SUNY Graduation Rates Surpass National Peers
Graduation rates for SUNY are well above the national average for public universities, according to data released this week by State University Provost Peter D. Salins.
The system is also keeping more students in school thanks in part to a number of new retention programs, say SUNY Central officials. Many of these programs are aimed specifically at first-year students, helping them complete what many experts say is the most difficult transition in college � moving from freshman to sophomore years.
Based on the national standard used to measure graduation rates among public universities, which is six years, SUNY has a graduation rate 14 percent higher than the national average. In 1997, SUNY�s graduation rate was 60.2 percent, up from 56.1 percent five years ago and substantially higher than the 52.2 percent graduation rate 10 years ago. Public universities similar to SUNY report a six-year graduation rate of just 46.2 percent, according to national data issued in 1996 by the U.S. Department of Education.
When student transfers among State University campuses are taken into account, 63.7 percent of the University�s incoming students receive a bachelor�s degree within six years.
The number of students finishing a bachelor�s program within four years has fallen below fifty percent at many colleges nationwide, especially at public universities. But SUNY�s five-year rate exceeds the national average for other public universities and nearly eclipses the national rate for private universities as well: nationally, in 1996, the public university 5-year completion rate was 38.8 percent, versus 54.2 percent for SUNY; private universities were at 55.3.
One reason for the improved graduation rate is the ability of SUNY campuses to keep students in school following their freshman year, said SUNY officials. The four university centers at Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo and Stony Brook retain an average of 85 percent of their freshman students. According to figures compiled by The College Board, higher education institutions comparable to these campuses retain from 78 to 83 percent of their freshmen students. The 13 university colleges of the State University retain 73.6 percent of their freshman students, while comparable colleges nationally retain 69.1 percent of their freshman students.
SUNY officials pointed out several special programs on campuses that encourage retention of freshman students, among them Albany�s Project Renaissance, which provide a unique residential experience that puts freshmen in closer contact with faculty and peer mentors.
New York City Ballet Joins with SUNY at 50
A gala dinner at SUNY headquarters will precede the New York City Ballet�s Oct. 6 Palace Theater performance in Albany. It will be the first stop for the "Partners at 50" tour, celebrating the 50th anniversaries of both SUNY and NYCB. With state and private sponsorship, the company will perform in Albany, Elmira, Binghamton and Stony Brook between Oct. 6 and 10, with the Palace hosting performances on both Oct. 6 and 7.
The Oct. 6 dinner at SUNY headquarters on Broadway will feature NYCB�s "Ballet Master in Chief" Peter Martins, with Gov. George E. Pataki and First Lady Libby Pataki serving as honorary chairs. A cocktail reception and the buffet dinner will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Following the Oct. 6, performance, members of NYCB will join gala guests at a champagne reception.
On Oct. 6 the Company will perform George Balanchine�s "Concerto Barocco"(Bach), "Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux," "Agon" (Stravinsky) and Peter Martins� "Fearful Symmetries" (Adams). "Concerto Barocco" was part of the New York City Ballet�s inaugural performance on Oct. 11, 1948.
NYCB on Oct. 7 will present "Agon," "Fearful Symmetries" and Jerome Robbins� "The Concert" (Chopin). Tickets for both performances are available through the Palace Theater Box Office (465-4663) and Ticketmaster (476-1000). University students can receive a $10 discount off some tickets at the theater box office.
Tickets for the Gala are $150 per person. Tables of 10 are available with preferred seating provided to sponsors donating $5,000, $10,000 or $25,000.
Full-Time Freshman Enrollment Historic
This year�s freshmen classes in SUNY have skyrocketed again, jumping more than 6 percent over the last year�s freshman class, according to preliminary data presented on Sept. 23 at the State University Board of Trustees� regular monthly meeting.
It is the SUNY�s largest freshman class since 1980 and the third largest increase in nearly 30 years. The increase comes at a time when the projected number of high school graduates in New York State is going down.
This fall�s entering freshman class of 59,927 full-time students represents the largest such class since 1990, and the greatest growth in 10 years � 6.4 percent, according to the early data.
At Albany, the freshman class this fall is 2,376 � 279, or 13.3 percent more than a year ago.
"These numbers prove the State University is on the right track," said Chancellor John W. Ryan. "When you offer a first-rate product � in this case, a first-rate education � people respond. Students want to come to the State University because they recognize the value to their futures."
The increase in this full-time freshmen class represents the third largest annual growth in nearly 30 years, and more than double the success SUNY had in attracting last year�s full-time freshmen class (which was 3.1 percent over 1996).
"What makes this growth so impressive for us is that it has occurred at a time when the projected number of New York high school graduates this past year actually went down from the previous year," noted Vice Chancellor for University Relations Scott W. Steffey. "Our strategy for the past three years has been to grow the system by drawing more full-time students and improving our retention levels. Clearly the strategy is working."
These preliminary numbers show SUNY attracting roughly 37 percent of all high school graduates in New York State � the System�s second-largest share in the past 30 years.
Last week, the State University announced improvements in retention and peer rankings that show the State University as a national leader. "Enrollment, retention and quality are up as evidenced by our national rankings," said Mr. Steffey. "That"s an enviable position to be in."
The new figures also show that the State-operated campuses improved to 27,908 full-time freshmen, a jump of 4.5 percent. Community colleges did even better, with a full-time freshman class of 32,019, an increase of 8.1 percent. "Both these numbers demonstrate the tremendous positive impact on the State University resulting from our increased attention to student recruitment at the system and campus levels," said Mr. Steffey.
In addition, the overall undergraduate full-time enrollment increased from 218,583 to 223,441, a jump of 2.2 percent. At the State-operated campuses there was a somewhat similar increase, from 122,821 to 123,882. At the community colleges, it jumped from 95,762 to 99,559.
Growth was also seen with the University"s incoming graduate school population, increasing from 5,805 to 5,920 new students compared with last year. Preliminary data suggests that part-time students continue to track national trends based on the economy. "It"s a double-edged sword. If the economy is strong, then part-time students decline, and vice versa," said Mr. Steffey. "All things being equal, we are glad the economy is strong and our full-time enrollment is booming." Part-time enrollment is expected to decline by roughly 7 percent.
"Powered by back-to-back years of full-time freshmen enrollment growth, the State-operated campuses, overall, grew at a rate that enables many campuses to become more selective," said Mr. Steffey.
"These campuses saw a significant increase in applications - about 3.7 percent - over the previous year," he said.
But Dr. Ryan cautioned that the major increase in freshman enrollment the past two years has the State University growing at a manageable rate of two percent. "If you grow too fast, you can hurt quality. With this in mind, we can manage a 1.5 percent to 2.5 percent growth rate, but I do not want to grow much faster than that," Dr. Ryan said.
The numbers released today are only preliminary figures. More definitive data is expected within 30 days and variations are possible.