VCU news

By Mike Porter

Virginia Commonwealth University is listed among the nation’s top public institutions of higher learning for boosting graduation rates for underrepresented minority students and for closing the graduation rate gap between minorities and white students, according to a report released today by The Education Trust.

The report, “Rising Tide: Do College Grad Rate Gains Benefit All Students?”, found that VCU increased the six-year graduation rate for black, Latino and Native-American students by 15.5 percent between 2003 and 2013 and narrowed the graduation gap between underrepresented minorities and their white peers by 3.3 percent over the same time period.

“The Education Trust report helps to illustrate the university’s ongoing commitment to supporting minority students,” said Luke Schultheis, Ph.D., vice provost for strategic enrollment management. “And our trends continue to improve. In the fall of 2015, VCU reported the graduation rate for African-American students increased to 64 percent, which continues to exceed the national average.”

The Education Trust examined six-year graduation rates among first-time, full-time students at 1,309 four-year public colleges and universities. VCU was one of 26 “top-gaining institutions” highlighted in the report for vast improvements in completion rates for all students, increasing graduation rates for underrepresented students and declining gaps in graduation rates between underrepresented and white students.   

“VCU is committed to the success of all students. Closing the graduation gap has been a university priority for several years with appropriate resources and support from the highest levels to make it happen,” said VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D. “Most of all, this is a testament to our students, who are unrelenting on their path to success, and the dedication of our faculty and staff who mentor and support them.”

Virginia Commonwealth University information: 

3-Year Average Graduation Rate for URM Students (2013)(Percentage)	53.9
10-Year Change in URM Student Graduation Rates (2003-2013)(Percentage point)	+15.5
3-Year Average Overall Graduation Rate (2013) (Percentage)	55.4
10-Year Change in Overall Graduation Rate (2003-2013)(Percentage Point)	+13.2
3-Year Average Graduation Rate for White students (2013)(Percentage)	55
10-Year Change in White Student Graduation Rate (2003-2013)(Percentage Point)	+12.2
10-Year Change in Gaps Between White and URM Students (2003-2013)(Percentage Point)	-3.3

Source: “Rising Tide: Do College Grad Rate Gains Benefit All Students?” by The Education Trust 

The Education Trust is a nonprofit advocacy organization that promotes high academic achievement for all students at all levels, pre-kindergarten through college. Its goal is to close the gaps in opportunity and achievement that consign far too many young people — especially those from low-income families or who are black, Latino or Native American — to lives on the margins of the American mainstream.