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ACTION: Improve 4 to 6 year graduation rates


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Very interesting... and potentially controversial. I like it!

New policy to expedite time to degree

 

By Divya Kumar, EDITOR IN CHIEF

Published: Monday, April 1, 2013

Updated: Monday, April 1, 2013 00:04

 

A new proposed policy aimed to keep the time to graduation within four years seems fairly intuitive.

 

“Students who have completed all the requirements for their degree will be required to graduate,†the policy proposal states.

 

Yet other parts of the policy may raise eyebrows.

 

“A lot of students will look at it and say ‘that’s mean,’†dean for undergraduate studies Bob Sullins said. “That’s not our intention.â€

 

Sullins said the policy is intended to help students graduate on time — something USF has faced recent pressures at the state level to improve.

 

After USF faced a harsh line of questioning about its 34 percent four-year graduation rate and 52 percent six-year graduation rate from the Board of Governors (BOG) last year, early indications from the Legislature suggest that some of the funding provided to the State University System this year will be allocated between the 12 public universities based on performance. While the metrics have yet to be determined, graduation rates are a recurring metric that surface at BOG meetings.

 

While the new policy will ensure that students who meet their requirements for their degree aren’t “floundering around,†Sullins said the policy is geared to help students who may have trouble staying focussed on their degree.

Those who want to add a major will be required to do so before reaching 96 credits, and the request to add a second major will be approved provided that the student can finish his or her degree within a maximum of 10 total semesters at USF. Students who want to change their major within the first two years must be able to finish within 10 semester, and those who wish to change their majors during their seventh or eighth semester at USF “should be encouraged to stay in their current major and finish that degree program,†and should only be approved to change majors by exception only, the policy states.

 

Those who have completed more than 120 credits will not be able enroll in courses not required for degree completion, with exceptions to be approved on individual case by case bases.

 

Sullins said USF will also adopt a tracking system similar to one used at the University of Florida, which has a 67 percent four-year graduation rate and an 85 percent six-year graduation rate, to create eight-semester plans by major for first time in college students and four-semester plans for those with AAs.

 

The system is one which is accessible by both students and academic advisers and alert students and advisers if a student is falling off-track, either by GPA or credits. A hold is placed on an off-track student’s account until he or she meets with an academic adviser.

Sullins said while some students have issues with focus, a large population of USF students work full-time to support themselves while they’re in school.

 

USF Provost Ralph Wilcox said other students just need a little more prodding.

 

“They enjoy it so much here,†he said. “They can’t leave.† 

 

http://www.usforacle.com/new-policy-to-expedite-time-to-degree-1.2820627#.UVmA_G_D_4Y

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This needs to be done. I'm for the proposal.

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Unfrigginbelievable!!!

 

WTF are they thinking?

 

This is going to push out part-time students.

 

If someone has a full-time job, and is trying to better themselves, forcing them into a 6-year graduation schedule is going to force them out of the school, and lock them forever into the permanent uderclass.

 

We should REJOICE that we have students trying to bust their butts to improve themselves, rather than focus on being just another 4-year babysitting school for spoiled rich brats

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Part-time students should be evaluated separately from full-time students and not part of four and six year graduation rates.  Not saying that is what happens, but it seems like common sense!

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Part-time students should be evaluated separately from full-time students and not part of four and six year graduation rates.  Not saying that is what happens, but it seems like common sense!

As long as this is the case, I'm all for it. I'm looking to go back and get my Masters at some point, I know I wouldn't want to be locked into a time schedule to do it.

 

I work 50hrs a week, ain't nobody got time fo dat!

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I do not like the restrictions on choosing a second major. It makes sense that a double major would take longer than a single major.  

 

This will be tough for a lot of the engineering majors. The program flow chart requires 9 semesters... 8 semesters of 15 credit hours, and 1 summer of 12 credit hours, which will have a student graduating in 4 years. 

 

Does the focus on "semesters" includer summer? 4 years actually has 12 semesters if you include the summers...?

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these are the same idiots that  pushed for satelite campus

 

junior colleges should be used more for people with fulltime jobs

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these are the same idiots that  pushed for satelite campus

 

junior colleges should be used more for people with fulltime jobs

 

Even if working folks do their first two years at HCC, in all likelihood, it'll STILL take 6+ years to finish their degree.

 

We should CELEBRATE these folks, not denigrate them as second-class students.

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I feel they will probably only have this for first time in college students going full-time. However, in regards to part-time students, why would it take them 6+ years to get their degree? I can see 4-6 years, but more than 6!? As someone who started as a regular full-time student my first two years, then went full-time taking all classes at night while working full-time in the day my last two years, I can state its not impossible for someone going full-time (or even part-time) school and still finish w/in 4 years. I think this is a good thing for the school.

these are the same idiots that  pushed for satelite campus

 

junior colleges should be used more for people with fulltime jobs

 

Even if working folks do their first two years at HCC, in all likelihood, it'll STILL take 6+ years to finish their degree.

 

We should CELEBRATE these folks, not denigrate them as second-class students.

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Why should it take 6+ years?

 

Why shouldn't it?

 

Not everybody enjoys the luxury of taking more than 1 class per semester.

 

Graduation rates for part-time students should NOT be held against a metropolitan school. Maybe you can make a case for it in a land-grant school out in the boondocks, but even then prolly not. Absolutely not for a metro-area state school.

 

No way should the school be judged poorly when it is on a mission of serving a huge, diverse community, helping whole generations to improve their lot in life.

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