Running head: GLOBAL ISSUE REPORT 1

Global Issues Report

Graduation Rates

Koral Gardea

The University of Texas at El Paso

RWS1301

Dr. Vierra

November 11, 2018

GLOBAL ISSUE REPORT 2
Abstract

The Problem under investigation in this global issue report is the different ways a diverse

student body alters graduation rates among universities, and how each ethnicity have unique

characteristics that contributes to academic success or failure. The paper focuses on the diverse students

with a low economic status attending a traditional four-year university. The finding of this paper are that

the way graduation rates are measured are unfair for universities like UTEP, who have a large body of

diverse students, and how the competition of school is delayed because of the unique difficulties each

ethnicity has , but not necessarily meaning they don’t finish the program. In the next discussion, the

findings of the research will prove the problem under investigation

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Graduation Rates

Deciding where to attend college is a tough thing to do for every student, universities are ranked

according to different aspects, which vary from demographics to academic quality. Graduation rates are

measured to evaluate how students in a certain university are achieving academic success. This process

is the same for every single university. However, the process is unfair for college who students' bodies

are very diverse. Since 1943, studies had tried to prove that the system of graduation rates should be

modified according to each university unique student bodies. How does diverse students affect

graduation rates? And how low socioeconomic status plays an important role for not achieving academic

success in diverse student bodies? Changing this global issue could mean universities would be given

the same opportunities for having a successful college rank.

Discussion

Graduation rates of higher education varies from university to university depending on the

amount of diverse, low-income student a college has in their student body. According to Marvin Titus

(2006), completion is positively influenced by demographic-structural characteristics as racial/ethnic

diversity. He found out that, compared to White students, African American and Hispanic students have

lower chance of completing college (383). Accordingly, L. Horn (2006) states that gaps in graduation

rates between this ethnicity students (White vs. Black and Hispanic) narrow as the size of the low-

income population increased (Viii) . This confirms that the rate in which different ethnicities graduate

affect the overall percentage of graduation rates a university has.

The diverse body in each unique university affect the overall graduation rate percentage.

According to Susan Choy (2002) colleges today are very diverse, ‘minorities’ takes up a considerable

percentage of a college population (2) . Consequently, Creighton M. (2007) stated that in each ethnicity,
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(Asian, Hispanic, black, white) there are different characteristics researches to take into consideration

when understanding the graduation rates among students, since it affects each community group

differently (4). This means that the factors distressing the Hispanic population to obtain a degree are not

the same as those the African American student community face because each ethnicity has different

issues from social to economic, making it difficult for academic success. This can also be proven in

figure 1, which compares the averages of graduation rates among different ethnicities in moderate

selective institutions

There are similar issues all university encounters within their student body, creating an impact to

the college itself. According to Michele Moore (2011), the major impacts of schools are poverty,

migration, and poor health (32). Along the same lines, Marvin Titus (2006), states that negative

influences for graduation rates are being a part of an underrepresented minority group, financial need,

and working more that certain number of hours per week (383). This expresses the idea that minorities

have a hard time graduating more than those who have economic advantage.

UTEP’s Graduation rates varies from other universities because of the low-income diverse

students the college has in campus. Diana Natalisco (2003) stated in an interview, that graduation rates

are a result of many factors, such as the students’ socio-economic level (p. 1). Martin Titus (2006)

contributes to the claim because as he wrote, low socioeconomic status students are less likely to earn a

degree from a four-year institution (371) . This implies that students who have lower economic

advantages have a hard time completing college.

Diverse students experience different issues thought their academic life, success depends on how

the student leads with their unique problem which. Theresa R. and Erwin V. (1945) argue that schools

are the most diverse they ever been in the whole history of United States, and it is a process who will

continue to grow (1). As a result, Patrick P. states that the majority of college students have a hard time

balancing their desire to get a college degree, maintain their family economic necessities, which vary
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according to their diversity, job duties, self-identity, and more resulting in an uneven progress toward

graduation and creates a lower rate of graduation (7) . This means that every student has different duties

that affect their college advancement affecting directly the universities overall rates.

The way Graduations rates are measured do not take into account the different diverse student

bodies Universities like UTEP faces, making the results inaccurate. According to Cook and Pullaro

(2010), claimed that most of the programs such as IPEDS GRS are inaccurate and leave many minorities

of students outside of the calculation (21). The disadvantages of these databases indicate, these data

should be used carefully as a measure of the overall productivity of postsecondary education institutions.

Accordingly, Natalisco (2003) said that the university would be careful to monitor the legislation and

work with others to ensure lawmakers are well informed about the diversity of universities in this

country (p. 1). One size does not fit all. This implies that the way graduation rates are measured by the

government are unfair because colleges have many types of student bodies that does not fit with the

standard characteristics of the measurements.

The way graduations rates are measured do not take into account the different difficulties diverse

students have in order to graduate. Cook and Pullaro (2010) states that student outcomes, particularly

graduation rates, should be viewed within the context of institutional mission and student demographics

since diversity plays an important role on having an accurate measure since the role it plays in GRS

(graduation rates) is huge (21) . Consequently, Susan Choy (2002) makes it clear that every student has

a unique background story that makes it either difficult or easier for him to graduate (3). The author’s

point is that making a graduation rate system does not take into consideration the diversity of students,

when it is in fact a very important factor of every university in terms of graduation.

