Welcome back students!

The hills streets, buildings and buses are alive with the sound of classes beginning today. Student learning and success are always the priority at UGA, and the measurements of that precedence have never been stronger:

In a campus-wide effort led by Academic Affairs and Student Affairs, the university has made fostering student success — both during their time on campus and after graduation — a key priority. Last year UGA became the nation’s largest public university to ensure that each of its students engages in hands-on learning such as internships, research, study abroad and service-learning. These high-impact learning practices are linked to higher levels of engagement, deeper learning and higher levels of success in graduate school and in the workplace.

Last year the university also completed a small class size hiring initiative that recruited 56 new faculty members and has markedly increased pass rates in challenging courses where students benefit from greater faculty interaction. Additionally, over 270 faculty hosted more than 2,700 students for voluntary, out-of-class gatherings as part of the Student Faculty Enrichment Fund, increasing faculty accessibility and enriching student-faculty relationships.

Students at UGA also receive a higher level of personalized support thanks several initiatives dedicated to meeting students’ specific needs. The Disability Resource Center served nearly 1,900 students with disabilities last year through accommodated testing and creating accessible textbooks and videos. More than 70 faculty and staff served as transition coaches for over 220 student veterans through the Student Veterans Resource Center’s transition and readiness coaching program, building development plans, resumes, and networks in preparation for their careers or graduate school.

It's a fantastic time to be at UGA - for many reasons! Best wishes to our students, faculty and staff embarking today on mission-one. Do well!