CSU: ‘Graduation Rates for All CSU Students Continue to Climb Under GI2025’

This is a press release from HSU News & Information:

HSU entrance. [Photo from HSU News & Information]

HSU entrance. [Photo from HSU News & Information]

The hard work to improve student success across all 23 California State University (CSU) campuses continues to pay off as graduation rates have risen to all-time highs for both first-time and transfer students, despite the turbulence associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. A record 132,167 degrees were conferred by CSU campuses in 2020-21—nearly 25,000 more than prior to the launch of the university-wide initiative in 2015.“Our resilient students undoubtedly deserve our respect and congratulations for their perseverance and accomplishments,” said Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs Sylvia A. Alva. “And we should celebrate our own extraordinary efforts to help keep nearly half a million students learning, engaged, and moving forward despite unprecedented challenges. The CSU’s exceptional faculty, staff, and administrators have shown truly remarkable commitment and fortitude,” added Alva, who shared data related to increases in graduation rates during a university-wide virtual convening held on October 22 that drew more than 2,000 faculty, staff, leaders, and students. Among the information shared by Alva:

  • The four-year graduation rate for first-time students increased to 33% from 19% at the launch of the initiative.
    • The six-year graduation rate for first-time students increased to 63% from 57% at the launch of the initiative.
    • The two-year graduation rate for transfer students increased to 44% from 31% at the launch of the initiative.
    • The four-year graduation rate for transfer students increased to 80% from 73% at the launch of the initiative.

While student achievement has reached unprecedented heights on all 23 CSU campuses, the university continues to face challenges in eliminating equity gaps, which is the difference in graduation rates between students from historically underserved backgrounds and their peers.

During the convening, CSU Chancellor Joseph I. Castro shared initial details about a university-wide action plan that will be implemented to close equity gaps across the board.

“This has always been a top priority, and indeed we have a moral imperative to do better for our students,” said Castro, who highlighted several examples of bold strategies to be implemented. “This plan, developed in conjunction with an advisory committee of expert stakeholders from across the system, pinpoints actions that all campuses must tackle immediately.”

The plan’s action items include:

  • An immediate, systemwide re-enrollment campaign with specific goals for bringing underserved students back to CSU campuses beginning in spring 2022.
    • Implementation of digital degree planners across all 23 campuses by June 2022 to ensure that every student has access to a clear pathway to graduation.
    • A university-wide focus on dramatically improving student learning outcomes in key courses with the largest numbers of non-passing grades and highest enrollments of underserved students.

All CSU campuses have also been asked to develop their own customized action plans to address equity gaps immediately. Additional details about the university-wide action plan will be shared at the upcoming CSU Board of Trustees meeting taking place on November 9 and 10, 2021.

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Susan Nolan
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Susan Nolan
2 years ago

A big problem for the CSUs is that a majority of incoming students are not actually ready for college.”Over two thirds of applying first-time undergraduates need some form of remediation” according to a report a few years ago. A lot of resources go into supporting those students

ILoveplants
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ILoveplants
2 years ago

A college degree these days is equivalent to a high school diploma. It has become a place for kids to linger on. The average child lives at home with mom n dad until their 30’s. The “leave no student behind” model is failing miserably.
The good news is- there’s tons of jobs available right now everywhere!! My only observation is that the kids these days are lacking work ethic and pride in their work. Their customer service is horrible. Scary that they will be the ones wiping my arse in a few years, if I make it that far…

Last edited 2 years ago
John
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John
2 years ago

I graduated from Cal State Long Beach in December of 1985. It took me ten years to get that diploma. I barely made it by the skin of my teeth with an utterly useless degree. Well, not utterly useless–I’ve been able to check books out from the CSULB library. I also got to check books out of the Chico State library when I lived there. Library privileges from Arcata to San Diego is the only thing that an undergraduate degree from the California State University guarantees. So, at least for me, it’s an expensive library card. I’ve gotten a better education since having gotten my degree, by taking classes part-time at community colleges. There’s nothing inherently wrong with going to college. Just–please, take it from me–major in something like science of engineering or nursing. One of those. Steer a wide berth away from the social sciences. “Social science” is a contradiction in terms.

John
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John
2 years ago
Reply to  John

If I had it to do over again, I’d a gotten an Associate’s degree in ship building from Long Beach City College. They actually had such a program when I started there, oh so long ago, in 1976. Of course, I may have still ended up not being able to utilize that training, as ships nowadays are being built God knows where, paying their workers slave wages. Still, it would’ve been a superior education to the one I eventually got at Cal State Long Beach.