A state committee tasked with raising graduation rates for Mississippi's eight public universities says more work needs to be done. MPB's Mark Rigsby reports.
The Education Achievement Council recently released performance data for all eight public universities.
Jim Borsig is co-chair for the council, and President of the Mississippi University for Women. He says the numbers are increasing when it comes to students taking on a full course load.
"We know that students who complete 24 hours in the first year of college are on a track to graduate with a degree."
The council was created by the state legislature seven years ago to raise the number of students who earn degrees. It tracks each school in areas like degrees awarded and student progress. The university average for freshmen who complete a degree in six years is 52%. The University of Mississippi is tops at 61%. Mississippi Valley State University is at the bottom at 29%. Borsig says the universities are doing well at providing student support services to help them stay on track. But he says all schools need to improve in the area of mathematics.
"Mathematics preparation in both secondary, as well as getting the appropriate mathematics at the university level, is an area that has implications for all of our graduates, and for the future workforce in the state and in the nation."
Borsig says there's been an 11% increase in the number of degrees students have earned over the past five years.
