UW-Milwaukee’s Graduation Gap Among Worst In The Nation

Just 21 percent of African-American students graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee within six years of enrollment, that’s less than half the proportion of white students who graduate from the campus within six years, according to a new report.

The report from the Education Trust claims it’s the 10th largest gap among universities in the United States.

The lack of success for black students at certain universities is troubling, said Andrew Nichols of the Education Trust, a nonprofit advocacy organization.

“This is certainly a disturbing phenomenon that we’re seeing,” Nichols said. “It’s something that institutions need to pay close attention to and figure out what they need to do to close these gaps between black and white students. This is not the norm.”

UW-Milwaukee’s graduation rate for black students was about 19 percent lower than average for other universities with similar demographics, according to the report.

In a statement, the university said it’s drawing students from one of the highest poverty cities in the country. In response, Nichols said it’s a university’s responsibility to know a student’s background.

“When institutions enroll a student, particularly a student that has some needs and will require some support, you’re obligated to provide that,” he said. “You have to do the best you can to support that student from enrollment all the way through graduation.”

The university’s statement also said they have partnered with city public schools and Milwaukee Technical College to better prepare students, and changed their remedial math program to shorten time to graduation.

Data from the National Center for Education Statistics show nearly 41 percent of first-time, full-time black students enrolled at four-year institutions in the fall of 2008 earned a degree within six years