Newswise — California State University campuses are seeing a record number of graduates for the 2016-17 school year, with 13 campuses having their largest graduating classes to date.
The campuses include Bakersfield, Channel Islands, Chico, Dominguez Hills, Fullerton, Maritime, Monterey Bay, Northridge, Sacramento, San José, San Marcos, Sonoma, and Stanislaus.
Relative to last year, many campuses are seeing large increases in the number of graduates. Cal State San Marcos, for example, expects to grant 3,300 bachelor's, master's, doctorates and credentials this year—up from 3,000 in 2016.
CSU Bakersfield's President Horace Mitchell cited the determination of students, as well as the assistance and support from faculty and staff, as the cause of its success, adding that its graduates will "add to the well-educated workforce needed to support our regional economic development."
Stanislaus State's Interim Provost Jeri Echeverria attributes the record numbers to the CSU's system-wide Graduation Initiative 2025, which has strengthened academic advising, added classroom capacity and supported other student success measures. Echeverria says the efforts have added as many as 180 students to this year's graduating class at Stanislaus State.
Sacramento State projects a 3 percent increase in their four-year graduation rate and reports continued success with its "Finish in Four" program. Part of Graduation Initiative 2025 efforts, the campaign encourages incoming freshmen to commit to taking 30 units a year, allowing them to graduate within four years.
Graduation Initiative 2025 was enacted in the fall of 2016 and aims to dramatically increase completion rates for all students while closing achievement gaps among low-income and underserved students. This initiative will dramatically benefit students and their families and have a significant impact on California's economy and workforce.
The CSU now enrolls more than 478,600 students and expects to confer more than 110,000 degrees for the 2016-17 academic year.
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