Graduation Rates: The Stakes for Boards

Trusteeship
May/June
2009
Number: 
3
Volume: 
17
By 
Theodore J. Marchese

At board meetings, trustees scrutinize their institution's statistical indicators or "dashboard," which often constitutes the administration's brag sheet: "We brought in lots of new students and met our enrollment goals, so the budget looks good."

But there's one indicator--seldom bragged about--that trustees should pay closer attention to: graduation rates.

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Trusteeship Links

George D. Kuh, "Seven Steps for Taking Student Learning Seriously." May/June 2005. Kati Haycock and Paul E. Lingenfelter, "Are Graduation Rates a Fair Way to Hold Institutions Accountable for Their Performance?" September/October 2004. Betsy Barefoot, "Taking Longer to Graduate." May/ June 2003.

About the Author: 

Theodore J. Marchese is a senior consultant at Academic Search, Inc., and a trustee of Eckerd College.