Report: Things looking good in UW System

Graduation rate on state campuses nears 65 percent, four points higher than national average

By: Nicole Strittmater

Posted: 5/1/08

A recent UW System accountability report shows promising progress, spokesman David Giroux said.

The report, Achieving Excellence, annually measures UW system performance by analyzing its progress toward its goals and ways it provides positive campus environments that promote success.

The System met or partially met 19 of its 20 goals last year, according to the report.

Graduation rates at the 26 UW System campuses reached 64.8 percent on average, according to the report, almost four percentage points higher than the current national average and eight points higher than its average 10 years ago.

In addition, the typical undergraduate student is taking fewer credits to obtain a bachelor's degree - an average of 134 credits, which is 10 less than in 1994.

Giroux said these findings help provide information to the System as to the challenges it faces and what it can do to better equip the schools for more success.

"It's an important measure," he said, adding it helps the system determine if it's admitting the right undergraduate students that will achieve success. "(Also) whether or not we're helping to remove the financial barriers."

The System's goal of retaining 82 percent of first-year students to the second year wasn't made, as the current retention rate is 79 percent, according to the report. But it is above the national average of 77.5 percent.

While the report shows progress, there is still reason for concern, he said.

Students of color in the System enroll and graduate at lower rates than white students, according to the report.

"Overall our graduation rates are very good and we're very proud of that, but there's a persistent gap between whites and students of color," he said. "They're facing challenges."

In addition, he said all students of low-income families deserve a little extra attention, because in many cases they are flying solo.

He said the System needs to work with the state and federal government to ensure that aid is available, because financial aid barriers are very real.

Junior Allison Louks said she was surprised when she heard of the high graduation rate, since she thought it was closer to 50 percent, but she didn't necessarily think it's a good thing students are graduating with fewer credits.

While she said it's different for every student, she thinks having more credits is better than less.

"The fact that students are graduating with less credits, frankly, more power to them," Louks said. "With fewer credits (however) I think they're less likely to get hired at a job."

Giroux said the findings that students are taking fewer credits are very encouraging.

The System tries to prevent the kind of academic advising that encourages sidetracking and taking unnecessary classes, he said.

Because the typical student is taking fewer credits now, which is helping everyone, because it frees up seats that other students needing the class can take. It also allows the university to admit more undergraduates, he said.

Executive director of enrollment Kris Anderson said this report makes the System look appealing as a whole.

"As students are shopping around and as students are looking for colleges … they are really asking those questions: 'Am I going to get the classes I need? Am I going to get out in a timely way?'" she said. "It's good to know that we're making progress in that area."