UT Austin Issues Plan to Increase Graduation Rates, Reduce College Costs

The Texas Coalition for Excellence in Higher Education today released the following statement in response to a new report issued by UT Austin entitled, “Raising Our Graduation Rates: Recommendations from the Task Force on Undergraduate Graduation Rates.” The report is a product of a Graduation Task Force organized by President Bill Powers last September and chaired by College of Liberal Arts Dean Randy L. Diehl with the goal of providing actionable recommendations to increase the four-year undergraduate graduation rates at UT Austin to 70 percent.
 
“UT Austin has the highest four-year graduation rates of any public university or college in Texas, but is not satisfied with the status quo. This new report is a proactive self-examination by The University to find ways to help undergraduates and their families lower the cost of college by reducing the number of years spent on campus.
 
“The thorough, deliberate and inclusive manner in which these recommendations were developed is consistent with the standard of excellence we expect from the state’s flagship institution. We applaud the proactive efforts of President Powers and Dean Diehl to increase efficiency, reduce costs and better prepare the next generation to meet the demands of the 21st century economy. 
 
“The realistic and actionable recommendations that will be implemented as soon as next semester will bolster graduation rates and lower the overall cost of tuition at UT Austin, while preserving the quality education that students expect, and taxpayers demand. This plan will also provide tangible best practices for other higher education institutions to replicate."

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