Completion plan updated

The updated Retention and Completion Plan was approved by the Board in June of 2018 and has been submitted to the state. Its goals were developed after examining both UA's student profiles and barriers to persistence and completion by UA students.

The newly approved plan notes that the University met its goals for 2016-18. Highlights:

• The first-year retention rate goal of 72% was exceeded by one point. As of Fall 2017, the first-year retention rate is 73% (first-time, full-time Akron Campus bachelor’s-degree seeking students).
• Though the six-year graduation rate goal was 42%, the current six-year graduation rate is 44%, slightly above the range for the previous 10 years (first-time, full-time Akron Campus bachelor’s degree seeking).
• The job/graduate school placement rate goal of 75% was exceeded by two points.

For 2018-20, the University is setting new goals, including to:

• Develop and implement a college-centered academic advising model.
• Promote the new Akron Guarantee Scholarship, guaranteeing annual renewal to those in good academic standing, and greater financial support through automatic yearly upgrades.
• Increase efficiency in degree completion through a revised class scheduling process and by offering course options at times when students need them.
• Address the needs of underrepresented students through intentional support, including supplemental academic advising, learning communities and study tables, and other strategic initiatives.
• Develop and implement more programming related to financial responsibility and financial management/budgeting.
• Share best practices across campus.

UA will continue to provide students with entryways to the University based on their preparedness. Under the Student Academic Success approach, students who are least prepared and were previously admitted under the Preparatory pathway are now admitted to Wayne College, where they would maintain their status until successful completion of 24 credit hours in good standing and successful completion of all remedial coursework. At that time, they are invited to join the main campus in full-standing.

They are also invited to attend a community college in good standing and to then apply for a transfer Akron Guarantee Scholarship on successful completion of 12 credit hours with a cumulative college grade point average of a 3.0 or higher.

Download the Plan (PDF)

Related:

• Summaries of the many initiatives under way to improve retention and completion.