Students search for adventure, B3
THE STATESMAN UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DULUTH
WWW.UMDSTATESMAN.COM
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013
Four years isn’t enough
Less than half of UMD students are graduating in four years BY MAEGGIE LICHT licht096@d.umn.edu
With tuition costs on the rise and patience growing thin, many students look to get into college, get a degree, and get out in four years. But just how many students are able to meet that goal? According to UMD, the number hovers just above onethird. Though that number may sound small, Mary Keenan, UMD Director of Strategic Enrollment Management, says that having 37 percent of students graduate in four years is an improvement for UMD. “Over the last five years, our graduation rate has increased by 12 percent,” she said. Keenan sites a number of reasons for the increase. One of the biggest factors is the University of Minnesota’s Four-Year Graduation Plan, which was implemented in 2007. The plan requires students to sign the conditions of the Four-Year Graduation Agreement. The agreement, which can be found on the University of Minnesota’s website, has a long list of demands in order for the agreement to be binding. Here are just a few: students must enter as freshman and submit the signed agreement by the end of the first day of fall semester, complete the freshman writing course in the first year, register within two days of their allotted date, and maintain good academic standing. According to the website, if
Duluth Graduation Rates by Entry Year 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20%
1st Year Retention 4th Year Grad
10%
5th Year Grad 6th Year Grad
0% ‘02
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ILLUSTRATION BY SIERRA KAMATCHUS
those requirements are met, graduation in four years is ensured. The site reads: “If you meet all the stated expectations for planning and performance, we will assure that the classes you need to graduate are available—if we can’t keep our promise, and you have to stay at the University longer than four years because we can’t offer a needed course, we’ll approve a substitute course or pay the tuition for your course.” Keenan says a big part of the successes made by the FourYear Plan can be attributed to the 30-60-90 Roadmap that came along with it. The graduating class of 2012
was the first to be introduced to the 30-60-90 Roadmap, and was the class who helped raise the graduation rate. Keenan believes use of this plan, combined with use of the Academic Progress Auditing System (APAS), helps students move through the university system more efficiently. “Students have more access to grad-planning tools,” she said. “In fall 2006, 52.3 percent of UMD undergrads enrolled in 15-plus credits per semester. This fall, 68 percent are enrolled in 15-plus credits. More students meeting the annual 30-credit benchmark supports progress to timely graduation. Intentional
use of APAS and Grad Planner ensures that they are the ‘right’ credits.” However, for UMD psychology major Ryan Gallagher, who graduates this spring, the 30-60-90 Roadmap wasn’t much help. “I guess it’s a good idea,” he said. “But from my own experience and hearing from others, it’s kind of a pointless roadmap when you can’t get into the classes during registration.” Instead, he found the APAS report to be more useful. “I would say (the APAS) definitely helped,” he said. “It was nice that I could always check if all of my requirements were
being filled.” In addition to the APAS and the 30-60-90 plan, Keenan says there’s also been greater attention given to the students and their individual successes. “We’ve enhanced the welcome program,” she said. “There’s been more of an emphasis on student success and academic advising. Students know where they can go for help.” According to Gallagher, his first-year advisor was somewhat of a dud. He feels that forming bonds with his professors proved to be more fruitful, and he points to his relationship with his professors as the most important thing that has helped him graduate in four years. “I guess I had to take initiative to get a better advisor, which was one of the professors that I got close with,” Gallagher said. “They would always be willing to help to make sure I was always on progress and in the right classes.” Gallagher thinks registration is a big obstacle for students trying to graduate in four years. He was able to enter UMD with 45 credits from Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) classes in high school, which gave him earlier registration dates. This allowed him to get into the classes he needed. For many students, this isn’t the case, and they have to stick around for another year. Gallagher thinks there is a possible solution to this problem. “To be honest, I think they need to start limiting how many freshman they accept,” he said. see GRADUATION, A3
UMD first in Duluth to add electric car charging station BY SHANNON KINLEY kinle005@d.umn.edu
UMD is one step closer to reaching its goal of being a sustainable campus. By the end of April, UMD will be home to one of the very first electric vehicle charging stations in the Northland. “This is really cool; we want to be a part of the future for people who adopt this technology,” said Mindy Granley, UMD’s sustainability coordinator. This is just one of the goals in the UMD Energy Action Plan, which is designed to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as encourage sustainability. The retail price of one of these stations is just over $5,000. In order to help with the costs, UMD and the City of Duluth received a grant that will cover everything except installation costs. This project is the result of collaboration from three separate departments: UMD’s Office of Sustainability, Parking Services, and Facilities Management. “Just having one (charging station) shows that we are willing to adapt to new technology and support it,” Granley said. Granley said one of the main reasons UMD wanted to implement this project was to offer students another option beyond busses, biking, and driving to campus. “We want to make this a good option for students,” BRETT GROEHLER/SUBMITTED Granley said. “We are offering a suite of options that meet everyone’s needs.” Former Minn. Congressman James Oberstar unveils an electric vehicle charging station on March 15, 2013. see CHARGING STATION, A3
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