1. SHORTER UNIVERSITY
Kelly Billings
EDLD 7430

2. Background

3. Quick Facts
 Private, four-year, Christian University
 The main campus is located in Rome, GA with three
other campuses in Gwinnett, North Atlanta, and
Riverdale.
 Offers Associate, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.
 Degrees are offered in Business, Arts & Sciences,
Education, Fine & Performing Arts, Nursing, and
Science & Mathematics.

4. Mission of the College
“The Mission of Shorter University is to provide quality higher education,
enabling and encouraging student commitment to active life-long learning,
personal spiritual values, responsible citizenship, and community and
societal leadership in a global context.”
“The University seeks to accomplish this Mission through quality
undergraduate liberal arts programs, specialized professional programs,
and select graduate programs. Geographically distant locations and online
classes provide educational opportunities to individuals who are unable to
attend classes in a traditional setting. The University affirms a commitment
to the Christian faith and strives to integrate Christian values within a
nurturing community within its whole process of education.”

5. Philosophy of Christian Education
 “Shorter University is a Christ-centered liberal arts
university dedicated to academic excellence within
the context of a biblical worldview. As a Christian
university, Shorter is committed to keeping an
emphasis upon a biblically sound, integrated, faith-
based education that promotes a zeal for academic,
spiritual, and professional growth.”

6. The Shorter Heritage
 Founded by Luther Rice Gwaltney in 1873 as Cherokee
Baptist Female College.
 The college was renamed as Shorter College in 1877
after the generous donations of Alfred and Martha
Shorter.
 Originally, the school had three main areas: primary,
preparatory, and collegiate.
 The collegiate students originally studied the classics,
science, music, art, and drama.
 In 1950 the “Girl’s Creed” was abandoned as the college
started enrolling it’s first male students.

7. The Shorter Heritage
 In 1958 control over the board of trustees was
granted to the Georgia Baptist Convention.
 “On June 1, 2010, Shorter officially changed its name
to Shorter University in a move designed to recognize
the institution’s growth in recent years.”
 In addition to the main campus in Rome, Shorter now
has campuses in Gwinnett, North Atlanta, and
Riverdale.

8. Students

9. Enrollment
 Total Enrollment: 3,775
 Main Undergraduate: 1,542
 Main Master’s: 20
 College of Adult and Professional Programs: 1,903
 College of Adult and Professional Programs Master’s:
312

10. Enrollment
 College of Arts and Sciences: 274
 School of Science and Mathematics: 269
 School of Nursing: 142
 Undecided/Other: 211
 School of Business: 606
 School of Education: 225
 General Education/Associate Level: 916

11. Enrollment Demographics
(Gender)
 Entire College: 69% female, 31% male
 Main: 51% female, 49% male
 CAPP (Professional Studies): 80% female, 20%
male

12. Enrollment Demographics
(Age)

13. Enrollment Demographics
(Race)

14. Student Organizations
 Student Government Association
 Fraternities and Sororities
 Alpha Chi Honor Society
 Shorter Orientation Staff
 Shorter Relations Society
 Shortery University International Society

15. Faculty

16. Faculty
 Full-Time Faculty: 99
 Professor: 19
 Associate: 15
 Assistant: 55
 Instructor: 10
 Adjunct: 318

17. Faculty

18. Faculty
 Faculty Years of Service and Age

19. Faculty
 69 members of the Full-Time Teaching Faculty have
earned their Doctorate degree.
 40 male
 29 female
 22 Full-Time faculty are tenured.

20. Governance

21. President
 As of June 1, 2011, Dr. Donald V.
Dowless became the 19th President
of Shorter University.
 Previously served as Vice President
for Academics for five years at
North Greenville University, and
previously taught at Charleston
Southern University.
 He earned his Bachelor of Arts at
University of North Carolina Chapel
Hill, a Master of Divinity from
Southeastern Baptist Theological
Seminary, and a Doctorate of
Philosophy from Baylor University.

