State Senator Wants More CSU Graduates, and Faster

Saying too few California State University students graduate within four years, a state senator proposed legislation aimed at giving financial incentives for students to complete their studies faster.

“It is a big disappointment that so few CSU students graduate within four years,” said Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, a former member of the CSU Board of Trustees. “This legislation, with financial incentives and program efficiencies, will allow CSU students to break through the logjam that has left too many students with graduation roadblocks and high debt.”

According to Glazer, the CSU system has an 18.6 percent four-year graduation rate, well below the average of 34 percent for public universities across the country.

Glazer introduced legislation Monday that would freeze tuition and offer priority class registration for students who carry at least 15 units per semester — or the equivalent for quarters — and maintain a minimum grade- point average. Students would also be offered academic advising and tuition waivers for courses that aren’t offered in the four-year span.

Glazer billed the proposal the “California Promise.”

Earlier this year, CSU Chancellor Timothy White said the system has made strides in getting students to graduate faster. The 18.6 percent four-year graduation rate for students who entered the system in 2011 was a record high for the university.

White also said the system surpassed its goals when it came to graduating students within six years, with the rate reaching a record 57 percent.

White has set a goal of reaching a 24 percent four-year graduation rate by 2025, with a six-year rate of 60 percent by that same year. He noted in a speech to the Board of Trustees that many CSU students struggle to graduate quickly because they often cannot take a full load of classes while working and balancing their home lives.

— City News Service, photo courtesy of CSU Dominguez Hills