The more diverse a University is, the better chances for higher graduation rates within the

community. Roy Mathew (2013),figure 2 states that 77.4% of UTEP’s student demographics are

Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% White non-Hispanic, 2.7 Black non-Hispanic, 5.4% Mexican International,

and the other percentages are between Asian and Native American, Hawaiian, two or more race and
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other (8) . In addition, Laura Horn (2006) says it is easier for graduation rates to be higher when there is

more community of the race involved in the school (Viii) . The evidence suggests that graduation rates

of UTEP, being a college that most of its students are Hispanic, or Latino make it easier for these

students to feel comfortable in their environment, therefore to graduate.

UTEP diverse body of students makes graduation rates different from any other university. Susan

Choy (2002) understands that once students are registered, staying in college mostly vary by students

who drop out to enroll to another college or continue later in their academic life, not working full time,

not starting at a community college, family background (3) . It follows then, with the opinion of Velarde

(2006) the longer the student stays in UTEP, the more likely he or she will finish. 40 percent of its

student body graduates in longer than six years (1); In Topp’s view, a history professor, the amount of

time taken to earn a degree does not diminish the accomplishment, and students who have been with

UTEP for that long have a level of commitment that should not go unrewarded. Students indeed

graduate in UTEP, they just use more time because of the different necessities the students need.

Financial Aid is a key for diverse students to be able to graduate. Susan Choy (2002) explains

that a student like-hood of attending increases by their parent’s education, completing difficult courses

during high school, applying for affordable colleges based on their income or completing financial aid

(3). Also, Martin Titus (2006) states that negative impacts for graduation are being a part of an

underrepresented minority group, financial need, and working more that certain number of hours per

week (383). This expresses the idea that economical sustainability is necessary for students to attend

college because of their low-income characteristic

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Conclusion

Graduation rates of higher education varies from university to university depending on the

amount of diverse, low-income student a college has in their student body. Which is important because

colleges are rated based in this percentages. One size does not fit all. Universities as UTEP have a wide

diversity of student body, which have many different and unique difficulties when graduating in the

four-year basis. The longer a Student stays in UTEP, the more likely they will graduate. Programs such

as IPEDS GRS rate a university in the percentage of students who graduate in four years, making it

incredibly unfair. These studies should be modified in order to fit universities with large percentages of

diverse students, which are the main reason for explaining a low graduation rate of a college.
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References

Choy, S., (2002) Findings from 10 years of longitudinal research on students. ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher

Education. Washington, DC. Retrieved from: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED466105.pdf

Creighton M. (2007). Factors Affecting the Graduation Rates of University Students from Underrepresented

Populations. International Electronic Journal for leadership in learning. Retrieved from

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ987305.pdf

Cook, B., & Pullaro, N. (2010). Discussion. College graduation rates: Behind the numbers. (pp. 21-22.

Retrieved from: https://www.acenet.edu/news-room/Documents/College-Graduation-Rates-Behind-the-

Numbers.pdf

Horn, L. (2006). Placing college graduation rates in context. How 4-year college graduation rates vary with

selectivity and the size of low-income enrollment. ((26)3). Retrieved from:

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED494020.pdf

Mathew R. (2013). UTEP by the Numbers. Center of Institutional Evaluation Research and Planning. Retrieved

from: http://cierp2.utep.edu/development/utepbythenumbers41013.pdf

Moore, M. (2011) Understanding the role of leadership in responding to diversity. In Miles S., Ainscow M.,(Ed)

Responding to diversity in School. Routledge (1). 32-44 .new York, NY

Titus, M.., (2006). The Influence of the Institutional Financial Context. Understanding college degree

completion of students with low socioeconomic status. (4) 371-398. Retrieved from:

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs11162-005-9000-5.pdf

Theresa, R., Erwin, V. (1945) Race, Ethnicity, and Education: What is Taught in School. International

Perspectives on Curriculum. Greenwich, Connecticut.

Patrick, P., (2003). Legislators ponder Higher Education Act. The Prospector. (7), 8. Retrieved

from https://theprospector.newspaperarchive.com/el-paso-prospector/2003-07-16/
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Velarde J., (2006). Non-traditional norm at UTEP. The Perspective. pp.1-3. Retrieved from:

https://theprospector.newspaperarchive.com/el-paso-prospector/2006-03-01/
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Figures

Fig 1. Average of graduation rates among ethnicities in moderate selective institutions.

Horn, L. (2006). Placing college graduation rates in context. How 4-year college graduation rates vary with

selectivity and the size of low-income enrollment. ((26)3). Retrieved from:

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED494020.pdf
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Fig.2 UTEP’s percentage of diversity within its student body.

Mathew R. (2013). UTEP by the Numbers. Center of Institutional Evaluation Research and Planning. Retrived

from: https://www.utep.edu/orsp/_Files/docs/UTEP-by-the-Numbers---4-10-13.pdf