Study shows racial gap in on-time college graduations in Indiana

Black students in Indiana are nearly three times less likely to graduate on time from four-year state colleges as their white classmates, according to state data.

The gap is even more significant at two-year colleges, where black students are about five times less likely to graduate on time.

Quantifying Indiana’s racial achievement gap is part of a larger state report released today that shows only a fraction of all Hoosier students earn their ­degrees within the traditional two- or four-year time frames.

That often leads to more college costs and can put students in danger of not finishing college at all, state officials say.

“We know that on-time completion continues to be the exception, not the rule,” said Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Teresa Lubbers.

The data report ties into a larger and more complicated discussion about college readiness, affordability and Indiana’s overall low college attainment rates.

With its campaign to dramatically raise the percentage of college-educated Hoosiers by 2025, the state is pushing ­toward having more students enroll in college full time and take enough courses to graduate within two or four years.

Several initiatives aim to make that easier, including a statewide mandate for degree maps and course availability, so students stay on track with their majors. The state funds colleges based in part on student success. It also offers a $1,300 financial-aid incentive for sophomores and juniors on accelerated degree paths and higher grant awards for students who are on time, not just full time.

The difference between on time and full time? You can take 12 credits per semester— usually about four classes — and be considered full time, but that schedule typically won’t earn you an associate degree (60 credits) in two years or a bachelor’s degree (120 credits) in four.

This new report, Lubbers says, is meant to serve as a benchmark of completion rates for students and institutions.

It shows that just under half of community-college students and more than 60 percent of four-year college students graduate within six years.

When students take longer to obtain their degrees, the racial achievement gap narrows but still persists. For example, at two-year colleges, 1.2 percent of black students graduate on-time. Almost 15 percent of them finish in six years.

In contrast, about 6 percent of white students graduate on time from two-year colleges. Thirty percent finish in six years.

At four-year schools, 31 percent of whites graduate on time compared to 10.8 percent for blacks.

Higher education officials say this racial achievement gap mirrors national trends and attribute it to poor college preparation in high school or socioeconomic disadvantages.

Students on Pell Grants — federal financial aid for students from low-income families — have similarly lower-than-average completion rates, according to the state data.

“Our state will not thrive, or meet the needs of our economy, without significant improvement in college completion, and particularly without significant focus on ­improving completion rates for low-income students and students of color,” Jamie Merisotis, president and CEO of Lumina Foundation, said in a statement.

Indiana University’s Bloomington campus recorded the best completion rates in the state. Still, only about half of students graduate within four years.

A four-year degree should be a “reasonable expectation,” said John Applegate, IU’s executive vice president for academic affairs.

“It keeps people on task,” he said. “They’re able to join the workforce earlier. They don’t have the living expenses associated with another year in school.”

But while the flagship campus has a lot of traditional college students, that’s not the case at IU’s regional campuses, he said. There, four-year graduation rates have stayed mostly flat — around 10 to 15 percent, including in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne.

Hiking completion rates, he predicted, will require lots of initiatives working in concert: tuition discounts for on-time students, more robust advising, orientation programs and more.

Several new initiatives are in play at Ivy Tech Community College, said President Tom Snyder.

A key one addresses remediation. It has students take co-requisite remedial classes in the same semester as the college-level course.

Low completion rates at Ivy Tech, including ones showing a racial achievement gap, are “irrelevant,” Snyder said.

He pointed out that Ivy Tech serves a distinct population, with a lot of students who are “at-risk,” need remediation or attend part-time.

Call Star reporter Stephanie Wang at (317) 444-6184. Follow her on Twitter: @stephaniewang.

BY THE NUMBERS

From Indiana’s public two-year colleges

8.4 percent of students, including those who transfer out, earn a degree within two years

47.1 percent of students, including those who transfer out, earn a degree within six years

1.2 percent of black students graduate within two years

3.6 percent of Hispanic students graduate within two years

5.9 percent of white students graduate within two years

From Indiana’s public four-year colleges

34.2 percent of students, including transfers, earn a degree within four years

62.9 percent of students, including transfers, earn a degree within six years

10.8 percent of black students graduate within four years

19.1 percent of Hispanic students graduate within four years

31 percent of white students graduate within four years

Source: Indiana Commission for Higher Education