faculty and staff access to a variety of University information and services. For students, POUNCE is the personal management tool used to search for classes, register for classes, make payments and check grades. For faculty, POUNCE is the management tool for adding grades, completing attendance verification and accessing information for advising. Check out our introductory video.
Registrar’s Office Summerville Campus 706-737-1408 Health Sciences Campus 706-721-2201