Study ranks NEIU graduation rates near bottom

A report released by the Consortium on Chicago School Research reports the graduation rate at Northeastern Illinois University is one of the worst in the country.

The six-year graduation rate for full-time freshman at NEIU is 17 percent, according to a Department of Education study. The report also cites federal statistics which find that only four percent of all African-American students at NEIU graduate within six years.

Some blame the failure on the part of policymakers in holding university administrators accountable, while others point to institutional bureaucracy as the reason for poor graduation rates.

According to federal data, the student population at NEIU is 43 percent white, 29 percent Hispanic and 12 percent African- American. Of its 12, 200 students, almost half attend part time.

In a recent story in The New York Times, NEIU President Salme Steinberg said, "That it takes another year or two years longer should be a mark of distinction." She added that students should be commended for the remarkable efforts they are making.

Almost half of those attending NEIU are transfer students. For this reason, NEIU student and Union for Puerto Rican Students President Xavier Burgos thinks the study itself is flawed. He explained that a report looking at all graduation rates, including those of transfer students, would offer more accurate and complete information to better remedy these problems.

The Board of Trustees Presidential Recruitment Profile states that the College of Education is a leader in the training of certified teachers in the State of Illinois and in the nation. It also notes that in the actual number of baccalaureate degrees earned by Latinos, Northeastern is number one in Illinois and ranks 11th in the nation. Northeastern Illinois University remains the most affordable public four-year university in the state.

Chicago State University is another school facing low graduation rates. Close to 90 percent of its 7, 300 students are African-American. The overall student graduation rate is 16 percent. Judy Erwin, the executive director of the Illinois Board of Higher Education, proposes offering financial incentives for improved graduation rates.

The story from The New York Times quoted Elnora D. Daniel, president of Chicago State University, as saying, "I think the work of this institution should be lauded rather than criticized. And I say that for all public institutions nationally that attract and have as part of their mission the education of low-income, disadvantaged students."

Other such institutions, like Murray State University in Murray, Ky., which was also discussed in The New York Times, have considerably higher graduation rates. F. King Alexander was university president when its graduation rate increased from 43 percent to 57 percent.

Alexander encouraged commuting students to spend more time on campus because those involved in extra-curricular activities were more likely to finish college. He also made graduation a central theme. Ultimately, Dr. Daniel said that students have to think about graduation from the day they walk on campus.