Wayne State University has made much progress with its undergraduate student retention and graduation rates as Monica Brockmeyer, associate provost for student success, told the WSU Board of Governors on May 6 during an annual report. She also emphasized that the university was continuing its investment in student success and could expect to see continued improvement in future years.

WSU's six-year graduation rate has risen from 26 percent for students entering school in 2005 to 35 percent for students entering school in 2009.

"Increasing 9 percent in four years is a really good trend that we hope to continue," said Brockmeyer. "We have a long way to go, but these numbers indicate that with a sustained effort we can, and will, make great strides."  

She also indicated that WSU was in the top 5 percent of public institutions nationally for its graduation rate increase.

A key metric in the university's "Distinctively Wayne State" strategic plan is to grow the six-year graduation rate to 50 percent by 2021. Brockmeyer is hopeful that when the numbers for 2010 students become available in August, the number could rise to 38 percent.

Wayne State's four-year graduation rate has jumped from 11 percent for 2009 students to 18 percent for 2011 students."This is heartening news that we can make a significant change in a short period of time," said Brockmeyer.

The retention rate for new full-time students (First Time in Any College or FTIAC) in 2015 was 77 percent. That's an 8 percent increase since 2006, which is promising, but the number has remained relatively flat in recent years.

Brockmeyer says to meet or exceed the Michigan public average first-year retention rate of 79 percent, Wayne State is taking a multipronged approach that includes everything from providing free parking for FTIACs to expanding learning communities.  

Brockmeyer said that racial disparities remain in graduation rates and that narrowing and closing those gaps would receive increased focus during the 2016-17 academic year. She also said that a comprehensive plan to address these gaps in outcome would be shared with the Board of Governors in the near future.

Based on an analysis of student profiles, two-thirds of the graduation rate improvements are attributed to student success initiatives, and a third of the increases to an improved student profile brought about through new admission standards.

There are numerous student success initiatives that are making a difference.

Forty-five advisors have been hired for academic departments in the last few years. As a result, more students have utilized academic advising services.

Students have been given access to a web-based tool called DegreeWorks, which allows them to map out and track their progress toward a degree. In just the first six months of its use, students have checked their progress with degree audits more than 150,000 times.

"Students have adopted use of this software very quickly, and some have taken to tweeting updates on their progress," said Brockmeyer.

Financial hurdles are being addressed through a Wayne State commitment to fund 40 percent of tuition for seniors who have at least a 2.5 grade point average, can graduate within one year and have a remaining balance of $1,200 or less after other sources have paid. The university is seeking external support to fund the other 60 percent needed for these completion grants.

Other initiatives out of the Office of the Provost include a new priority registration sequence to help students close to graduation get needed courses and, starting winter 2017, a new course scheduling matrix that eliminates overlap between classes.