UW System: Number Of Graduates Up 13 Percent From 10 Years Ago

The University of Wisconsin System is touting a record number of graduates in the latest academic year.

A report shows nearly 37,000 people completed their degrees in the 2017-18 school year. That is a 13.4 percent increase compared to 10 years ago, according to the UW System.

UW System President Ray Cross said even though enrollment is down, there were 4,350 more graduates in the last academic year compared to 10 years ago.

“Our graduation numbers are up over the last 10 years, which means we are doing a better job of getting students not just into the university but through it to graduate,” Cross said.

Numbers were up at all degree levels — from bachelor’s to doctorate. The number of graduates of color who are underrepresented has more than doubled from 1,839 in the 2007-08 academic year to 4,919 in the 2017-18 school year, Cross said.

Enrollment in the UW System’s 13 campuses is down overall, which Cross partly attributes to demographics and there being fewer people of college age, 18-25 years old.

He said technology degrees are very sought after, even though some argue a college degree isn’t necessary in an era of low unemployment.

“If you are arguing that the need for higher education has lessened, the opposite is actually true,” Cross said. “All major studies show that society will increasingly need more education.”

Cross said the UW System is looking to build graduation rates with what it calls “intrusive advising” where advisors check up on students who don’t seem to be doing well.

“An advisor, faculty member or counselor would engage them and ‘intrude’ to find out what is going on,” Cross said.

Cross said the program is now in use at UW-Milwaukee and UW-Oshkosh, the UW System has plans roll it out to other campuses to retain enrollment.