, ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁being ▁the ▁state ' s ▁only ▁public ▁academic ▁health ▁center ▁and ▁only ▁dent al ▁school . ▁ ▁On ▁September ▁ 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁Az z iz ▁delivered ▁a ▁report ▁to ▁the ▁B OR , ▁describing ▁significant ▁progress ▁toward ▁ach ieving ▁those ▁goals ▁in ▁only ▁the ▁first ▁ 1 9 ▁months ▁of ▁GR U ' s ▁existence . ▁These ▁include ▁increases ▁in ▁fresh man ▁ret ention ▁(+ 7 % ), ▁fresh man ▁pro gression ▁(+ 2 7 8 % ), ▁gradu ation ▁rates ▁(+ 3 6 % ), ▁ad mission ▁standards , ▁en roll ment ▁( he alth ▁sciences ▁gradu ate / prof essional ▁+ 9 . 5 %, ▁new ▁fresh men ▁+ 2 . 3 %, ▁new ▁trans fers ▁+ 1 6 % ), ▁al umn i ▁giving ▁(+ 4 7 . 5 % ), ▁research ▁fund ing ▁(+ 2 % ), ▁among ▁others . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁administrative ▁costs ▁decl ined ▁ 1 0 ▁percent . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁Az z iz ▁announced ▁he ▁would ▁step ▁down ▁from ▁his ▁position ▁as ▁president ▁of ▁GR U ▁and ▁CE O ▁of ▁GR He alth , ▁effective ▁June ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁having ▁achieved ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁transform ative ▁goals ▁set ▁for ▁him ▁by ▁the ▁US G ▁B OR . ▁He ▁then ▁joined ▁the ▁Pul lias ▁Center ▁for ▁High er ▁Education , ▁Ross ier ▁School ▁of ▁Education , ▁University ▁of ▁Southern ▁California