UNM’s six-year graduation rate sits well below the national average, but UNM officials said thanks to a new federal program the University has already seen graduation rate statistics improve.
At UNM, an average of 45 percent of undergraduate students graduate within six years. Nationally, an average of 55 percent of undergraduate students graduate within six years.
Jennifer Gomez-Chavez, director of academic student success, said improving graduation rates is important in New Mexico because it could help improve the state’s poor economy.
“New Mexico is considered the second-poorest state in the nation, so it’s important for people in our institute of higher education to help graduate students so they can get out into the workforce and contribute to our economy,” she said. “These students are going to be our business owners and our next leaders, so there’s a lot at stake for our state by us raising those graduate rates.”
Gomez-Chavez said an improved graduation rate benefits the University as well because UNM receives state funding based on completion rates rather than enrollment rates.
The Graduation Express program began in July 2010 with a Title V funding grant. President Obama set a goal for the U.S. to have the highest proportion of college graduates by 2020, and federal funding mechanisms have changed to advance that goal, according to the White House website.
The program includes designated Graduation Express advisers in each academic college who act as both academic advisers and graduation advisers.
Holly Meyer, Graduation Express adviser, said the program has improved UNM’s graduation rates. She said Graduation Express’s goal was to have 46 percent of UNM students who enrolled at the University in 2005 graduate by August 2011. The actual rate came in at 45.1 percent, which Meyer said was good.
“The program is still in its infancy and development, but we’ve seen measurable progress through the last year,” she said. “The graduation rate is a significant indicator of how far we’ve come and how much more successful this program is going to be once it starts to be more developed.”
Graduation rates are especially low for students who are African American, Hispanic, older, or poor, according to Complete College America, a national nonprofit organization working to increase national graduation rates.
Gomez-Chavez said Graduation Express has successfully increased graduation rates among Hispanic students by 4 percent.
“Nationally we are modeling how to help underrepresented students as a Hispanic-serving institution,” she said.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Meyer said the program is currently focusing on graduation rates for students who enrolled in 2006 and 2007. She said the program’s current goal is to graduate 1,390 students who enrolled at UNM in 2006 by August 2012. So far, 1,081 have graduated, which leaves just 309 to go, Meyer said.
