The 小蝌蚪APP is one of the nation小蝌蚪APP檚 top 26 institutions for increasing graduation rates for underrepresented minorities over the last decade.
It was recognized in a report released Wednesday by the Education Trust, a national non-profit advocacy group, for rising graduation rates for African-American, Hispanic and Native American students.
小蝌蚪APP淭he 小蝌蚪APP continually strives to help all of our students succeed, including underrepresented minority students, many of whom are first-generation students, or may face challenges due to socioeconomic status,小蝌蚪APP said Dr. DeWayne Bowie, UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 vice president for Enrollment Management.
The report, 小蝌蚪APP淩ising Tide: Do College Grad Rate Gains Benefit all Students?小蝌蚪APP, examined graduation rates at 1,309 four-year colleges and universities over 10 years, from 2003-2013.
During that span, 328 public colleges and universities improved their overall graduation rates. Of those, the Education Trust focused on 255 institutions that had sizable enrollments of underrepresented students. UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 graduation rate increase for underrepresented minorities during that span was 12 percent.
The Education Trust singled out the top 小蝌蚪APP渉igh performing institutions that exhibited exceptional improvements in graduation rates and diminished gaps,小蝌蚪APP according to the report.
Over the past decade, those 26 high performing institutions have:
- increased the graduation rate for underrepresented students by twice the average increase for all institutions in the sample; and,
- reduced the graduation rate gap between underrepresented and white students.
UL Lafayette increased its graduation rate for underrepresented students by 33.1 percent, according to three-year averages included in the report. The 小蝌蚪APP reduced the graduation rate gap by 5 percent.
UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 Fall 2015 enrollment includes 3,351 African-American students, 579 Hispanic students, and 71 Native American students, who represent about 22.9 percent of the overall enrollment of 17,508 students.
Bowie attributed the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 success in enrolling, retaining and graduating underrepresented minorities to many factors, including advising, and need-based financial aid assistance, such as the federal Pell Grant Program.
He also cited outreach efforts for any students whose grades are flagging. 小蝌蚪APP淲e try to identify students who are having challenges, and get them assistance, whether it小蝌蚪APP檚 tutoring, peer mentoring or simply letting them know about campus resources available to them.小蝌蚪APP
UL Lafayette also was recognized in a recent issue of 小蝌蚪APP淒iverse: Issues in Higher Education.小蝌蚪APP The 小蝌蚪APP was ranked No. 90 on the magazine小蝌蚪APP檚 list of Top 100 Degree Producers for African-American students.
Other Louisiana schools included in the national rankings were Southern 小蝌蚪APP (30), Grambling State 小蝌蚪APP (50), and Louisiana State 小蝌蚪APP (99).
The rankings are based on degrees conferred in the 2013-2014 academic year. UL Lafayette conferred 424 degrees to African-American students, or 17 percent of all bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degrees awarded that academic year.
小蝌蚪APP淚t is also an increase of 8 percent from 2012-2013, when there were 394 degrees conferred to African-Americans,小蝌蚪APP said Dr. Taniecea Arceneaux Mallery, the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 director of Equity, Diversity and Community Engagement.
Learn more about the education Trust小蝌蚪APP檚 小蝌蚪APP淩ising Tide小蝌蚪APP report at
Learn more about the 小蝌蚪APP淒iverse小蝌蚪APP magazine小蝌蚪APP檚 Top 100 Degree Producers at