22. Board of Trustees
 Comprised of 30 men and women from the
surrounding communities.
 Divided into six subcommittees: Executive, Academic
Affairs, Building and Grounds, Finance and
Investment, Development, and Student Life.

23. Organizational Chart

24. Employment Requirements
 Because it is a private institution with bonds to the
Georgia Baptist Convention, all employees of the
college are required to be professing Christians and
to submit a personal statement of faith when applying
for all positions.
 Additionally, all employees are required to follow the
“Personal Lifestyle Statement” which can be read
here:
http://www.shorter.edu/about/personal_lifestyle_stateme
.

25. Administration and Finance

26. Finances

27. Finances
Revenue Expenditures
 Institutional Grants to Students
 Tuition and Fees (net of student
grants): $21,114,539 Unfunded: $9,140,432
 Institutional Grants to Students
 Federal Grants and Contracts:
$286,996 Funded: $593,500
 Total Allowances Against Tuition:
 Private Gifts and Grants:
$5,822,233 $9,733,932
 Instruction/Departmental:
 Endowment Income: $2,419,507
$9,630,795
 Other: $0  Academic Support: $3,441,286
 Auxiliary Enterprises: $5,095,751  Student Services: $6,691,176
 Total: $34,739,026  Institutional Support:$8,586,749
 Other Expenses: $1
 Auxiliary Enterprises: $3,354,098
 Total: $31,704,105

28. Tuition
 (Based on full-time enrollment and living on campus)
 Estimated Total Price of Attendance: $28,000
 Tuition and Fees: $16,300
 Estimated Room and Board: $7,800
 Estimated Books and Supplies: $1,000
 Estimated Other Expenses: $2,900

29. Tuition Comparisons
 University of Georgia:  Kennesaw State: $2,367
$3,641  West Georgia: $2,367
 Georgia Tech: $3,641  Clayton State: $2,201
 Georgia State: $3,641  Georgia Gwinett: $1,648
 Southern Polytechnic:  Georgia Perimeter: $1,235
$2,564
 Georgia Southern: $2,367

30. Developmental Education

31. Developmental Education
 Despite having admissions standards of at least a 2.25 high school
GPA and the submission of SAT or ACT scores, Shorter University
does offer extremely limited remedial courses.
 “Remedial courses in English and Mathematics are offered for
students who need additional preparation in these areas. These
classes carry no credit towards graduation.”
 ENG 0990-Remedial Freshmen English
 MAT 0990-Remedial Mathematics
 Course descriptions can be found here:
http://www.shorter.edu/academics/catalog/2010-2011_Catalog.pdf
.

32. Developmental Education
 Classes below the 099
level, such as 098,
097, and 096 are not
offered at this
institution.
 Likewise, there are no
remedial reading
courses offered.

33. Developmental Education
 The average combined verbal and math SAT score of
students is 987.
 The average ACT score is 20.
 The average high school GPA is 3.29.
 Students are placed in the appropriate levels of
English and math classes according to their SAT or
ACT scores.
 Students will move on to college level courses after
passing the institutional grammar exam.

34. Community Education

35. Community Education
 Because it is a private institution, Shorter University
does not offer regular community education courses
or continuing education opportunities.
 Previously, short-term classes in art have been
offered to the community, however, they are not
regularly offered through a continuing education
department.

36. Effectiveness

37. Retention
 For FY 2009, Shorter University had a retention
rate of 74.9%. This is the highest rate the school has
had since 2003.
 The year previously, 2008, the retention rate was
67.4%. This is an increase of 7.5%.

38. Graduation Rates
 On average, 62% of an incoming freshmen class will
graduate from Shorter University.
 Of that 62%, 2% will graduate in 3 years.
 Of the remaining student population in that cohort,
41% will graduate in 4 years.

39. National Distinction
 In 2010, Shorter University was
listed for the 10th consecutive
year in a row, on the list of
“Great Schools, Great Prices”
for the South in U.S. News and
World Report.
 They were ranked at number 6,
one spot up from 2009.
 Shorter was also listed as 17th
on the South’s top
baccalaureate colleges by U.S.
News and World Report.